This week’s teacher feature highlights a lesson from one of our two year old classrooms. Teachers Javacia Finney, Stephanie Lopez, and Shawna Williams brought their class to the National Gallery of Art’s newly renovated East Building. They used works of art made by Alexander Calder to teach about his life, techniques, and artwork. Below, you can find photos from the lesson and a reflection from Javacia, Stephanie, and Shawna.

Before visiting the National Gallery of Art, Javacia laid out all the artwork that the class had recently made. Since the class had been learning about artists, there was a plethora of work. Javacia led a discussion where the children talked about what they remembered about each artist and work of art.

Rather than dismissing the group as a whole, she called on each child to point to a specific artwork before leaving the circle. This game allowed her to ensure that each child had the opportunity to be recognized as an individual and helped to smooth the transition.

Once at the National Gallery of Art, the class sat underneath Untitled, 1976, by Alexander Calder, a giant mobile that hangs from the atrium ceiling.  They made a circle and were encouraged to look up at the mobile as Javacia read the book Sandy’s Circus by Tanya Lee Stone.

As Javacia read, the children were able to take advantage of the amazing space. They continually looked up at the ceiling and pointed to the moving mobile. The class was so captivated by Untitled that Javacia said in her reflection that she believes that this moment will leave lasting memories for her class.

Javacia passed out materials for the class to explore. The materials included pipe cleaners and metal wire. The class was encouraged to manipulate and explore the materials while looking up at Calder’s mobile. Javacia explained that back in the classroom, the children would have the opportunity to use even more materials and supplies such as scissors and glue to create their own mobiles.

To see more examples of Calder’s work, the class went upstairs to the Calder Tower, which houses the largest collection of Calder art. The class walked around the room and described what they saw. Some children were particularly drawn to the sculptures of animals. Others seemed to gravitate towards the mobiles which produced shadows that moved across the space.

After visiting the National Gallery of Art, the class worked on making their own art inspired by Calder, which was later displayed in the class’ very own art exhibition. Manipulating the metal wire provided the children with the opportunity to work their fine motor skills in a new way.

A reflection from Javacia, Stephanie, and Shawna:

What were your topics of exploration?

For the past few weeks we have been learning about different artists. Some of the artists in our unit of study included Henri Matisse, Roy Lichtenstein, Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, and Yayoi Kusama. On this particular day, we were learning about Alexander Calder.

How did this topic emerge?

We noticed that our students were interested in the sculptures that we saw while walking on the National Mall and in the sculpture gardens. We thought it would be a great idea to teach them about the artist who created these wonderful works of art.

Why and how did you choose the visit?

I chose the National Gallery of Art because I wanted to make use of Alexander Calder’s amazing 76-foot-long mobile that hangs from the ceiling of the East Building. The National Gallery has other Calder works, including an entire room in its tower that is completely dedicated to Alexander Calder. In this room, my class was able to see sculptures and mobiles from his entire career. To utilize both spaces, we had circle time under the large mobile in the lobby and then went upstairs to the tower to view more of his work.

What were your learning objectives?

• Learn about the life and work of the artist.
• Observe and speculate about the artistic intentions in specific pieces of art.
• Learn about various processes and techniques used to produce works of art.
• Use a variety of materials to make their own reproductions of the art.

During this specific lesson I read Sandy’s Circus by Tanya Lee Stone. This book describes the story of Calder’s youth and his making of wire circus figurines. After reading Sandy’s Circus, I gave out craft wire, pipe cleaners, and other materials. These materials encouraged group discussion, engaged the senses, and strengthened their fine motor skills. I then explained that the class would have the opportunity to create their own mobiles and sculptures back in the classroom. The children took full advantage of their opportunity to create and craft with the wire, which allowed the children to create without boundaries.

How did you prepare yourself for this lesson? Did you know about this topic beforehand or did you have to research?

To prepare for this lesson, I read several different books about Alexander Calder. The two books that I found most useful were Alexander Calder by Mike Venezia and Sandy’s Circus. I also used the internet as a resource. The National Gallery of Art has a great website and I relied on it heavily. After I had enough information about him, I was sure to visit the works at the National Gallery of Art and looked at all of his sculptures that are outside on the National Mall.

What was successful in terms of your preparation and logistics?

I think sitting and having our circle time underneath the large 76-foot long Alexander Calder mobile was definitely helpful. As I was reading and talking about Calder’s mobiles, I saw the children looking up in amazement. I feel that was a powerful experience that will have a lasting memory.

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

For another teacher trying out this lesson, I would let them know that an alternative place to have a circle is on the rooftop off of the Calder tower. This might be helpful if the museum is particularly crowded. My class was lucky in that we were able to sit under the Calder mobile in the lobby with minimal distractions. But since that mobile is in the lobby, it just takes one large group to make the space too loud or distracting for a class of two year olds. I often like to have backup locations for circles in my mind. This helps ensure that I can be flexible and my class can have the best lesson possible.

