Walking Field Trip to the Mailbox

April 22, 2015

For the past several weeks, both groups have shown an ongoing interest in the mail. As a means of exposing new children to the mail project and continuing the project for other children, we decided to revisit our local mailbox. Some children had visited the mailbox previously and remembered our past visits, while others were visiting for the first time and were very curious about the different parts of the mailbox. My intention with visiting the mailbox was to expose a new group of children to the mailbox and mail in general, while allowing the children that had previously visited to expand their understanding and revisit their experiences from past trips. We discovered that the children that had visited previously had a greater awareness about specific aspects of the mailbox (the eagle, the handle, collection times, etc.) and were able to point these things out to the new group.

When we arrived at the mailbox, we asked the children, “What do you notice about the mailbox?”

The children had the following questions and comments:

Colin: “It have keys. That’s the mailman put it in the triangles and it get stuck.”

Matthew: “It’s blue. It have a key. It have a handle to put the mail in.”

 

Daniel: “It got a special door to put the mail in.”

Mackenzie: “I see a eagle. I see a handle and it’s blue and it has legs.”

Patrick: “The mailbox is blue and it have a key hole.”

Ariana: “There’s an eagle and a handle and a key and then you have to put the mail where it has a handle.”

Sofia: “There’s a really straight hole for the mail.”

Patrick: “I think the mail goes in the bottom under the top. They take a key and get it out. Somebody draw on this (pointed to graffiti on the mailbox.”

After the children verbalized their observations we invited them to step onto a stool in front of the mailbox and allowed them to look inside. They pulled the mail slot open and closed and noticed that it made a loud noise when it slammed shut! After allowing them to explore the mailbox, we asked them to draw pictures of what they saw. Some children focused on the different parts of the mailbox, while other children were engaged in telling stories about the mail and where it was going.

 

According to the book, Young Investigators:

“Projects are especially valuable for children in the early years because this is a period of rapid intellectual growth that can have important long-term consequences. A common understanding emerging from research is that the brain and the ability to think are shaped by experiences (Zull, 2002). The capacity of the brain to think in different ways—the ability to problem solve, reflect, and be open to new ideas—is built over time and exposure, with the greatest plasticity and potential in the beginning years of life (Wexler, 2008). Additional insight into intellectual development is now coming from recent experimental developments in the study of early cognition, such as observing the activity of the brain during cognitive activity and growth, and from computer-assisted models of the brain’s development of networks of information during early learning (Blakemore & Frith, 2005). Although it is too early to draw many conclusions from this new research, Catherwood (2000), in a review of these new views of the young child’s growth and development, came to the conclusion that experiences that support the child in making connections amongst domains of knowledge (e.g. as in ‘event-based’ programs in which children develop activities around conceptual themes) are likely to impact on and enhance the richness of neural networks in the child’s brain.

There are many experiences in project work that are consistent with Catherwood’s conclusion. These include the focus of projects on topics in which the child has some background knowledge and interest, the integration of many domains of learning, the opportunity and purpose for verbal communication that emerges in project work, the “events” of field-site visits and visits by experts, and the development of activities by children. “

Visiting the mailbox and providing the children with “real-world” opportunities supports cognitive development and allows them to actively explore the world around them. We will continue to follow the children’s interests and hope to bring mail to our local mailbox the next time we visit!

-Rachelle 

 

Buildings, Buildings, Buildings!

April14,2015

Our little construction workers have been working diligently! Over the past few months, the children have been constructing buildings of their choice! We started the building process by introducing blueprints and having children create blueprints of their own. This helped the children establish a plan for their project and mainly focused on the exterior of the structures. We’ve also created individual binders (for those interested) to organize their blueprints/drawings. As we proceed with this project, we are taking on a more detailed approach, where we are noticing and drawing more specific features of buildings. This may include number of rooms, types of room, how many walls needed, doors, windows, etc.  This part of the building process assists the children in becoming more intentional with their work.

