Handling books. viewing baskets of theme books, perusing books from the Mansfield Public Library, conferring with staff, book discussions, interactive read alouds, shared reading, rereading favorite texts and participating in Readers' Theater productions contribute to the development of  reader.

As part of our "Animal Survival" unit, students are learning about how animals survive in winter.  One way is by Hibernation.  We have quickly discussed migration, but animal adaptation will be coming to the forefront and we will spend a good deal of time on this topic.

Fiction text that we have read.

The Science of Suds-Outside.

There was quite a lot of running after bubbles after they were blown.  The sturdy bubbles stuck to each other and floated very high in the sky and across the field.  

Inspired by our Monday assembly "The Science of Suds" we tried our own "Sturdy Bubbles" using water, light corn syrup and dish detergent.  The results were spectacular.  And, despite the different shapes of wands. all the bubbles were spheres.  

Oil on our hands make the bubbles pop, so students had to wear mittens or gloves in order to catch one.

Children engaged in associative and cooperative play!

Making books in the Writing Center

Children are encouraged to use their current sound/letter correspondence skills to stretch out words.  

Stickers contribute to fine motor skill development and can be a "gift" to add to a book.

Afternoon Student Helpers

We have a helper who comes towards the end of the day to provide some enrichment activities such as teaching a song, a dance or reading a story.

Getting ready to sing the song "Make New Friends"!

Afternoon preschool students get some special helpers at the end of the day.  These students come to our classroom and walk with us to the buses.  

Nature-based Preschool in a Public School project fully funded!

"Nature-based Preschool in a Public School

My students need these items to enhance and document their learning during the implementation of our nature-based preschool program.

My Students

"Look, it's an iridescent beetle" shouts one of my students as we comb the woods looking for insects. Our preschool program spends part of each week outside, in the woods and fields. They are expected to observe closely, ask questions and demonstrate the ability to solve problems.

Preschool-aged children can and do extraordinary things in nature.

They respect and admire the natural world and find that they have a place there as well as the living organisms they encounter. The students engage in loose parts play, working together and communicating their excitement regardless of their differences. Boys and girls from a variety of cultural, social, and economic backgrounds find common ground in the woods. They like to move, explore, discuss and record their findings through art, literature, engineering and technology. I love watching children move confidently over trails and into the wooded areas, where they work carefully to overturn a log and record the number of centipedes they discover. There is no end to the lessons our natural world has to offer.

My Project

A nature-based preschool within a public school is an opportunity to provide children with regular habits of active play. Research supports that outdoor play which is frequent and in natural settings develops life-long conservation values. Nature play is a "life-force" that was once the center of children's physical, social, emotional, creative and intellectual development.

These materials will go to out into the natural environment outside of the classroom.

We will use the compasses to find our way, the microscopes to marvel at the life we find and the binoculars to view from afar. The ipad will be used to record our discoveries and treasures."

Our classroom is the welcome recipient of some incredible field equipment thanks to several generous donations through donorschoose.org.  We will be receiving compasses, field microscopes and binoculars to use during our outdoor nature play.  There is also a new ipad on the way so that we can take better photographs and maybe even videos to document our learning.  Thanks so much to a parent for guiding me through this process and helping us reach a successful outcome!-Martha Davis

Outdoors play in a golden light

Friends working together to cover our sandbox.

A student who can not only reach the bar, but hang upside-down!

Two friends swinging in a unique style.  

A little tricky to hang on!

Artists at work

Students are encouraged to make independent choices during arrival choices and sometimes I will put out specific materials.  Easels lend themselves to developing arm strength and control. 

Cutting with scissors and coloring during Centers

We teach children to hold the writing utensil by placing the tool flat and having the child "pinch" the instrument and then flip it over to rest on the thenar space.

Checking his grip on the pencil.

Shortened colored pencils help develop a tripod-grasp.

Snipping paper is a precursor to cutting.

Staff assists children as they learn to cut.  Here is before and below the student is turning her scissors.  

This student is using an appropriate grip on the scissors and his thumb is up.

In this photograph, students are in various stages of completion cutting and coloring a "star" and other children chose to color community helpers-police and fire department employees.

Beading contributes to the development of fine motor skills and it is fun!

Students work together by providing advice.

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Dancing on rainy or days that are too cold!

Making our letters in fingerpaint!

Here a student uses fingerpaint to write letters or numbers.

Clean up is easiest in a bucket.  Although the fingerpaint is washable, we're trying to keep students as "messless" as possible!

More of Reader's Theater-Morning and Afternoon sessions

Goldilocks is asleep in Baby Bear's bed.

Papa Bear and Baby Bear show their surprise at someone having been in their beds!

The director giving some pointers.

Momma bear was none too happy about her bed either!

Presenting the scene to the class.

Reader's Theater of "The Three Bears" by B. Barton

After reading and rereading the story, children met in small groups to perform a more independent version.  Here, one student tells the story while the other children perform the actions.