How did you follow up this lesson? What topics were explored?

Alexander Calder was the last artist we learned about. We had previously done similar in-depth studies of artists and had given the class the opportunity to create their own work inspired by the artists. For example, Claude Monet inspired lily-pond paintings, Vincent Van Gogh inspired Starry night paintings, Roy Lichtenstein inspired pop art, Yayoi Kusama inspired pumpkins and a polka-dot wall, and Henri Matisse inspired cut-outs. After the children were finished with all of their projects, we transformed our classroom into a museum by hanging up all of their artwork.  We ended this artist unit of study by having a special art exhibition and invited family members to come view their artwork.

To learn more about how this class studied Kusama, Van Gogh, Lichenstein, Monet, and Matisse, come back to read their round up on artists.

We recently featured a toddler class lesson on natural wonders. This lesson was part of a larger unit on explorers. The web below shows some of the topics that the class investigated while learning about explorers. The highlights from the unit included camping, transportation, and outside play. The class ended the unit with their own adventure by riding on the DC Circulator Bus.

To start their unit on explorers, the toddler class learned about the different places that they could explore. The teachers, Lauren Bundy, Katherine Custer, and Emily Romig, brought their class to the see an exhibit in the National Museum of Natural History called the 100 Years of America’s National Park Service: Preserve, Enjoy, Inspire. Learning about the different areas in the world through the collections, such as the picture above of Death Valley National Park, allowed the class to discuss places that they would like to visit and explore.

When exploring new areas, having a map to navigate can be extremely helpful. So Lauren, Katherine, and Emily put out maps in their classroom to help their class of explorers learn to navigate. The toddlers were fascinated by maps and pointed them out whenever they saw them on their daily outings.

The class turned their attention to exploring the bugs and insects on the National Mall. The class visited the Pollinator Garden, which is one of the gardens outside the National Museum of Natural History. By looking through handmade binoculars (toilet paper rolls taped together), the class was able to spy different aspects of the garden.

For toddlers, exploring the outdoors means playing outdoors! This class took full advantage of SEEC’s playgrounds where they were able to play and partake in self-directed exploration. Playing outdoors is not only fun; it is also crucial for young children since they learn through play. Additionally, playing and exploring the outdoors helps children build appreciation to the natural wonders that occur outside and helps create the desire to help protect the environment.

To continue their exploration, the class needed to pack their bags. During morning circle, the toddlers were able to choose which items they wanted to put in a suitcase. Later that day, the class went to the National Air and Space Museum’s America by Air to learn about traveling by plane and to see examples of things people packed in their luggage.

The toddler explorers decided to go on a camping trip while at school. So the teachers setup a tent on the playground where they learned about campfires, made kid-friendly (no fire) s’mores, ate the s’mores inside a tent, and played with flashlights and shadows.

Explorers need a way to communicate with their friends and family while traveling so the class learned about sending postcards. The toddlers made their own postcards, visited the post office, and then pretended to drop their letters off in a postbox.

To end their unit on explorers, the toddlers went on their own adventure! The class boarded the DC Circulator Bus and rode it around the National Mall and monuments. At SEEC, toddlers often see and point out the buses as they go by, but they are rarely given the opportunity to ride the bus. Being able to board and ride the bus was such a hit that many of the toddlers did not want to get off even when it was their stop!

For other ideas check out SEEC’s Pinterest! If you are thinking about creating an explorers unit, be sure to check out our boards on camping, nature, play, and natural phenomena. 

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Jessie Miller and Will Kuehnle of the four-year-old Honey Bear classroom!  After showing an interest in games and physical play, Will and Jessie decided to embark on an exploration of sports.  They began by learning about the important traits of athlete, including teamwork, integrity, and persistence.   They continued their unit by delving into a different sport each week.  On this particular day, the class was learning about crew and rowing at the National Gallery of Art.  Below you will find images and descriptions of the lesson, and a reflection from Jessie.

Here are a few images from their lesson on rowing and crew:On their walk to the museum, the children pretended that their line formation was a boat.  Jessie reviewed the parts of a boat by asking the children to raise their hand if they were they were on the starboard, port, bow, or stern.

Once they got to their destination, the National Gallery of Art, Jessie showed the children a print of the painting that they would be looking for inside.  She also told the class that the painting was located in Gallery 68, and to keep a lookout for that number.  Given this information the class went inside with a purpose, and excitedly looked for the painting, noticing the gallery numbers.When they found the painting, The Biglin Brothers Racing by Thomas Eakins, they sat down and reviewed what they had learned about boats so far.  They remembered learning about parts of a boat and buoyancy.  Next they looked more closely at the painting and noticed two people in a boat.  The children enthusiastically shared memories of times they have been on or near a boat.  Jessie explained that this boat is used for a sport called crew, where teammates work together to row their boat in a race.