The construction of buildings also requires a large amount of comparing and contrasting! Many children are interested in building a birdhouse. We compared a real birdhouse to a dollhouse (resembling a house for people). This created multiple discussions comparing both interior and exterior characteristics. Here is the list we came up with as a group:

Birdhouse	People House
1 room	4 rooms
No table	Laundry room
No beds	Beds
Metal roof	Bathroom
No doors/has a hole	No metal roof
No windows	Doors
No mailbox	Windows
	Mailboxes

When building in the tool area, the children have a variety of tools and materials to choose from. These items include hammers, screwdrivers (phillips and flathead), rasps, nails, screws, wood, a power drill (with teacher support), and a saw (also with teacher support).  First, they choose a piece of wood, decide where to put it, and mark a spot to make a hole for the nail or screw. He/she then decides if they want to use a screw or a nail. The nails and screws are in separate jars and sorted by size. After choosing the materials, the children then measure the screw/nail by holding the nail/screw next to the 2 pieces of wood they are trying to connect. If the nail is too long or short, they choose another size and continue the process until they find the correct one. The nails and screws can be challenging for the children to use without predrilled holes, so we have been using a power drill to assist them! Once the nail/screw is chosen, the child then finds the right drill bit to use by comparing the width of the nail/screw to the bit. Then comes the fun part! We work together by putting the drill bit in the power drill and put the power drill on the marked spot for the hole. I hold the weight of the drill as the child pushes the trigger to drill the hole! Once the hold is made the child is able to independently attach the wood with the corresponding tool (screwdriver or hammer). We repeat the process and refer to their blueprints as they continue to build their structure. It’s a lot of steps and work, but they have fun and are learning exponential amounts as they do it!!!

My intention for this building process is for the children to learn and explore through meaningful experiences. When measuring the sizes of tools and wood they are developing a wide range of math skills, such as, matching, comparing, and sorting. I offer a variety of tools and sizes of materials to support their development in problem solving and to challenge their ability to remain focused. If one the small screwdriver doesn’t work with the large screw, they have to find the right sized screwdriver.  Building with tools also supports literacy development! Using the tools helps develop fine motor skills and their binders included drawings and names of tools/buildings. The process of using the tools from finding the right tool, to the correct size nail/screw, to finding the corresponding drill bit, and inserting the nail/screw supports literacy development, as it encourages children to sequence (beginning, middle, and end) similar to stories in a book. It also promotes comprehension skills as each child has to figure out which sizes to use and why.

Research says “A play-based, active learning approach allows many opportunities for practicing social interaction and relationship skills. It provides support for the growth of age- and developmentally appropriate self-regulation abilities. Finally, play in a well-planned early learning program provides each child with a network of nurturing, dependable adults who will actively support and scaffold their learning in a group setting”. (P. 87 California Preschool Curriculum Framework Volume 1, California Department of Education)

-Stephanie 

Elevator Investigation

March 3rd --March 31st, 2015

The children’s initial interest in elevators started from our Hotel Project in the Block Area. Many of them were adding details to their hotels such as bedrooms, swimming pools, security guards, and elevators! We noticed how many of the children were trying hard to figure out how to make their elevator go up and down using wire, small boxes, and other materials. This was a big topic of conversation since most of the children in our group already had prior knowledge of elevators outside of our classroom. We saw this as a great opportunity to explore how elevators worked! Our intention for elevator investigation was for the children to explore the mechanics of an elevator, their purpose, as well as to link our Building and Hotel projects together!

Teacher Stephanie had a great idea to create an elevator in the House Area with a large box that the children used as a hiding spot. We turned it over from a long horizontal box, to a tall one that resembled an elevator. The morning we did this, the children were so excited to see something new in the House Area:

Natalia: “Buttons, buttons, buttons!”

Malea: “It’s like a rocket ship, ‘cause they got lots of buttons.”

Paul: “We’re gonna go inside and put all the kids in there!”  

Toby: “I’ve been interested in elevators for a while! The elevator... it had 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 buttons! It was in a hospital.”

