Extended Hours Group Reflection - Term 4, week 2

I’m sure that by now, you may have noticed the presence of our delightful SILK WORMS. The silk worms were kindly given to us by Anne last week. The silk worms, which are the larvae of a silk moth are incredibly interesting creatures. We are beginning to learn more about the silk worms, the main observation being - silk worms never stop eating!  They also only eat leaves of the Mulberry Tree. We are placing branch after branch after branch of leaves in the tank for consumption, and not a leaf goes untouched! (As a result we have to regularly clean the tank, taking great care in being gentle with the soft, fragile body of the silkworm. Our silk worms are currently at the stage of the lifecycle of eating and growing! (Having emerged from eggs some time ago). We learnt about the life cycle of the silk worm and are now well versed in what it is we should look out for! If the silk worms leave behind some brown gunk, they are shedding their skin. If a silk worm raises itself up on it’s back legs while waving it’s head around - it is ready to spin some thread. The thread is spun into a cocoon, a process which takes 2 days and eventually silk moths will emerge from the cocoon, lay eggs and thus begin the cycle again! We are very hopeful that we can nurture the silk worms throughout their different cycle stages, hopefully until a new one begins!  The children have enjoyed the feel of the silk worms on their skin when given the option and we hope to soon separate the larger worms to allow them their own space to spin their cocoons.
 
During this week the children have also been practising some (new to some) songs. The children seem to be particularly fond of “Little Peter Rabbit” and “I travelled over land and sea”. Both of which involve combining singing with movement. Songs such as these work on the children’s ability to coordinate their body while enhancing auditory processing and memory skills. (Not to mention fine tuning the voicebox!)
 
Many thanks to Anne and Margot for filling in for me on Friday, and to the children for making them feel welcome!
 
Please note the start time for the “Ready, Steady, Go” excursion on Wednesday the 21st is 12:45, as this excursion is free and run by volunteers the time may be inconvenient for those children who have a short day on Wednesday. You are most welcome to return at 12:45 with your child to participate in this fun and active sports session!

Extended Hours Educators - Laura, Helen, Tracey, and Fiona