3 Year Old Koala Group Blog 28/8/2013

On Monday Chaitanya came back to Kindergarten after having a very long and happy holiday. We were told that he and his family had lots of fun. Karen provided ladders, tyres and boards/frames so the children could create their fire engine similar to last week. This also involved conversations about what was burning, how they were going to put it out, who would help them and what happens after the fire is out.

Inside we spoke about our environmental jobs and what we have been doing here at Kindergarten. I spoke about what I do at home to save energy but also to help the environment.  John and I don’t turn light s on if they are not needed, we save water and if we are cold we put on a jumper instead of putting on our heater. I asked the children what happens in their home but they were not able to let me know. I would love it if YOU could let us know what you do in your home to care for our environment. Please share it with us. For example I know that there are some families who walk to Kindergarten. Congratulations....                                                             Maybe we could adopt some of them at Kindergarten as well.

Thursday saw Sofija and Ivy both return from their holidays. After discussion with them about what they enjoyed, something they both said was the time they had on the aeroplane. Inside we have an aeroplane (pretend) where those involved knew that they needed a ticket before getting on the plane, they had to have a seat and while flying they were able to have something to eat. Many of the children spent time finishing their gifts for their dad.  Our interest is building in relation to the letters that our names start with along with an increasing familiarity with letter recognition when using the keyboards.

Have you organised who is sitting at your table for the AUCTION/TRIVIA night next FRIDAY 6th?

Have a great weekend. Happy Father’s Day....See you Monday 2.15 to 3.15

3 Year Old Koala Group Educators; Karen and Annette

Group A Reflections - week 20th -23rd August.

Another busy week -

Our chickens have grown so much, we noticed that they had started to grow wing feathers and little tails. They are flapping their wings and trying to fly. The children were able to sit quietly and hold the chickens, and were all very gentle and responsible - we discussed how to hold them gently and correctly so they felt safe and secure and therefore sat quietly. We have taken photos of this so they can remember how much fun it was, and these will go into their art books which they take home at the end of the year. The children drew the chickens from real life models, and created a pasting showing the sequence of how the chickens hatched out of the egg - which required the children to think carefully, remember what they had observed, cut the shapes carefully, and place them in the correct sequence.

We decided that the broccoli in our vegetable garden had grown big enough to eat - so on Wednesday we all went to the garden and decided which ones to pick, then these florets were cooked and the children ate them (plus some lettece also from our vegetable garden) for afternoon tea. Most children had a try - some weren't sure, others loved it. Even the parents tasted some at pick up time. A hands on awareness of where our food comes from, and how we can grow healthy food.

Also in the context of being environmentally aware, starting this week, three different children have a turn each day to be our Environmental Monitors. There is a chart which shows 3 different things we need to be aware of, and that days helpers' names are shown on the chart. We have; 

On Monday we started indoors as you know and Fiona was with us as Karen was away caring for her boys. Many of the children went straight to the chicks and were surprised by how much they had grown over the weekend. By holding on to a chick some of the children discovered that they have “tiny bones” and they “cheep cheep a lot” Many of the children were also very involved in preparing their dads present which they will be giving their dad at our Father’s Day celebrations. We also had a party for Lucy and her mum, Christie who are leaving Australia to live in Macau. Thank you to all the mums for the delicious food that you provided for the party. We all wish Lucy, her brother, Tom, Christie and Grant all the best and ask for you to keep us posted on what you all are up to.

On Tuesday we sat in a circle on the mat and had two chicks out and about.  They were able to flap their wings and of course when they did a dropping on the carpet some of the children laughed and others said it was yucky and actually moved away. We spoke about how they grow and that they will be able to lay eggs in the future.  Some children were asking where the chicks will be going after leaving Kindergarten so I explained that some of the chicks are going to a grandma’s farm and the rest are going back to their farm with their family. The children seemed happy with this.

Friday outdoors the trains and the tracks were rather popular with some of the children. During this experience they had to communicate about what trains they wanted to use, where the tracks were going and which way they were to go with their trains. Of course there was negotiating, turn taking and sharing occurring. It must have been a transport day because when we came inside there was a plane. Here there were many children wanting to participate in this experience and share how they have travelled. Many places were flown to including America, Thailand, Queensland and Ireland. We said goodbye to the chicks and discussed more information about recycling, reusing and saving water. How are you going with this at home???????

Enjoy the weekend everyone. Hope to see you all at the Auction/Trivia night.

3 Year Old Kangaroo Group Educators; Fiona, Karen, Fiona and Annette

Karen was away so we meet Fiona who got to know that we loved being outdoors and involved in planting, tasting some of the produce in our vegetable garden, digging in the dirt and discussing the importance of our helper jobs which are.....electricity, water and the compost, which are going so well.  Some of the children assisted each other to put soil into baskets and then succulent plants were planted. Have a look around the room and yard to see if you could find these baskets of succulents and know that your child helped with this. If you have plants/vegetable seedlings that we could use we would greatly appreciate it. A grub was found in the dirt near the big tree so it was put into a container and then onto the nature table for all to see. Of course this led into a discussion about what creatures live under the ground or in the dirt. We would like to let you know that Sydney has broken her arm and hopefully will be back next week. Take care. Chaitanya, Sofija, Ivy and soon to be Zahra are all on holidays. Have a great time.

Karen was back. Even though the sun was not really shining and the wind was rather cold the children wanted to stay outdoors for most of the session. The children were able to contribute their artistic talents to the artwork that will be auctioned off at the Auction/Trivia night on Friday 6/9/2013. Look forward to seeing you all there, certainly is a fun night. Many of the children were very involved in putting out fires!!!! They worked together to organise and drive the fire engine and then to get ladders to climb higher to put out the fires that were up the tree. When we finally went inside the children each held a chick which they enjoyed doing. They discussed that the chicks have “small small” bones and that they are fuzzy. They will grow into hens and that they will also lay eggs. Some were concerned about where the chicks are going when they leave the Kindergarten and if we will see them again. It was explained that some are going to a grandma’s house who has a farm and that the others are going back to their family on a farm. It has been very fortunate that the chicks have been with us. So much to learn. 

Have an enjoyable weekend everyone.

Karen and Annette
3 Year Old Koala Group Educators