Teacher Feature: Toddlers Explore the Ocean

Posted on January 22, 2015 by francisag

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Dana Brightful. Her toddler classroom was learning all about the ocean and decided to spend a day focusing on anemones. Below you will find a reflection from Dana and images from some of her lessons.

What were your topics of exploration?

Our topics of discussion that week were Oceans and Coral Reefs. We specifically focused on symbiotic relationships between clown fish and sea anemones and the importance of coral reefs and octopi.

What were your learning objectives? (What did you want your children to take away from the lesson?)

My main goal for this particular group of children was for them to understand the importance of working together like the sea anemone and clown fish. This group is working on building their relationships with each other and to consistently work cooperatively.The activities that were included in this unit encouraged hand holding and the importance of collective responsibility in the classroom.

What was most successful about your lesson?

The children really remembered the vocabulary words like coral, ocean, clown fish and even anemone. Also, that week, the group was particularly successful walking together as partners holding hands and even beginning to identify the feelings of their classmates.

What could you have done differently? What recommendations would you have for another teacher trying out this lesson?

I would actually have done the tunnel portion (hiding from the shark) in an open space, like the classroom. The space in the museum or smaller spaces proved to be a challenge and the idea/ concept was lost on the group.

Here are a few images from her unit on anemones:

Dana stared the lesson by asking the group to dive into the ocean.

Down on the ocean floor they found coral, an anemone, and sand. The group took turns passing around the different items and reviewing the different sea creatures they had studied earlier in the week.

Dana then explained how clown fish live in anemones. The anemone keeps the clown fish safe and in turn it keeps the anemone clean. To emphasize this point she used puppets to sing a song about their relationship. Here are the lyrics (sung to the tune of ‘This Old Man’): I hide you, you clean me, clown fish and anemone, They work together can’t you see? Living in the coral reefs!

The group then walked up to the Natural History Ocean Hall to see the clown fish in action.

After they had a chance to observe the fish, they ventured over to Portraits of Planet Ocean: The Photography of Brian Skerry (http://bit.ly/1CklPMe) to see a photograph of an anemone. Sitting in front of the photo, Dana introduced the game they were going to play in the museum. She was going to be an anemone and a child was going to be a clown fish. Dana used a paper plate, streamers, and string to create an anemone hat. She also made an additional hat out of a paper plate with the colors of a clown fish. The children took turns wearing the hat and pretending to be a clown fish.

She asked one of the other teachers to be a predator trying to catch the clown fish and Dana told the children to quickly hide in the anemone (the tunnel). The kids had a blast playing in the museum.

The class had a wonderful time studying oceans and has now swum on to their next topic. Check back next week for another teacher feature!

Teacher Feature: Two Year Old Classroom Explores Trains

Posted on January 15, 2015 by francisag

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Carolyn Eby. Her two year old classroom was learning all about trains and decided to spend a day focusing on the Little Red Caboose. The teachers had decided to focus on this topic because the children were showing continued interest in trains. They were pretending most objects were trains and wanted to talk about them during their walks in the community. In addition, one focus that SEEC toddlers have is walking safely together. Since they are just learning how to walk on “trains” there is a lot of interest in what trains are all about, how they stay together and, of course, train safety. This unit was able to connect all these aspects into one cohesive lesson. Below you will find a reflection from Carolyn and images from some of her lessons.

What were your topics of exploration?

Our class was spending time learning about the different parts of a railroad train such as the locomotive, tank car, and so on. We had spent the week looking at different cars and their various functions. On this specific day we were talking about the Little Red Caboose and how it keeps everyone safe.

What were your learning objectives? (What did you want your children to take away from the lesson?)

I wanted the group to understand the safety function of the caboose and its location in the order of the cars. The class has a great sense of compassion for each other and characters in books and by personifying the caboose through the book Little Red Caboose by Marian Potter I was able to illustrate how the train “keeps an eye out” for the other cars.

We were also able to work on some developmental goals by involving dance and call and response during our circle.

What was most successful about your lesson?

I found that the most successful part of my lesson was the connection between the book and the work of art. We visited the Smithsonian American Art Museums to see Train in Cole Town by Jack Savitsky. Both the illustrations and painting had a funky feeling which made the flow from reading the book to looking at the art work very easy for the group to connect. It was really fun to spend time looking at the painting, imagining how it could be an extension of the text we were reading!