In the House Area, children created buttons, signs, and even made their own rules for how many people were allowed inside. Teacher Andrea asked the children what kinds of materials they needed in order to make our elevator complete. Rosalie, Natalia, and Malena glued round clothing buttons onto paper in order to create elevator buttons! Some children drew circles and labeled them with numbers for each floor. We talked about how some buttons were for the different floors, and some were to tell the elevator to go “up” or “down.” Rosalie created a sign inside the elevator that read “Only 3 people at a time.”

Elevator Visits

As we had more conversations about elevators, we noticed how the children were so excited to share that they had used elevators in hotels, apartment buildings, in the doctor’s office, at the mall, and with their parents at work! We were able elaborate on these experiences by bringing them to more real elevators: one in our school hallway, and one in the Parkmerced Apartments. Our intention in bringing them to these places were for the children to expand their knowledge on what an elevator looks like, how they work, and how to make our classroom elevator look like the real thing!

Teacher Andrea took small groups each week to the elevator in our school hallway. We also took a special key with us to open the elevator door. Many of them noticed right away that this was different that other elevators that they had seen before (most elevators use buttons, not a key!). We spent some time observing the outside of the elevator, the inside with buttons, and the second floor elevator. The children noticed so many things:

Natalia: “I wonder if it’s a girl or a boy (referring to the ”In Case of Emergency, Use Stairs” sign).”

Malea: “I see a rectangle! What are those buttons on the outside?”

Daniel: “I see a star. Teacher, what’s the star mean?”

Natalia: “The star means #1 Elevator.”

Malea: “Hey, there’s the fire guy! (pointing at the “In Case of Emergency, Use Stairs” sign. What’s at the top floor?”

Toby: “Star 1 means it goes up!”

Sofia: “I’ve been to a real elevator at Macy’s. It was a stair elevator.”

Paul: “We can go to Knott’s Berry Farm and there’s a lot of floors there.”

Daisy: (after learning that our school only has 2 floors) “Then why is it so tall?!”

At Parkmerced, the children were able to sit in front of the two elevators on the lobby floor and create drawings of what they saw. Our intention for this visit was to focus on the special signs and buttons for firefighters and emergencies, how long it took to get from one floor to the other, and how the doors opened and closed. The doors were a significant part of our visit to the elevators because children were noticing that these doors did not swing like a regular door with a hinge and a handle, instead they slid open automatically. After our visit, children were able to create their own sliding door on the elevator in our class!

“What do you see at the Parkmerced Elevators?”

March 20, 2015

Natalia: There’s 5 buttons.

Ethan: The buttons inside the elevator… there’s like a hotel!

Patrick: A lot of button. 8 Buttons.

Toby: The numbers are changing when it goes up and down!

Sofia: There’s a star.

Ian: There’s a map!

Daisy: I see that picture, those people, a horse, hello!

Malea: Why does the elevator open and close?

Our elevator project has given the children many opportunities to practice skills in writing, math and critical thinking. They have been practicing fine motor by making signs and observational drawings of the elevators they’ve seen. They have also been able to practice counting by looking at the buttons and floors of elevator. Lastly, the children have exercised their critical thinking skills by asking “How does this elevator work?” In the next coming weeks, we plan to use pulleys and rope to further children’s understanding of how elevators go up and down. We also plan to highlight and add an emergency alarm into our classroom elevator.

“When young children are involved in exploration and discovery, they are enthusiastic and motivated. A constructivist classroom allows children to gather information through their senses and make hypotheses, test predictions, and discuss results. This is how children gain knowledge. New knowledge leads to further action and action produces greater energy. This cycle continues to repeat. It is the collaborative unearthing of knowledge that keeps children, teachers, and classroom settings creatively alive and exciting... When something is required to be taught, it should be related to real life experiences. This keeps all of us joyfully interacting to find solutions and looking forward to what the next pursuit of knowledge will bring.”

