Edible Art Work

Kids got the winter blahs? Visit your local grocery store and stock up on fruit and vegetable treats that are a variety of shapes, colours, and textures. Build children's oral language and vocabulary by encouraging them to describe what they see (e.g., pineapples have segments, bananas are long and curved, strawberries are triangular). Carefully clean and cut the fruit and vegetables into a variety of pieces. Using toothpicks, encourage your children to create three-dimensional art work by sticking the food together in a variety of ways. Celebrate the creations by taking pictures of the art and then deconstruct it and enjoy it together as a snack or after dinner dessert!

Teaching Children to Recognize and Spell their First Name

One of the first words that children learn to recognize and spell is their first name. There are a number of creative and hands-on ways to help them with this concept:

-display their name everywhere (e.g., use post-its and stick it on the fridge and bathroom mirror, label their belongings and point out their name to them)

-write your child's name in large print and overlay the print with white glue. Encourage your child to decorate the letters of his or her name using sparkles, macaroni, buttons, and other fun, small objects

-use manipulatives (like in the above picture) that have letters on them to help your child sequence and spell his or her name. Use blocks and unifix cubes

-place magnet letters on your fridge and mix up the letters. Encourage your child to sequence the letters in the proper order. This can be done with recipe cards too. Just print one letter on each card and shuffle.

-stamp out your child's name with cookie cutters or letter sponges dipped in paint

-bake letter cookies together

-use playdough to form the letters of your child's name. Roll the dough into skinny sticks so that it can be manipulated into lines and curves

Once your child has mastered his or her name, move onto other short words and names of other family members.

Art Center Idea

Curriculum Expectation: Geometry and Spatial Sense: build three-dimensional structures using a variety of materials, and begin to recognize the three-dimensional figures that the structure contains (Ministry of Education, 2006)

Learning Opportunity: At this center, children will have the opportunity to build three-dimensional structures (e.g., buildings, machines) using empty food containers.

At whole group learning time the teacher will read the story The Shape of Me and Other Stuff (Seuss, 1973) in order to introduce the concept of different shapes to students. This book introduces the notion that three-dimensional objects (e.g., people, spider webs) are made up of many shapes. After the read-aloud, the teacher can introduce students to specific three-dimensional shapes (e.g., sphere, cube, triangular prism) by displaying and discussing various plastic or wooden 3-D shapes (math manipulatives). A poster with pictures and the names of the shapes can also be shown to students (and later hung near the visual arts or math center). The teacher can first model and then children can practice building structures using the plastic/wooden 3-D shapes as a whole group. This will provide an opportunity for students to experiment with the shapes and brainstorm what they might like to build at the visual art center during center time. The teacher can then model for students how the structures that were created out of math manipulatives can also be made using 3-D materials (e.g., cereal boxes, paper towel rolls) at the visual arts center. Once the structure is made, students can discuss the different shapes that were used to create it. The 3-D shapes and Dr. Seuss book can be left on the carpet or placed in the math area for further student exploration at center time.

Students can spend time building their structures at the visual arts center. A future activity might be for students to paint and decorate their dried and completed structures so that they realistically resemble the intended object. Students can also write about their structures at the language center.

Props:

Circle Time – The Shape of Me and Other Stuff (Seuss, 1973), various three-dimensional plastic or wooden shapes (math manipulatives), poster with pictures and names of various 3-D shapes

Visual Art Center – numerous clean and empty paper packaging that represent 3-D shapes (e.g., food boxes, frozen juice cans, paper towel rolls), glue sticks, white glue in bottles, paint, paint brushes, various materials to be used as decorations for the final structures (e.g., stickers, glitter, dried pasta). Prior to doing this center, a teacher may wish to explain the center and invite families to send in clean materials that can be used by students as collecting and cleaning enough materials for this center can be time consuming for one person. By informing parents about an upcoming project, families will feel connected and informed regarding the classroom centers and activities, will have an understanding of how math experiences are incorporated into play activities, and many enjoy helping out the classroom by sending in materials for student use.

Play: At center time students would have the opportunity to use the wooden/plastic 3-D shapes together to create various structures. An adult (teacher, teacher candidate, volunteer) at the center can engage students in math talk regarding what they are building (e.g., using positional language to support oral language such as “you’re putting the cube above the rectangular prism) and how many of each shape is in the structure (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2003). Students can also be encouraged to draw pictures of what they are building using the math manipulatives.

At the visual art center children can take turns to create their own 3-D structure by gluing various containers together. An adult can be encouraging children in their exploration and heightening the experience through various discussion prompts and questioning (e.g., “That’s a great tower you’re building. How can you make it even taller?” “Wow! I like your boat. How can you make a flagstaff for it?” “ I wonder how I can use the rectangular prism to build a…”)

What might children say or do: I believe that most children will want to visit this center in order to build their own structures. Kid talk might include “I want to build a house like we did at circle.” “Can you help me make a train?” “I like your car…how did you make that?” “Can I make another house?”