Surprisingly, right around the corner were several other train paintings! We decided to stop and spend some time discussing what we saw in those works. We wondered about the people riding in the passenger trains and where the rail road tracks may lead. These conversations were exciting and included thoughtful connections to previous units since the class had been spending so much time working on trains! Sometimes the best parts of a lesson are not planned!

What could you have done differently? What recommendations would you have for another teacher trying out this lesson?

It was difficult for me to think of an age appropriate activity that I could pack up and take with me to the museum. I loved singing with the kids and reading them a story, but I feel like the lesson could have made a greater connection with the group if they had a hands activity to do in the gallery. Also, I would have probably spent more time talking through the lyrics of the song which may have resulted in a more dynamic discussion.

Here are a few images from her unit on the caboose:

Carolyn introduced her topic for the day by creating a small red car to add to their bulletin board train. She reviewed the parts of the train that they had previously studied and asked the group where they thought they should put this car. Carolyn then explained that this car was a caboose and it had a very special job.

Carolyn then played a video for the group with the tablet. It showed a musical group singing “The Little Red Caboose.”

Carolyn wanted to provide multiple exposures to the same song so she also sang a slightly different version with the class. She also showed them a few train movements to do while they were singing. The group loved them!

Following the story, the class walked up to the Smithsonian American Art Museum to see Train in Cole Town by Jack Savitsky (http://bit.ly/1xh3FWZ). They spent some time looking at the work and talking about the different parts of the train. They thought about where it might be going and how quickly or slowly it might get there. Carolyn then read The Little Red Caboose by Marian Potter.

Carolyn asked the group if they could see similarities between the book and the painting. The children had a lot to share and were able to talk about the role of the caboose in both the book and the work of art.

On their way out of the museum the group spotted a few more train paintings. Subway by Lily Furedi (http://bit.ly/1DPTbDW) served as a great way to review passenger cars. The group talked about what the people were doing on the train.

The children also spotted train tracks in Third Avenue by Charles L. Goeller (http://bit.ly/1BUh9yj). They wondered where they were going and what kid of train would use that type of track.

The class had a wonderful time studying trains and has now chugged along to their next topic. Check back next week for another teacher feature!

Teacher Feature: Two Year Old Classroom Explores The Human Body

Posted on January 8, 2015 by francisag

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Javasa Finney. Her twos classroom was learning about the human body and decided to spend a day learning about hair and how the human body grows. Below you will find a reflection from Javasa and images from some of her lessons.

Body_Cover

What were your topics of exploration?

During the months of October and November the Penguins were exploring the human body. We talked about the different parts of the human body. Some of the parts we focused on included:

hair
skin
mouth
bones
eyes
brain
heart

In addition to how these body parts work we had a lot of fun learning about the five senses. We talked about nutrition, how important it is, and how what we eat affects our body. Then they made delicious food from the different food groups with my co-teachers throughout the week. We also talked about the importance of sleep and how important exercise is for the human body. They were extremely excited to have the opportunity to go exercise at the Washington Monument.

What were your learning objectives? (What did you want your children to take away from the lesson?)

I wanted the class to learn all about their amazing bodies. My main learning objective when teaching the kids about the human body was for them to learn about how important their bodies are and how to care for them. I also wanted them to learn all the bodies’ functions and abilities.

What was most successful about your lesson?

During the time we spent learning about the human body there are two lessons that I feel were extremely successful and memorable. The first one would definitely be when a baby came to visit. The child is currently a student in the infant class here at SEEC. The five month old was our model for the lesson. During this lesson I talked to the Penguins about how we start out as small babies. We talked about how different a baby’s body is compared to older people. We talked about how when babies are born they don’t have teeth and can’t talk, walk, run, or jump. They learned that during the first year a baby sleeps and drinks a lot and cries to communicate. During circle time we made observations about the baby’s body and talked about how fragile it is. Then the Penguins had the opportunity to touch him. It was wonderful to see the children light up and respond to the child. The second most successful and memorable human body lesson was our lesson on hair. We learned how hair can be many colors, textures, and lengths. We talked about the things we use to care for our hair. Then the Penguins had the opportunity to try on wigs that were different colors, textures, and lengths. This lesson was followed up with a trip to the National Gallery of Art. We went to look at the “Little Dancer” by Edgar Degas sculpture. First we made observations about the body and then we had the Penguins take a closer look at her braid. The braid is made of real human hair, coated and held in place by wax.

What could you have done differently? What recommendations would you have for another teacher trying out this lesson?