Jessie shared that she was on a crew team when she was in college, and her job was that of a coxswain, the teammate who helps to steer the boat by shouting out directions and controlling the rudder. Jessie made a pretend rudder using yarn, cardboard and a basket, and she explained how each part was used to steer the boat.

Then it was time to practice rowing!  Of course, Jessie couldn’t bring a boat into the gallery, but she brought items from the classroom that represented the parts of the crew boat to simulate the experience of rowing.  She took out the items one at a time and explained them:  The mat was to represent the water (and to ensure that the floor of the gallery would not be damaged).  A scooter acted as the seat in a crew boat that is on wheels so it can smoothly glide back as the teammate rows.  Next came blocks with shoes attached, which simulated the footplate – where crew members put their feet so that they are secure in the boat as they row.  Last came the oar, which Jessie had made out of cardboard. She took a turn on their constructed boat showing how a crew member rows the boat highlighting the importance of using your brain, muscles, balance, and teamwork.

Then some of the children got a turn!  They put their feet in the boat shoes, and practiced sliding back and forth.

They used their muscles to pull the oar back as they pushed with their feet.  Through this simulation, the children were able to apply their observations of the painting to something concrete, which deepened their understanding of the concept and sparked excitement for the topic.  Due to time, only two children tried the boat in the gallery, but Jessie assured the class that they would all have a turn that afternoon back in the classroom.

To end their circle, Jessie  read a page from G is for Gold Medal: An Olympics Alphabet by Brad Herzog about a young boy in the 1900 Olympics who won an Olympic medal for crew.

To conclude the lesson the children shared observations and asked lingering questions.  They wondered where the life jackets were on the crew members, and noticed other paintings around the gallery of boats.  They were curious to know more about these paintings, and Will honored their inquiries by reading the labels out loud, and sharing his own observations.

That afternoon, the children continued to explore rowing and crew by playing with the objects Jessie had created.  They enacted the painting they had seen that morning by having two crew members on the boat, and they added a coxswain at the front who helped steer the boat with instructions.

They also cheered on the US crew team team as they excitedly watched crew races from the Olympics on Jessie’s laptop.

A reflection from Jessie:

The Honey Bear teachers observed that the students gravitated towards games and play with a lot of physical movement. This led to our exploration of sports! We first focused on three tools an athlete needs when playing a sport including teamwork, persistence, and integrity. Afterwards, the Honey Bears began learning about some specific sports and how these tools are used in each. This lesson was done during our week about crew. I was inspired to teach them about this water sport because I was a coxswain for five years when I was in school. I was able to bring my previous knowledge, as well as enthusiasm, into the activities and lessons. I chose to take the Honey Bears to the painting The Biglin Brothers Racing by Thomas Eakins at the National Gallery of Art because it shows a clear picture of crew in action. The gallery is conducive for a lesson because it is usually quiet and has enough space for us to do a floor activity.

The objectives of the lesson were to scaffold the information we learned about boats that week, explore and learn new concepts involving a sport many of the students were not familiar with, and strengthen gross motor development with hands-on recreations of the rowing. Already having a vast knowledge on the subject allowed me to focus on the objectives and gathering of materials for the lesson rather than having to research the topic first. I see this as a benefit because I could spend more time going over the lesson itself as well as answer many of the children’s questions in the moment. My passion and excitement for the topic was also a benefit because the children could see my enthusiasm and therefore, become more interested themselves. I was pleasantly surprised to see how engaged and curious the children were about the topic.

I think the most effective part of my lesson was the ability to recreate the rowing in the museum. Being able to observe the crew painting, discuss the topic and then immediately role play the sport, gave the children multiple avenues to learn about a new subject. I believe the lesson reached and even surpassed the objectives I had set. The children were excited to share the previous information they had learned about boats such as where the bow, stern, hull, starboard, and port were located. They were also able to get first-hand experience with crew rowing by observing and discussing the painting, watching myself and a few of the students row in the museum, and practicing this sport on their own back in the classroom. To give the children even more exposure to the sport, we watched video clips of crew boats racing in the Olympics. This allowed them to see what they had been practicing in real life. They were all chanting “USA! USA!” as the boat representing the United States neared the finish line.