Citations

Miles Ed.D, S. (2008, January 1). Exploration and Discovery! Creating an Enthusiastic, Exciting Classroom. Retrieved March 31, 2015, from http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=150

 

-Andrea

Building a Classroom Mailbox

March 19, 2015-March 30, 2015

As we have been opening packages sent to the school, we are left with many large and small boxes.  After a couple of weeks of children sending mail out to family and friends, the idea to build a classroom mailbox quickly circulated.  Using a box from a package the classroom received, we started to construct a mailbox.  Our intention was to recreate the blue mailbox the children visited previously, in order to use a realistic prop in their play and continue to practice the process of mail.  We plan to assign a “Mail Carrier of the Day” to carry out the process of sending mail and giving everyone the opportunity to collect, sort, and deliver the mail.

The children started by observing pictures from their walking field trip to a nearby blue mailbox.  They talked about the shape, the colors, the writing on the sides, and necessary components such as a slot to put mail in, a lock, and a door in the back.  On the first day of constructing the mailbox, a group of children covered the entire box in blue paint.  Once it was dry they added the eagle on the side, and a couple smaller details they noticed in the pictures.  

Evelyn: “Teacher I draw a square."

Brandon: “I drawed a line!”

Each child added their own details and shared ideas about what else they could do to make it look just like the one we visited.  As we were painting, Ayush and Chloe talked with Teacher Nicole about how to create new colors with the ones they were using.

Ayush: “Teacher, what happens when you mix red and black?”

Teacher: “What do you think?”

Ayush: “Yellow?”

Teacher: “Let’s try and find out.”

Chloe: “Black and red make purple!”

Ayush: “Purple?! That’s silly…”

This conversation was a wonderful example of how this activity fostered the children’s learning in an unexpected way.  “In the preschool classroom or in the university re- search laboratory, science is an active and open-ended search for new knowledge. It involves people working together in building theories, testing those theories, and then evaluating what worked, what didn’t, and why.”  Asking questions and experimenting allows the children to work together and continue to discover.

Having been out for a couple of days, the mailbox has already received mail from various children excited to send more mail.  It will be an important addition to our classroom and give the children more options in their play.  They will be able to access the mailbox on their own without having to wait for a day we can walk as a group to the blue mailbox near our school.

Citation

Conezio, Kathleen, and Lucia French. "Capitalizing on Children's Fascination with the Everyday Word to Foster Language and Literacy Development." Teaching and Learning about Science. Science in the Preschool Classroom (2002): 12-18. Print.

                         Quotes From Building the Mailbox

Teacher: “How can we make it a mailbox?”

Colin: “Glue.”

Mackenzie: “We can cut it out into a mailbox.”

Brandon: “Grey.”

Teacher: “What color should it be?”

Brandon: “Blue, grey, and white.”

Kaylin: “We drawl it.”

Mackenzie: “We cut it out and paint it!”

Colin: “So we can make a mailbox.”

Brandon: “Maybe Julian can paint it.”

Teacher: “Why do we have a mailbox in our classroom?”

Grace: “So we can put mail in there.”

Teacher: “Where will it go?”

Ariana: “It will disappear!  To San Francisco, but not the real San Francisco.”

                     -Nicole

Julian’s Special Package

March 27, 2015

During our last two visits from our friend Julian the mailman, one child in particular asked each time “Can you send ducks in the mail?”  This question seemed a little silly to some friends but Julian answered both times explaining that we can send ducks in the mail, we just have to send them in a box with holes and labeled in a particular way.

On Friday we received a very special package.  The box looked different from any other that we have seen and talked about.  We placed the package in the center at group time as the children sat in a circle around it.  They each took a turn to examine the box and talk about what they saw.  Many common observations were, “There’s holes in the box” and “It has ribbon”.  On the bottom of the box were two envelopes.  We opened the one labeled, “Utopia Students” and it read, “Dear Class, This is how we send ducks thru the mail.  Your Friend, Julian”.

We then opened the package to find thirty paper cranes.  Each child received a different colored paper crane, when the children pulled on a part of the crane, the wings moved.  Everyone was very excited about this special package and letter from Julian.