During the first lesson, if I were to do this again, I wouldn’t keep the baby on my lap the entire time. I realized later it would have been nice for the kids to see him crawling, playing, etc. For the second lesson about hair, I would have picked a different day to go to the National Gallery of Art. The day we went there were several trips there and the room with “Little Dancer” was extremely crowded.

Here are a few images from their unit on the human body:

Javasa began the week by exploring how our bodies grow and change. As a way to illustrate this development, Javasa invited a child from the infant classroom to visit. She wanted the class to look at the baby and compare his body to their own and the teachers’. Javasa explained that people start by needing a lot of help from adults but as our body changes we become more independent.

Javasa explained that the baby couldn’t feed himself, talk, or even walk yet. She showed how the baby would eventually learn how to do all these things as he gets older.

The next day the class moved on to Hair. Javasa read “Hair” by Cynthia Klingel and Robert B. Noyed to introduce the topic. The book helped students understand that people all over the world have many different types of hair and hair styles and each one is as special as the next.

One of Javasa’s co-teachers shared her collection of wigs as way to talk about how hair can be all different colors, textures, lengths, and styles. She explained that hair comes in a range of color but if you want certain colors (for example, pink) you would need to dye it that color.

She showed the group a zoomed in picture of a hair follicle. The kids couldn’t believe how the root of their hair looks.

Javasa went on to explain that hair can grow curly, straight, or wavy.

The group spent a long time looking and touching their own hair.

Then it was time to try out new hair!

They had a wonderful time trying on the different wigs!

The group then walked over to the National Gallery of Art to see Degas’ “Little Dancer.” They were fascinated by how Degas used real hair for the sculpture. The children discussed the color, length and style of the dancer’s hair.

This class had an awesome time learning about their bodies! Be sure to check back for our Teacher Feature next week!

Looking Back: Family Workshop Review

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Cynthia Raso

FAMILY WORKSHOP EVALUATION

In early November, we wrapped up our first round of family workshops for the year and the last few weeks have been spent reflecting and sorting through evaluations. We received positive feedback about the types of activities we provided in the classroom, the rapport teachers had with the children and the overall quality of the program. Our families were very thoughtful in the type of feedback they provided – really allowing us as educators to dig deep and see a different perspective.

HOW MUCH TIME IN THE MUSEUM?

Last week we met to discuss the evaluations and while we had a lot to talk about, the focus of the conversation was on the museum experience. Many of our parents indicated they wanted more time in the museum. The art historian in me was excited to hear that parents were craving more of the museum! The early childhood educator, on the other hand, was challenged: How do we develop a longer museum visit without jeopardizing a positive experience.

LAB SCHOOL V. WEEKEND PROGRAM

When we develop our museum visits we think a lot about what is best for the child and what is developmentally appropriate. For example, with each age group we know about how much time they are comfortable and engaged during museum visits and try to plan visits that match the developmental stage of the students. We provide multiple exposures to a single concept in order to help them fully engage in the learning process.

This museum framework is also based largely on our experiences at the lab school. We work in an environment where our students visit the Smithsonian museums almost daily. When we plan our museum visits this ease of access is paramount. Our teachers are great at responding to the needs of the children from one moment to the next and can easily shorten a museum visit or cancel it altogether because they can always return. If there is a protest on the Mall or the weather is bad, there is always tomorrow. Not so with the family programs.

On the weekends, tables are turned; the museum visit has to work that day. We don’t have the option to return. We have to make it work!

PARENTS

Unlike the lab school experience, the parents are present and therefore, are also a key part to the workshop experience. They want to learn and explore the museums. For many this is chance for to visit museums they may not normally get to. They also see the workshops as a time of connection with their children where they can encourage, teach and engage. What they don’t want is a child who is starting to get antsy and is feeling frustrated. We have to carefully consider what works best for both the child and the parent.

EXPERIMENTS

In the past, we’ve experimented with a hybrid model that includes a group learning component with a guided exploratory activity. photo (5)

For example, my colleague used a flip book for a toddler lesson on fire trucks. First families were asked to find the parts of the wagon and then came back to the group to share. Matching the photos encouraged families to look closely and the group portion gave everyone the opportunity to connect and share what they had learned. This is a great example of how we can make the museum visit more focused and detailed, but it doesn’t work in every situation. Another colleague did a lesson with no group component for our infants at the US Botanical Gardens in which she planned four caretaker-directed activities. There was no group component and the class remained entirely at the Gardens – omitting the classroom portion because the walk was too long. My co-manager is also excited to try out another model: adding a second object. By and large we only visit one object per a museum visit, but having had experience with toddlers using 2-3 objects, she is eager to see if this model might also prove effective.