Although this variety of exposure to a sport helped the Honey Bears learn about a new topic, it is still not exactly the same as the real thing. It would have been helpful to have some of the real equipment rowers use and see an actual crew boat in real life. However, I will say it is much more beneficial for the children to be able to touch and actually use the objects to recreate the sport rather than just observing them in a museum, whether that is in a painting or inside a glass case. I believe this part of my lesson was successful even though there were a lot of materials to bring out and use.  I was also surprised to see how they calmly accepted the fact that only a few of them would be able to practice in the museum. Allowing each child to get a turn to row during the lesson would have taken too long and the children who wanted a turn back at school were given that opportunity.

The National Gallery of Art West Building is made up of quiet spaces that do not include things for children to explore through their sense of touch, as it is all visual. Therefore, we needed to make sure in advance that the rowing activity would be allowed in the space. We made sure to let the security know what our plan was, and use the materials in a way that were safe for the museum and its collections. We used a mat on the floor underneath the scooter so there would be no noise or scratches, and we had children practice one at a time with adult supervision. The children were able to practice back in the classroom two at a time, but I would have liked to build more oars and recreate an eight person boat with a coxswain and pretend we were participating in an actual regatta. I would have also liked to take the children down to the Potomac River in search of a real crew boat in action. I would recommend adding another week of exploration on this topic. The first week could be spent solely focusing on boats, buoyancy, and other nautical terms. The second week could be about crew rowing specifically.

After building on both topics and seeing how engaged the children were in the videos of Olympic racing, we are going to explore the Olympic games and see where this next topic takes us!

Be sure to check back soon for the Honey Bear’s Sports Round Up, which will provide a fuller picture of their unit, ideas on how to take a closer look at athlete’s tools, and specific sports in the classroom and the community.  For more ideas now, check out our Sports Pinterest board!

Making dinner or lunch? Why not include your child in the process! Cooking with your child is a fun way to work on math, fine motor, and gross motor skills. It also allows them to invest in the meal they are about to eat. Here are a few ways to make the experience extra child friendly:

1. Re-write the Recipe: Go over the recipe you are going to make with your child. If possible, add images/drawings of the ingredients needed. Give your child a chance to “write” their own version of the recipe on a separate sheet. Going through this process helps your child build on their understanding of sequencing. Use “first….then…” phrases.
2. Measure: This is an excellent way to work on math skills. Working with more than one child? Divide up measurements to smaller units to allow for more participation.
3. Pour: This is a big milestone in a child’s development and requires a lot of practice. If you are worried about a big mess, place a plastic bin lid or plastic table cloth on the floor to create a pouring station.
4. Mix: Mixing is a great gross motor activity. Sing a song or count while mixing! If items are spilling out of the bowl, transfer a small portion to another bowl for your child to mix.
5. Cut: Provide your child with a very blunt knife or a spoon to cut up soft items such as butter or bananas. While not all recipes include a child friendly item to cut, consider providing them with an item to cut that can be served as a side dish/appetizer. They will enjoy mimicking the way that you cut the tougher items.
6. Cook: Baking, boiling, toasting, grilling, etc. is the magical transformation and the scientific part of cooking. While these steps of the process are the most dangerous for your child, they are also some of the most exciting. Allow your child to observe and “check on food” from a safe distance.
7. Serve: Serving the food is a great way to practice their balance and to develop upper arm strength!
8. Share: Children are working hard on practicing this important social skill. Having them share the food over which they feel ownership provides great practice!
9. Talk about Nutrition: Sometimes this conversation gets lost in the shuffle and excitement of the cooking process. Take a little extra time to explain to your child why we need different ingredients to make a nutritious and well balanced meal. Work with your child to sort each item on their plate into the different food pyramid categories (grains, fruits, veggies, proteins, etc.)
10. Wash/Clean up: Ask your child to help clear the table and help with the dishes. Washing the dishes is a fun water play activity! Not ready to have them work at the sink with breakables? Fill a small tub with soapy water for them to wash a selected set of dishes!

Have fun cooking traditions or tips to share? We would love to hear them!

This week’s teacher feature highlights a lesson from toddler teachers Lauren Bundy, Katherine Custer, and Emily Romig on natural wonders. The class went to the National Gallery of Art to look at nineteenth century American landscapes. In these painting the class was able to identify and think about natural wonders such as mountains, rivers, and waterfalls. Below you will find images from the lesson as well as a reflection from the teachers. 

Here are a few images from their lesson on Natural Wonders:

To start the day, Katherine sat down with the class during snack to have an informal discussion. She started the discussion by asking, “Who is not in class today?” The class listed a couple of children who had not yet arrived and then turned their attention to the fact that one of their teachers, Lauren, was not there. Katherine explained that Lauren was in Asia on a trip and pulled out an atlas for the class to look at and learn more about Asia. The class was able to look at maps and pictures of the natural wonders in Asia.

After snack, the toddler class sat down for a more formal learning experience. To start the circle, Katherine sang hello to each child and gave each child the opportunity to talk to the group about something that they were wearing that day.

