By now you have heard about the Common Core for what seems like ten years. Read how Karen Nemeth Ed.M. believes the Common Core will be/could be/might be interpreted and implemented for Preschool. Check it out here.
Have you ever been to the Garfield Park Observatory? You can access the conservatory from public transportation as the Green Line has a station that is steps from the front door. It is a gem right in the middle of the city. For young children, there is the Elizabeth Morse Genius Children’s Garden where children can […]
Sometimes, the stars align and whammo – Kismetl. When observing one of my students in a three-year old classroom last week, I found them exploring the world of bugs and insects. All around the room I found evidence of their explorations, from an ant farm on the windowsill, to a butterfly habitat on the science table. […]
I think this is hysterical. It is a wristband that has a bug observation habitat covered in mesh netting so each child’s bug can stay alive while being worn and watched. Can you imagine collecting your specimens while out on a walk and then each child putting one bug on each child’s wrist? I think […]
Six early childhood experts discuss some of the common misunderstandings about child assessment in this short video clip from Child Care Exchange. Check it out.
Categorizing insect and bug attributes by size and color is one way to separate and sort them. It might be more fun to use your insect and bug collections to create gross motor movement activities using the attributes of how they move rather than how they look. Some bugs fly (butterflies, ladybugs, bumblebees), some bugs […]
There are probably hidden gems all over the country that I know nothing about, but I do know about an absolute prize just north of Chicago, in Skokie, called the Emily Oaks Nature Center. The reason I love this place is that it PERFECT for very young children. It is small and compact. There is […]
Take a look at this short video from the Increase your Knowledge page on the Early Math Counts website and consider the following: 1. How do you promote problem-solving skills with your children? 2. When opportunities arise for children to “figure things out” on their own, do you let them? 3. Are you often tempted […]
While looking through math materials the other day, I came upon three interesting classroom tools that focus on sorting bugs. This first one is called “Scoop-a-Bug Sorting Kit” and is pretty interesting. The bugs are clearly fake, with exaggerated attributes, such as bright and vivid colors, which are easily identified by children. The scoopers look a […]
The other day, one of my students was planning an activity for the children in her classroom. They are studying (drumroll) – Bugs! She wanted to try her hand at planning a food experience and was asking me about my thoughts about Ants on a Log. You know this one; celery sticks filled with peanut […]