NO ONE DEFINITIVE ANSWER

I believe that all of these models have real value. As early childhood educators we often have to take the temperature of a group and make adjustments on the fly. What works once, doesn’t always work again. Part of our challenge is being able to read those signs and being prepared with additional content (early childhood educators do a lot of content research just for this purpose) and being ready to present that content in a variety of ways. Sometimes all the planning in the world can be for naught the day of a lesson because no matter how good we have gotten at anticipating a child’s needs, they are still unpredictable.

I really look forward to experimenting and growing these family workshops. If you are an educator, post your ideas and thoughts. If you are a parent, come and check us out. Our next set of classes begins January 31^st when we are offering infant, toddler and pre-K classes. Don’t be deterred by the weather families – what we lack in warmth we make up for in ample parking during this time of year!

Teacher Feature: Three Year Old Classroom Explores Pirates

Posted on December 18, 2014 by francisag

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Brooke Shoemaker. Her Pre-K three classroom was learning about The Swiss Family Robinson and decided to spend a week on Pirates. Below you will find a reflection from Brooke and images from some of her lessons.

What were your topics of exploration?

The Koalas had been exploring topics related to the Swiss Family Robinson. Over the course of the unit we explored boats, architecture, animals, navigation and pirates. Specifically for pirates we talked about what pirates wear, where they live, how they talk, pirate flags and pirate sidekicks – parrots.

What were your learning objectives? (What did you want your children to take away from the lesson?):

From the Treasure Hunt lesson I wanted the children to:

Reflect on the past lessons during the Swiss Family Robinson unit
Use critical thinking skills to solve clues as to where we were to go on the treasure hunt
Use pre-math skills to fill in the next symbol in a pattern (to open the lock on the treasure chest)
Feel accomplished after achieving the goal of solving all the clues and finding the treasure chest.
Enjoy dramatic play as a pirate

What was most successful about your lesson?

The most successful part of the lesson was how excited the students were about solving the clues and finding the treasure hunt. They were very enthusiastic about wearing the pirate costumes, liked talking “in character” and worked hard to solve the clues. I was happy that they remembered our past lessons and it was successful in being a cumulative last lesson for our unit.

What could you have done differently? What recommendations would you have for another teacher trying out this lesson?

If I were to do this lesson again I would shorten the treasure hunt by 1 or 2 clues. The children were great sports and walked a great distance to solve the clues and get to the treasure chest, but it ended up taking a long time and I think the objectives of the lesson would still have been achieved with fewer clues/stops.

Here are a few images from their unit on pirates:

Brooke began her lesson by revisiting the themes and story line of The Swiss Family Robinson before introducing her theme for the week: pirates! The kids were so excited! Brooke spread out a collection of pirate themed books for the kids to look at and then asked the group what they knew about pirates.

This is the list of things the group came up with (even pirates need to go potty!).

Brooke then passed out pre-cut pirate hats for the children to decorate and wear during their scavenger hunt. As you can see they loved them! She then explained that the class was going on a treasure hunt around the National Mall. Brooke had written clues prior to the lesson that would guide the group to some of the places they had visited during their unit on The Swiss Family Robinson. She wanted to use this activity as a way to summarize their past topics.
Their first clue took them to the blue print of the National Museum of American History building. Earlier in their unit they used this image to talk about architecture and the building of the Robinson Family home on the island.

Their second clue led them to the third floor of the National Museum of American History to see the “Gunboat Philadelphia” (http://bit.ly/1IZ8r51). Previously in their unit, the teachers used this boat to talk about how the Robinson family traveled to the island.

Their third clue guided them all the way to the Washington Monument. They visited the top during their week on architecture.

Brooke asked a park ranger to distribute the next clue.

The fourth clue led them to the National Museum of Natural History Mammal Hall (http://www.mnh.si.edu/mammals/index.htm). In the book, the Island is full of animals, so the group often went to the Mammal Hall to learn all about some of the creatures that inhabited the Robinson’s home.

Their last clue directed them back to their playground where they found the treasure chest!

In order to open their treasure chest they needed to crack the pattern and fill in the next shape.

Inside was gold, Pirate’s Booty, and pirate headbands!