During circle, the toddler class used technology and books to look at examples of natural wonders. The class looked at images of rivers, mountains, and streams. After looking at the images, the toddler teachers explained that the class was going to visit the National Gallery of Art and look for paintings of some of these natural wonders.

At the National Gallery of Art the class stopped to look at Mount Corcoran by Albert Bierstadt as a group. The class saw different things in this painting including “water”, “mountains”, and even “volcanoes”.  After a few minutes of observing the painting, the class moved on to other galleries.

As the teachers walked through the galleries, they were able to have more individualized discussions about the natural wonders depicted in the paintings. The teachers followed the children’s interests by walking closer to the paintings that the children pointed to. Katherine and Emily used a stream of consciousness technique to describe all the things they saw in the paintings, which introduced many new words to the toddlers.

After exiting the National Gallery of Art, the class found a shady spot by a fountain to read the book How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman. It is a story about traveling around the world to collect items for an apple pie.

Reading the book outside allowed the children more freedom in their movements. Some children even chose to stand up to get a closer look at the book. The class thoroughly enjoyed experiencing the around-the-world adventure.

A reflection from Katherine:

This year, our toddler class has explored many topics and we just recently began a new unit on exploring the outdoors. We developed this idea from some emerging interests we saw in the class. For example, on our outings around the National Mall, our toddlers began observing more about their surroundings and even started to use familiar landmarks to help them navigate. We also noted their curiosity in a small gardening lesson we had done a couple weeks prior. I’ve discovered that for our class of young children, lessons seem to be absorbed best when they can find ways to relate the topic back to themselves or create a memorable experience with it. We began our new unit on exploration by talking about maps and discussing where we live and places we have traveled to. In an effort to personalize the lesson, I wanted to share somewhere special to me – the American West. Not only have I visited there and have personal accounts to share, I also love the late 19th century paintings of these landscapes and the way they are displayed. I wanted to try to incorporate these paintings into our lesson as visuals for unique land features that can be found in the outdoors. On a different level, I liked the idea of using these paintings for a similar purpose to their original function – showing Americans on the East Coast the beauties of the American West.

In the classroom, we began by looking at photos of some common land features, such as mountains, waterfalls, rivers, forests and deserts. Some of the children already knew the words for these things, while others seemed to be learning them for the first time. When we arrived at the National Gallery of Art, they were very excited and energized by the large-scale paintings. We initially stopped at Albert Bierstadt’s Mount Corcoran, but I could tell we would need a bigger space to keep the class engaged and also to diversify our scenery. We walked to a larger gallery with many similar paintings and took a seat on the floor.

It can sometimes be challenging to engage toddlers in lessons that are purely two-dimensional, so I tried to pay special attention to the things they were noticing on their own in the paintings to affirm their sense of curiosity. This age group enjoys identifying what they see, and these paintings, which are realistic in nature, allowed them to do just that, as we observed the works in the gallery. They wanted to label everything they saw, including their new words (“mountain”, “river”, “forest”, “waterfall”) and living things, such as animals and people.

When our students became too wiggly for the indoors, we moved outside to a large water fountain where I had them sit while we read a book. My hope was that the water feature outside would provide both a tangible connection for them to a waterfall painting we had seen and a break from looking at the landscape paintings. We read a book called How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World. The book covered many different countries with different landscapes and resources that gave us a diverse understanding of the outdoors. They were able to draw parallels between landscapes they saw in the book and the things we had already seen and discussed in the galleries.

We faced a few obstacles throughout the course of our lesson and during the field trip that provided some opportune learning moments for me as a teacher. My biggest takeaway was that I should be looking for more ways to engage and hold attention while in the galleries. In hindsight, I should have provided some kind of sit-upon for our students in the gallery to create a physical indicator of what their bodies should be doing while we were in the space. Throughout our discussion, we struggled with wandering around and with containing our energy. I also would have liked to provide some kind of three-dimensional object for the children to hold while we talked to help channel their attention to our topic of conversation – perhaps an object from nature, such as a rock or leaf.

Keep an eye out for the Round Up on explorers to learn more about this unit and for ideas on how to do an explorers theme in your toddler classroom!

At SEEC, we use an emergent curriculum, so we are always observing our students and taking note of their interests and questions. It came as no surprise to our teachers when their classes began to show interest in Japan. Even with the cold spring temperatures, Washington, D.C. was abuzz with cherry blossom excitement in March and April. Couple that energy with the Hirshhorn’s exhibit of the Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama, and the children began to take real notice and make inquiries.

Our PreK class students are making their mark in Kusama’s Obliteration Room.