Assessment: This experience can be assessed in a number of ways including: a teacher recording anecdotal notes of what children say and do at either the manipulative or visual arts center; having children draw a picture of what was made and describe the structure (how they build it, what shapes were used) and this can be scribed by an adult on the picture; taking a number of photos of students in the process of structure creation (one as they gather the shapes needed, one as the structure is half-complete, one of the student holding the finished structure). Students can be shown the photos and can describe what is happening in each. The photos can be mounted on paper and the adult can record what was said next to them.

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2006). The kindergarten program (revised). Toronto:Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

Seuss (1973). The shape of me and other stuff. New York: Beginner Books.

Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Years Education

I am an Early Years educator who has been inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to education. My classroom environment and practice reflect the belief that the children who inhabit it are creative and capable learners who exist as equal and productive members of a larger community, where each person’s contributions and ideas are valued and nurtured.

Our Classroom

Physical Environment

The physical environment of Reggio Emilia classrooms is often referred to as the “third teacher” (Gandini, 1998, p.177) as it is considered just as important and influential in a child’s learning as the family and classroom teacher are. Personal meaning making and knowledge construction occurs when young children are provided multiple opportunities to explore, experiment, and reflect upon their experiences in a safe and supportive educational environment (Bredekamp, 1993).

Curriculum

Children are encouraged to explore and experiment with topics of their interest. Unlike Westernized systems of education where linear curriculums are delivered and followed by each student, Reggio educators are partners in the co-construction of knowledge with children and they exist as co-learners who plan and implement activities and experiences for students based on their personal interests (Bredekamp, 1993). Educators heighten learning for children by asking questions to further their understanding and by engaging directly in the activities alongside the child.

Assessment Strategies

By observing children in action in the classroom, teachers become researchers who document and analyze children’s strengths and needs in the classroom. Educators gather pieces including photos and videos of children in action, transcripts of conversations with children in regards to their learning or in discussion of a piece of work, actual pieces of work, and teacher’s anecdotal notes. These pieces are refered to as ‘pedagogical documentation’ and form a complete picture of a child’s growth and development in the Reggio Emilia program. Similar to student portfolios, pedagogical documentation is an evolving tool of assessment that is continually added to, reflected upon, and shared with families.

Relationships with Families

Parents, considered to be children’s first teachers, are integral to the success of their children and are viewed as partners, collaborators, and advocates in the educational process. Family involvement in a child’s learning is considered vital for academic success, and a strong partnership between home and school is formed through frequent and meaningful communication. Families are encouraged to continue with a child’s explorations and development at home by following Reggio’s philosophies and practices.

Bredekamp, S. (1993). Reflections on Reggio Emilia. Young Children, 49(1). 13-17.

Gandini, L. (1998). Educational and caring spaces. In C. Edwarsds, L. Gandini, & G. Forman, (Eds.). The hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education - Advanced reflections. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.

Art Idea

A great way to engage children in art is by print-making. We like to use various materials around our house like fruits and vegetables. We recently spent time cutting apples in half, exploring what they looked like, and then stamping them using the primary colours of paint.

Art Idea

A great art experience for young children is to have them paint using the following mixture: 2 parts sugar or salt with 1 part paint. The mixture will have a grainy texture to it, so have children use large brushes and a heavy piece of paper. When the paint dries it will have a sparkly look to it. It's great for this time of year!

Art Idea

Children's paintings from the easel are often created using big pieces of paper that are difficult to display. Consider encouraging parents to use these paintings (with children's permission first) as holiday wrapping paper. This will save families time and money and be better for the environment. (Receivers of gifts will also appreciate getting a 'one of a kind' wrap job!)


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Christmas Crafts versus Art

Well, it's the last week of school before the holidays and I'm wondering how many teachers are going to be engaging their students in meaningful art activities this week in order to celebrate the upcoming holidays. I am not a fan of 'crafts' that are done in the kindergarten classroom --- activities that are teacher created and modeled where each child makes the same piece of work as another. I know this type of activity is a popular one this time of year, especially when parents like receiving cutesy things from school. I believe it's more meaningful for children to be engaging in art activities that allow them free range in exploration and expression. This way they can discuss their work with others. Some 'holiday' art you might consider doing this week include:

-putting red, white and green paint at the art easel with sparkles in it
-mixing 1 part paint to 2 parts sugar or salt at the easel (it'll create a sparkly texture when dry)
-having an assorted mix of holidays card fronts, ribbon, and wrapping paper (and other holiday goodies) for children to use in whatever way they wish
-having children stamp with holiday cookie cutters and paint
-providing various colours of clay or playdough available so children can sculpt a gift for their families