The next day Brooke took the class to the National Gallery of Art to see Still Life with Artichokes and a Parrot, 17th c., Italian. For her visit, she focused on the pirate’s trusty sidekick, the parrot. They read Pirate Pete by Kim Kennedy and talked about all the ways a parrot can help a pirate.

Brooke brought each child a paper parrot and asked them to look closely at the painting. She asked: “What is the same or different about the one in your hand and the one in the work of art?” The kids had a lot of ideas to share.

The 3 year olds had a wonderful time exploring the book, The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss. Be sure to check back after the holidays for our next teacher feature!

Teacher Feature: Three Year Old Classroom Explores Elvis

Posted on December 11, 2014 by francisag

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Rebecca Wilcox. Her Pre-k four classroom was learning about Music and decided to spend a week on Elvis Presley. Below you will find a reflection from Rebecca and images from some of her lessons.

What were your topics of exploration?

At the start of the school year, the Wallabies showed a great interest in instruments. As a result, we decided to lead the class in exploring music and instruments. When we finished, my co-teacher and I decided to share our musical passions with the kids so I was able to spend the week with them exploring the life and music of Elvis Presley. We talked about Elvis’ personal and professional life, highlighting his ambitions as a child and how growing up in his circumstances influenced his philanthropic endeavors as an adult. I hoped that this would provide a logical connecting thread to a broader theme of empathy and encourage them to feel empowered to make changes in their world. We listened to lots of his music all week, watched him singing and dancing on the 1968 Comeback Special, and talked about different ways that Elvis tried to help make other people’s lives better.

What were your learning objectives? (What did you want your children to take away from the lesson?)

For this week’s lesson I had one personal objective and two professional objectives. As a huge Elvis fan, I wanted to introduce and encourage an interest in the music of my favorite artist, Elvis Presley. Professionally, I wanted to develop close-looking skills and to provide a unique example of a person who was able to make positive changes in other people’s lives. My co-teacher and I have been utilizing the Visual Thinking Routine, SEE-THINK-WONDER, during which the children practice close-looking with an object or artwork. For this thinking routine, teachers ask each child to share something that they see, something that they think, and something that they wonder.

What was most successful about your lesson?

The most successful part about this whole unit was instilling an interest in Elvis’ music and Elvis as an icon. My passion for him definitely made an impact on the children and they love talking about him with me. I especially love the knock-knock jokes that they created: “Knock-Knock!” (Who’s there?) “ELVIS!!” I am always ecstatic when they request Elvis for their naptime music!

What could you have done differently? What recommendations would you have for another teacher trying out this lesson?

If I were to do this unit again, I would spend more time talking about how Elvis’ childhood struggles with poverty affected his desire to be a helpful and charitable person. While I am so excited that my class understands who Elvis is and why I love him, I feel that his charitable work is exceptional, especially because even after his death The Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation is a critical function of Elvis Presley Enterprises.

I would recommend other teachers learn about Elvis’ childhood as a means of creating a strong connection for the kids. I also recommend playing lots of his music and letting the kids have fun and enjoy his unique style! Also, Graceland (http://bit.ly/1BAIDu7) has fabulous resources for all ages and disciplines!

Here are a few images from their unit on Elvis:
DSCN1050

Rebecca wanted to start her unit by introducing Elvis Presley to the kids so they ventured to the National Portrait Gallery to see the painting, Elvis Presley by Ralph Wolfe Cowan (http://bit.ly/1zB6xU1). The children were invited to look at the work and share what they saw. The children had a number of observations that helped lead and guide the discussion. They wondered about the keys in Elvis’ pocket and the building in the back of the scene.

DSCN1070 Rebecca used those observations to introduce Elvis’ family and childhood. She used the tablet to show Elvis at different ages.

DSCN1063 She then showed them other pictures of Elvis at the same age as in the portrait and also a larger image of Graceland.

DSCN1101 The next day the class walked over to the Hirshhorn Museum to continue their exploration.

Rebecca focused her lesson on the Elvis classic “If I can dream” and visited the Cloud by Spencer Finch (http://bit.ly/1uoUAKM). She wanted to focus on the concept of a dream. Illustrating that a dream can be a hope or desire or something you imagined when you were sleeping. The dark room and soft light from the art work set a wonderful atmosphere for them to talk all about dreaming.

Rebecca started her lesson by showing a video of Elvis singing his “If I can dream”.

Rebecca asked the group: “What is a dream?” After sharing the definition, she pulled out a few rest time items as way to emphasize the concept. She then asked the children what they dream about when they are sleeping. One child exclaimed “I dream about Museums!”