One of our toddler classes and one of our preschool classes each embarked on a unit featuring Japan. If you haven’t already, take a look at the toddler Teacher Feature on karaoke and the preschool Feature on Japan’s Children’s Day.  Below are some of the highlights from their explorations.

The PreK class got some fresh air and enjoyed an early glimpse of the cherry blossoms. Their teacher, John Fuller, taught them a traditional Japanese folk song entitled, Sakura. The song describes the blossoms in the spring.

Mr. Fuller took them to the Natural History Museum’s solar system galleries and shared the folktale, The Rabbit in the Moon.

Since the Freer Gallery of Art was closed for renovations, Krystiana Kaminski took the PreK class over to the National Gallery of Art where they explored kimonos, Japanese art, by looking at Alfred Maurer’s Young Woman in a Kimono.

While our PreK was busy with their unit, out toddlers were also exploring Japan. One of their teachers had recently traveled to Japan, so it was a particularly rich experience as she was able to share her personal experiences.

The toddlers got busy making their own veggie sushi. This activity blended new content with sensory exploration and fine motor skill development.

After looking at Japanese ink wash landscapes, the children headed outdoors to create their own  masterpieces.

The toddler’s lesson on tea included a classroom component in which they were able to observe one method of tea preparation. They concluded the experience on our art studio with our art educator who had them explore the physical and visual properties of tea through painting.

The toddlers had the opportunity to learn about the unique Japanese tradition of  Kintsugi or repairing broken pottery with lacquer, often mixed with gold. This art activity encouraged careful looking and provided them with a creative and open-ended art project.

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Krystiana Kaminski and John Fuller of the four-year-old Cinnamon Bear classroom.  The class had just finished a long unit on the performing arts, and noticing the children’s interest in the emerging cherry blossom blooms, and Kusama’s exhibit at the Hirshhorn (an artist from Japan), decided to spend some time learning about Japan.  I joined them for a visit to the National Gallery of Art where they looked closely at an artwork that Robert Rauschenberg created while spending time in Japan.  They connected this piece to the Japanese holiday, Kodomo No Hi, or Children’s Day.  Below you will find images and descriptions of the lesson, and a reflection from Krystiana.

Here are a few images from their lesson on Kodomo No Hi:

The class began their morning by walking to the National Gallery of Art.  Along the way they spotted cherry blossom blooms that were just starting to emerge around the city.

Once inside the museum, the class found Robert Rauschenberg’s Wall-Eyed Carp/ROCI JAPAN.  They read a book that one of SEEC’s educators created to give some background about Rauschenberg’s artistic life, including his international art project, Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange (ROCI).  ROCI allowed Rauschenberg to travel around the world, meeting with other artists, learning about their culture and how they made art.  This piece that the class visited is an artwork Rauschenberg created while in Japan.

After reading the book, Krystiana asked the children to look carefully at the artwork, and make observations about what they saw.  The children sat for a minute silently looking and then began sharing observations.  Krystiana went down the line and asked each child to share something they observed.  One child noticed an area on the painting that looked like lightening, another observed that there might be tissue paper on the artwork because there were lines that looked wrinkled.  The class also noticed green blobs, a map, a crane, photos, and a big fish.

Krystiana congratulated the class on their concentration and thoughtful observations.  She explained that the fish is a carp, which is seen often during a holiday in Japan – Children’s Day or Kodomo No Hi, which celebrates how wonderful children are.  She read a section of All About Japan by Willamarie Moore, and illustrated by Kazumi Wilds to learn more about Kodomo No Hi.  She let the children know that if they wanted to learn more about Japan, they could look in the books that afternoon in the classroom.

Next, Krystiana explained that the big carp on the artwork was in fact a big carp kite, and she brought out a carp kite that she had made herself.  She asked the children why they thought carp might be important to this holiday.  The children had lots of ideas including, “they have scales, and because you catch them and it’s yummy”, and “because it’s [Japan] is an island and there’s lots of fish around”.  Krystiana explained that when carp travel in the water, they go up stream and it takes a lot of power and speed to swim against the flowing water.  She said that the carp have to have lots of perseverance to keep trying even when it’s hard.  She went on to say that these traits (bravery, strength, and perseverance) are what families want their children to have, which is why carp are a symbol of Kodomo No Hi.  The children discussed and agreed that their families wanted them to have these traits.  They also discussed what else their families wanted for them.

Back in the classroom, Krystiana set out the books that she had brought to the museum and encouraged the children to do their own research to learn more. Many of the children sat with the books, looking through them and asking questions of their peers and teachers.

They also made their own carp kites like the large one that they had seen on the artwork. First they chose a large sheet of colored construction paper, and folded it in half lengthwise.  Next they colored the paper in any way they liked.  Then, they chose colored tissue paper and taped it to the construction paper.

