A Group Reflection 10

Our big project this week has been making our Scarecrow to guard our Vegetable Garden. Recently the children planted more seedlings in our vegetable garden, these are looking very healthy, so we felt we should make a scarecrow.

Using a wooden frame as a base, we first made his head, made out of a pillow case, stuffed and tied at the neck. We then stuffed a shirt and jeans for his body - the children really enjoyed this part of it all. For stuffing we used bubble wrap, so it doesn't matter how wet he gets in the rain. Margot needed to sew him together at the waist and the shirt collar, so that he stayed together when he was standing up. We then threaded an old tie for his belt, added a scarf, and an old straw hat. We made him some hair and drew on his face. And so - we have our scarecrow!

Then we needed to name him - the children discussed this at great length and came up with a long list of suggestions, so we decided that the best way was to choose three suitable ones and draw the final one out of a basket - meet "Bill" our scarecrow! He stayed in our room for a few days , now out into the garden! We are enjoying him.

The other project this week was to enjoy our musical shakers we had made last week. We played them to music, marched with them, and used them in our singing session with Kylie on Friday. Next week we will use them a little bit more, then they will go home.

The children have been looking at a book of Instruments of the Orchestra, and in our music sessions we have been identifying different instruments both by sight and sound, they are very clever, it is a good test of memory identification and listening skills.

Doing these projects encourages the children to put a plan into action, explore materials and perservere to put them together to achieve their aim, and then to experience the satisfaction of seeing the finished article.

On Friday, Nicola (Lily's Mum) read the children a story in German, after first explaining the story to the children in English, the children listened very carefully. We looked up Germany on our Globe of the World, and Nicola told the children the German words for familiar sayings , such as Hello, Goodbye, Good morning, Kindergarten. This experience opens up the world of other countries to be learnt about - we have a Map of the World on our wall in the Library corner, which the children often refer to. If any body else is able to share stories in other languages, we would love to hear them please.

What will happen next week?

Margot, Ann and Lisa.
Group A Educators.

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