She then explained that the dream that Elvis was describing in his song is his hope for everyone to get along in the future. Rebecca then introduced Martin Luther King who also had big dreams and read Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport. Rebecca ended the lesson by asking the children to share their big dreams for the future. One child said “I want to be a great big huge chef that feeds everyone in the whole word.”

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In the afternoon the children were invited to make their own hip-shaking Elvis. The class cut out Elvis and painted him with gold sparkles. The teachers helped fasten his hip to his body with a brad.

The class had a wonderful time exploring Music and learning all about Elvis. They have now moved on to a unit on performance! Check back in next week Thursday for an all new teacher feature!

Teacher Feature: Four Year Old Classroom Explores Dr. Dolittle

Posted on December 4, 2014 by francisag

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Carrie Heflin and Emma Cowan-Young. Carrie and Emma’s pre-k four classroom learned about Dr. Doolittle. Below you will find a reflection from Carrie and Emma and images from some of their lessons.

What were your topics of exploration?

“The unit we were working on was a case study of the novel The Story of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting. We looked at a variety of topics including long, long ago (Dr. Doolittle was published in 1920), geography (Dr. Doolittle travels from his home in England to Africa by boat), and communication (comparing and contrasting animal and human communication in real life and in the story).”

What were your learning objectives? (What did you want your children to take away from the lesson?)

“Making a connection between the story we were studying and our own lives (i.e. the trips we take, our pets, how we communicate with the world around us).
Thinking about the differences and similarities between how people communicate and how animals communicate.
Practicing some of the different ways that people communicate (i.e. in various languages, with our words, with our bodies).
Observing some of the ways that animals communicate.”

What was most successful about your lesson?

“I think that the most successful thing about this unit is the way it has opened up a larger conversation in our classroom about how we interact with the world around us. We had started the year with a unit on portraiture where we talked a lot about how we represent ourselves and how we learn about others by observing and interpreting how they represent themselves. I felt that this was a natural continuation of that line of thought. We went from talking about how we represent ourselves to exploring how we communicate and how that affects how others see and understand us. I began to see these concepts at work in my classroom in the way my students were interacting with each other. I saw a lot more care being put into apologies and working through problems. In particular I noticed the class as a whole took a very marked interest in sign language. We had dedicated one of our lessons to sign language as a form of human communication because one of our students comes from an ASL-speaking family and he was able to demonstrate some signs from the Dr. Doolittle plot that really engaged the class. We are now two weeks into a new unit and I still hear students asking him about new signs and using them in the classroom every day. It has really created strong sense of community in our class.”

What could you have done differently? What recommendations would you have for another teacher trying out this lesson?

“I really wish we had been able to find a way to get the kids more one on one time with animals. I think there is so much to be learned from observing and interacting with animals and children treat them in such a gentle and thoughtful way. Ideally I would go back and take the time to contact perhaps a service dog organization and have them come and talk to the class about how people can communicate with animals to extend the thought process even further. Unfortunately, I was gone for a week during this unit and I think it threw off the rhythm a little for me and the kids and our momentum fizzled out so it was time to move on. Otherwise, we might still be talking about Dr. D.”

Here a few images from their exploration of communication as part of their Dr. Doolittle unit:
They began the lesson by asking the children how they communicate. Carrie then asked if we all spoke the same language. As you can see they came up with quite an extensive list. Some shared a few words in the languages they knew.

One of the children speaks American Sign Language at home and was excited to share some animal signs from Dr. Doolittle with his classmates.

DSCN0989 Carrie is fluent in French and sang the song “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” first in English and then in French. This was a great way to practice one to one association and get the kids up and moving during their lesson.

The next day the class visited the Park Police horse stable on the National Mall to meet with a few officers who explained that horses have their own way of communicating with each other. They also explained that the officers have a special way of communicating with the horses especially when they are riding them.

The children noticed that the sounds and movements of the horses could tell them something about how the horse was feeling. They loved the opportunity to get up close and interact with these amazing animals.

This class had a wonderful time exploring the magical world of Dr. Doolittle and now they are off on their next adventure. Be sure to check back for our Teacher Feature next week!

Teacher Feature: Four Year Old Classroom Explores Camelot

Image | Posted on November 27, 2014 by francisag

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Will Kuehnle. Will’s pre-k four classroom is currently learning about Camelot. Below you will find a reflection from Will and images from some of his lessons.