Krystiana then rolled the papers together and stapled them.  Finally, the children chose colored string to attach to the carp, and added eyes and any last touches.  The children hung up their carp in the classroom so they could look at one another’s and share them with their families.  Some children even named their artwork.   For example, one child said, “this is my ‘Four-Eyed Carp'”.

A few weeks later, the class revisited their kites, and took them out to fly on a particularly windy day!

A reflection from Krystiana: 

What were your topics of exploration?

We did a two week exploration of Japanese culture, food, art, and people.

How did this topic emerge? What inspired you/how did you decide to explore this topic?

We had just finished a long unit on performing arts and were beginning the process of figuring out what our next topic would be. As a school using emergent curriculum we base our units on the children’s interests. The children had been learning about Yayoi Kusama in art class, and were very excited about our upcoming trip to see her work at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. The cherry blossoms had also just begun to bloom so we thought doing a short unit on Japan would be a good idea.

Why and how did you choose the visit?

The carp-shaped koinobori flag is an important symbol of the Children’s Day festival in Japan, and is a prominent part of this piece. The piece is also large and vibrant, which I thought would be visually appealing to the children.

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

There were two main things I wanted them to take away from the lesson. The first, was the story of why the carp was chosen to represent Children’s Day.  The carp is meant to symbolize strength, courage, and perseverance as the carp has to fight the current to swim upstream. I wanted the children to make a connection to their own home life in how their parents want them to grow up to be brave and strong, and parents in Japan want the same for their children. I also wanted to connect to a previous lesson on perseverance and how important that is in our everyday life. The second objective I had was in relation to the other small photos that were on the piece. I brought some books with me and wanted to encourage the children to use them as resources later in the classroom to answer questions about other things they might see in the piece.

How did you prepare yourself for this lesson (did you know about this topic beforehand or did you have to research)?

I spent a few years in Japan as a child, so I was familiar with some aspects of Japanese culture. I did do more research into the symbolism of the toys, food, and games that are part of the Children’s Day celebration and tried to include some of them in the lesson.

What was most effective about your lesson?

The children loved the piece and were very enthusiastic about using their “eagle eyes” to point out little details they noticed. I brought a koinobori that I had made and used it while I talked about how challenging it must be to have to swim up a river. The children made some interesting connections about how they were strong just like the carp. We also had an interesting discussion about their families and all the things their parents want for them.

How did the lesson reach your objectives and expand the topic?

I think most of them made the connection to how just like the carp, they too can persevere in their everyday life. I think the more challenging connection was in relation to how families in Japan want the same things as our families do. I believe a few children made that connection, and during the rest of the unit we tried to continue to touch on some of the similarities we all share.

Were there aspects of your lesson that were ineffective? If so, was that okay?

I think I may have tried to do a little too much in the lesson. Between making observations about the piece, reading a book on the artist, talking about the story of the carp, and talking about the books we can use for research, I lost some children’s attention. Though for the most part, the children were interested and participated well during the lesson.

What was successful in terms of your preparation and logistics?

The children liked the carp kite I made and were excited that they would get the chance to make their own later. They also seemed interested to get a chance to do some research about Japan on their own.

If there were any challenges regarding logistics, what were they and how did you deal with them?

There was a line on the floor in front of the artwork that I had them all sit on. While it did help them sit down easier, it made it harder for the children on the ends to see and hear. In the future I would stick to making a half circle around the artwork instead.

What could you have done differently to better achieve your objectives and expand the topic?

I needed to tighten the lesson and make it more focused.  At this age their attention spans are short and I would have liked to make the take-aways more clear and concise. Also, I think they may have benefited from a hands-on activity. Next time I may have them add body parts to the carp kite I made, or use their own bodies to try to swim upstream a river while in the museum gallery.

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

Make sure you have a clear idea of exactly what you want the children to take away from the lesson and have more hands-on activities.

After this lesson has your thinking changed?

I love learning about different cultures and I hope I sparked the children’s curiosity to learn more as well.

How did you follow this lesson (what topics were explored)?

We made koinobori and took them out on the National Mall to fly a few weeks later! We also learned about how the cherry blossoms were a gift to the United States from Japan and played games under the cherry blossom trees. During the unit, the children ended up loving the book, Three Samurai Cats: A Story from Japan by Eric A Kimmel.  In the book there’s was a line about finding strength in stillness that resonated with them. We used it as a calm down tool for many weeks. The children would sit with their legs crossed, take deep breaths and find their inner samurai. It was pretty awesome!

The Cinnamon Bears continued to explore Japan for another week before launching into a new unit. Stay tuned for the Japan Round Up for more ideas from their unit!

It may not be officially summer yet, but are you already looking for a way to beat the heat?  If you’re downtown it can feel like the relief of a swimming pool is far, far away, however, our classes have some favorite hidden gems that we’re going to share with you today!  Whether you’re looking for a cooling mist or a full-on splash session, we’ve got the places for you and your family downtown.

1. Haupt Garden – The Enid A. Haupt Garden behind the Smithsonian Castle is gorgeous no matter what time of year you visit.  Flowers, trees, artwork and more await you in this multi-faceted garden, but come summer time our favorite spot is the Fountain Garden.  Bring along some water toys like a water wheel (our kids love ones like these), or bring something simple like tupperware that young children can enjoy filling and dumping as they please.

2. National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden – The fountain in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden provides many opportunities to learn while you’re cooling down.  There are often ducks in this fountain (in fact, they even have a ramp into the fountain that is specifically for the ducks), so bring along a favorite duck story and read it while you observe the real ducks swimming around.  Another exciting feature of this fountain is the jets that start off small, and get bigger and higher before shrinking again.  Observe the jets’ progress with your young one.  Predict what they’ll do next.  And lastly, while you can’t get in the fountain, our classes enjoy dipping their feet in the water to cool down after a long walk.

Be sure to stop back by in the winter as National Gallery of Art turns its fountain into an ice rink during cold months!

3. German American Friendship Garden – The fountains at the German American Friendship Garden, aren’t big, but it’s a nice spot in between the Washington Monument and the White House with plenty of green space around it.  Plan a picnic in this garden and afterwards cool off in the water.

4. City Center – While we usually stick around the museums downtown, we also take advantage of spaces and objects in the larger DC community.  One of these spaces is City Center at H and 9th Street NW.  City Center has lots of upscale shopping and restaurants, but it also has a several large fountains with jets of water that spout up from the ground.  Our toddlers especially love this fountain and enjoy splashing amongst the shooting water.

5. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden – Can you find all the water features around the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden?  They’re quite a few!  In the middle of the building there’s a fountain that grows higher as you watch.  There’s also a smaller fountain right next door in The Livingston Ripley Garden, which was originally allocated for a parking lot, but the garden’s namesake had a vision for this space to become a fragrant garden and succeeded! Walk around smelling the plants, and then stop at the fountain for a refreshing mist.  Finally, there is a small pool of water in the Sculpture Garden located across Jefferson Ave from the main Hirshhorn building.  While you cannot get in and splash, it’s low level allows children to get up close and observe the way the water moves.

Want to pair a trip to a fountain with a museum visit?  Check out or Water Pinterest Board for water related art and objects around the Smithsonian.

It is hard to be away from your child. So, as soon as you are reunited you are naturally eager to hear all about their day! Many of us get stuck in the “How was your day?” “Fine” cycle. While well-intentioned, that question does not usually elicit much information. So let’s break the mold and take question asking to the next level! Here are a few ideas.

1. Ask your caregiver for a specific topic. This could be something they talked about, explored, drew, or saw. SEEC teachers post daily “ask me about…” topics in every room so that parents can ask or speak with their child about a specific topic. This allows the parent to ask a question that goes beyond the one word response. It also helps to remind the child of exactly what they did that day. 
2. Who did you Play with? Building relationships and socializing are very important to your young child and navigating those relationships is a key part of their day. They will be anxious to share!
3. What was the best thing that happened today? Why? Children often work in extremes. Something is a favorite one minute and terrible the next. You may hear something unexpected and surprising!
4. What was the worst thing that happened? Why? This question also plays to children’s tendency to work in extremes. However, the response to this question may also be something seemingly minimal (for example, not getting to play with the toy they wanted or peas for lunch) but it can tell you a great deal about your child’s particular preferences and ultimately parts of their day.
5. What was something that happened that was different than yesterday? Time is a tricky concept for young children. This question asks your child to categorize an activity as later in the past and more recently in the past. It also asks them to separate events from one day to the next and be observant of changes whether they were big or small.
6. What did you play with today? Where did you spend most of your time playing? Play is work for a child. Through play, children are designing experiments and acting out scenarios that they can later use as data. Asking about their play is the same as asking your partner, significant other, friend, etc. about their job.
7. What was something funny that happened today? By the end of the day we can all use a little humor! Also, for your child to communicate the funny moment, they will most likely need to set the scene and describe the cast of characters.
8. What song did you sing today? Can you teach me? Children love music and the chance to play the teacher role. This is a great way to not only hear about their day, but also participate in a part of the day that you might have missed.
9. What did you learn today? This will look different for a young child. Instead of their answer being academic, it might be a social, emotional, or physical activity.
10. What did you eat? People often associate memories with food. Asking what your child ate will not only help you get a sense of their day, but might teach you more about their particular preferences making meal planning a bit easier.

There are so many great questions out there! Have one that works well to get your child chatting? Please share!