What were your topics of exploration?

“We were exploring the world of King Arthur and Camelot. The children at the beginning of the year were enjoying the idea of dragons chasing them when we were running around on the playground. Dragons were also popping up during our chatter around the snack table. I definitely noticed an interest. My associate teacher and I put our heads together to think of a topic to explore that would quench the students interest, touch on topics we thought would be useful for the children to have as a foundation for the year ahead (chivalry, community) and also allowed us as educators to have a wide variety of ideas to teach upon, which makes lesson planning fun and flexible.”

What were your learning objectives? (What did you want your children to take away from the lesson?)

“I always want my students to take away a sense of enjoyment from a unit of study. I want them to have that everyday we are together, no matter if we are going on an exciting museum visit or stuck inside the classroom on a rainy day. For this particular unit I wanted to have each student have a strong sense of what the code of chivalry was, because that can be applied to so many routine situations throughout our day. I wanted to be able to focus my language with children around kindness, bravery, loyalty, community and justice. To be able to do that with such a fascinating backdrop as King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table was a real treat. Another objective I had for the students was to nurture their sense of adventure and curiosity towards learning. We can take that energy and harness it towards future lessons and topics this year, I’m really excited to see where this year leads us.”

What was most successful about your lesson?

“I believe the way the children used what we were discussing into their play was the most successful. I did not notice it at first, but after a few weeks into the unit the play structures in the classroom were really developing. The dramatic play we had in the classroom, the manipulatives the children were using, the art they were making and the games they were creating on the playground were centered around the world of Camelot. The children were so whimsical in their approach to the unit that you really saw what you were talking to them about sink in. I am able to suggest to a child that they be knightly or chivalrous and see them reflect with positive reaction to the choice they are making.”

What could you have done differently? What recommendations would you have for another teacher trying out this lesson?

“Reflecting back on the unit, which is still going on up until our knighting ceremony on December 18^th, I wish that the transition of topics within the unit were more thought out and not as rushed. I think we were really excited to dive head first into something for the start of the year that we barreled through ideas that we could have taken more time on. Maybe it was because we wanted to go from looking at the places of Camelot, to the people of Camelot, to the stories of King Arthur, to the code of chivalry, to how castles were built and protected, etc. As an educator I am trying learn how best to balance all the information there is to know and all the information I believe is best for my students to know, and then unveiling that in a cohesive story line that is engaging and enriching for them. I think having a strong idea of what you want to the overall story to be in the unit when you are first venturing out is very helpful, and that is something I struggled with in this unit. At the same time you always need to be flexible.”

Here a few images from their days in Camelot:

They began their exploration of the topic with the story of the Sword in the Stone. Will had the students create their own stone from a cardboard box and painted paper. They were very surprised and excited when Merlin dropped off a sword later in the day.

To encourage close looking, Will asked the children to create their own illustrations of the sword for their journals.

The children were very thorough in their illustrations. Some even included the text found below the sword.

The children were then offered the opportunity to try and pull the sword out of the stone. Will explained that the person who was able to remove the sword from the stone would be the rightful ruler of their kingdom. He reminded the children that they might not be the strongest or largest person but the one with the truest and kindest heart would be able to claim the sword. In the end it was their center director Megan who was able to remove the sword from the stone and students talked about why she would make a great ruler of their kingdom.

Will also began to alter their classroom to take on the attributes of a castle. Above the students are painting the castle wall and below you can see it installed in their space.

In addition to the castle wall, Will wanted a way to track their their progress through Camelot so they created a board with the different locations they might travel. As part of the board, he also created popsicle sticks with images of the children as their favorite Camelot characters which will move around the board as they continue through the story.

The group was so excited about Excalibur that Will decided to do a theatrical reading of the Lady in the Lake with help from a few educators and our site director.

Their exploration of Camelot even extended out to the playground where they used pool noodles to do some jousting.

The children continue to be extremely excited about this topic and have exciting adventures in Camelot. Be sure to check back for our Teacher Feature next week!

Early Learning in Museums: A Thoughtful Process at DAM

Posted on November 6, 2014 by betsybowersseec

: Denver Art Museum

We’ve noticed that more and more museums are thinking about how to create effective programming for children under the age of 6 years old. Why do you think that is? I know we have some ideas but would be curious to know what you all are thinking.

Just last month, SEEC had the opportunity to work with one such museum. It was inspiring to see how thoughtful they are being about the process. Over the next year, the Denver Art Museum (DAM) will systematically develop programs for early childhood programs in their area. Implementation of these programs is scheduled to start next year.

: Mud Woman by Roxanne S Wentzell at the Denver Art Museum

To get this effort off the ground, the education department has created a case statement that articulates why this initiative is important and how it ties to the mission and vision of the larger organization. In addition, they have brought together a team of stakeholders that will contribute to the development of concepts, monitor progress, communicate considerations and keep the process moving forward. They have considered external factors and internal implications and are working together in new ways to better accommodate the unique of early childhood audiences – whether they arrive in school groups or with a family.

In addition, they engaged the local teacher community. On a beautiful October morning in Denver, Colorado, over 20 early childhood educators devoted their time to talking to the Denver Art Museum about what their idea of an ideal early childhood program would include. The teachers were extremely enthusiastic about the possibilities and informed the museum educators that they would like to see everything from museum experiences led by visiting artists to workshop spaces that encouraged young children in “messy” but meaningful play.

We know that many museums are doing interesting programming for young children. If you have stories to share or lessons learned, we would love to hear from you!

Denver Art Museum

What Makes a Good Museum for Young Audiences: The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Cynthia Raso

SEEC’S LOVE FOR THE HIRSHHORN

Sometime back in the spring the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden closed a large part of its galleries to the public and the reverberations could be heard throughout SEEC. The Hirshhorn is hands-down one of our favorite stops along the National Mall. Thankfully, their second and third floors reopened this past week and they do not disappoint (more on that below).
The conversation among our teachers got me thinking: Why is the Hirshhorn such a favorite with our educators? I placed an idea web in each of our teacher lounges and asked them: Why do you love teaching at the Hirshhorn? What I learned in a nutshell: engaging collections + ideal layout = a great early childhood experience.

THE COLLECTION

SEEC’s teachers are, without a doubt, drawn to the modern and contemporary collection. One educator noted; “…so open ended.” Her comment encapsulates our approach to teaching at SEEC. Whether it be through play, engagement, or lessons/curricula, our teachers provide students with the chance to inquire, investigate and explore their own interests. Similarly, the Hirshhorn’s collections offer children (really, all visitors) works of art that are open to interpretation. Teachers feel comfortable using such artworks because their meanings are layered and can be adapted to a variety of themes that resonate with young children.

BROAD CONCEPTS

Of equal importance to our educators was that many of their exhibitions explore

Two-year olds visiting Gravity’s Edge Exhibit.

broad concepts. For example, in an exhibition like Gravity’s Edge, where gravity was a determining factor in the works on display, students were able to see multiple examples of a single idea and we know that children, and young children especially, benefit from such repeated exposures. Similarly, the Ai Weiwei zodiac animals fountain was a huge hit with our students. While the animals were not the work’s main focus, it was an exhibition that engaged our students and offered them a portal to learning more about the piece itself.

MATERIALS

Pre-K family workshop in front of Nick Cave’s Soundsuit.

Our educators also appreciate that the collections demonstrate a unique and varied approach to materials. The introduction of new materials helps children think about things from new perspectives and activates their imagination. A great example is Nick Cave’s Soundsuit, which is currently on display. Cave’s use of unorthodox materials is an attention grabber that uses objects familiar to young children. It also encourages young children to open their minds and be creative.
Varied materials can also be beneficial to the young learner because they appeal to more than just the sense of sight. A few years ago, Suprasensorial: Experiments in Light, Color and Space captivated the whole school because it was just that – suprasensorial. Young children learn better when all of their senses are engaged. Children reacted to and interacted with these artworks through sight, sound, touch and smell. Teachers used that space to explore color, light, lines and even swimming.

THE SPACE
For young audiences, the layout of a museum or gallery can be almost as important as the lesson. Early childhood educators generally look for large spaces with little distraction and the Hirshhorn has all of that. Their spacious galleries make it easy for our teachers to have a circle and not block other visitors. The floorplan’s circular flow makes it easy and fun to move around. Teachers also commented on the building’s architecture and how its shape and outdoor sculpture appeal visually to our students. The fountain was also high on the list of why the children liked going there. (see our blog on fountains and learning spaces).

Having fun exploring the newly opened galleries.

On Thursday, I headed over to see the newly opened galleries and I was not disappointed! This piece entitled The Dangerous Logic of Wooing basically sums up why the Hirshhorn is so appealing to young audiences – playful, imaginative and whimsical. What more could you want?