The child that had asked about ducks originally was very excited to see the packaging and learn about how we can send ducks in the mail.  Julian’s efforts showed this child that his question was an entirely valid question and it is important to explore what we are curious about.  When he raised his hand and asked his important question to the class, it took a lot of confidence and when the other children thought it was silly he could have been easily discouraged.  This special package shows how important everyone’s interest is and ways that we can learn.

“Researchers and practitioners have described key social-emotional skills that children need as they enter school, including self-confidence, the capacity to develop positive relationships with peers and adults, concentration and persistence on challenging tasks, an ability to effectively communicate emotions, an ability to listen to instructions and be attentive, and skills in solving social problems (Bowman, Donovan, Burns et al., 2000; Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000). These competencies are considered critical to children's success as they transition into school.”

Experiences such as this demonstrate the importance in taking every child’s question and exploring what they are curious about.  Their thoughts and ideas are valid and they have every right to be able to learn about what they are interested in.  As teachers, we want to give them every opportunity to gain these skills and become stronger in their emotional development.

We are very thankful for Julian’s generous gift, and some of the children have already written and drawn thank you cards to send in the mail to Julian.  Thank you Julian!

Citation

Hemmeter, Mary Louise, Michaelene Ostrosky, and Lise Fox. "Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning: A Conceptual Model for Intervention." School Psychology Review 35.4 (2006). Print.

                                                                              -Nicole

                                                        Mail From Julian!

March 18, 2015

Julian, the mailman, brought attention to our new mailboxes by bringing in mail for each child and having them help sort and distribute envelopes according to colors and letters. Several children had written and addressed mail for loved ones which they gave to Julian to send.  Most of the children in the group are able to properly address an envelope and are becoming more familiar with the process of sending and receiving mail.

Several children assisted Julian in delivering the mail to their friends’ mailboxes by finding their name and placing the envelopes in the slots.  This was great practice in letter recognition!  As our mail project has gone on, the children have been referring to the mailboxes to correctly spell their friend’s name and deliver to the person they choose.

This kind gesture from our new friend Julian gave every child the opportunity to experience receiving mail.  Through the process of sorting, writing, delivering, and talking about mail, we have integrated math, science, and writing into our project.  According to a journal article by Tsunghui Tu, “Experiences in science provide opportunities for young children to develop an appreciation and awareness of the world around them and develop science through inquiry skills, such as “wondering, questioning, exploring and investigating, discussing, reflecting, and formulating ideas and theories.””

This activity was a fun way to integrate all of these important factors.  Our intention for inviting Julian in to visit our class was for the children to have an understanding of the process of mail and be able to ask their important questions to an actual mail carrier.  In the process of Julian visiting, we developed a friendship with him and now the children send him mail when they have questions or just want to send him a picture.  He has responded to the children, validating their efforts and answering their many questions. We are extremely grateful to have made this connection and look forward to providing many more wonderful learning experiences.

Citation

Tu, Tsunghui. "Preschool Science Environment: What Is Available in a Preschool Classroom?" Early Childhood Education Journal 33.4 (2006): 245. Print.

                                                                        -Nicole

Classroom Mailboxes

March 9, 2015-March 30, 2015

After two field trips to the blue mailbox up the street from our school and a visit from our friendly mailman Julian, the children were eager to continue our mail project.  The next step we took was creating individual mailboxes in the classroom where the children could check daily to see what friends and family have sent them.  This experience was exciting from the beginning and encouraged them to write more mail.  Each child wrote their own name that would designate their personal mailbox.  Practicing writing in this activity was important as it would be posted in the classroom and their friends would use it to find their mailbox.

Several of the children sent family members mail, which they addressed properly, put a stamp on, and either gave to Julian or walked with a small group to the blue mailbox to send.  This past week, those children have received mail in response to their letters.  During group time we looked at their mailboxes and those children took out their mail with excitement and opened it to share.  Teacher Rachelle read aloud the letters and cards.  Some cards had pictures, others were handwritten or typed, and they each came in different types of envelopes.  We talked as a group about how each one looked, what we noticed, and compared them with what we have been using at school.

Our intention is to create an environment where the children can explore through their play using actual materials and processes used in the Post office and by postal workers.  We believe giving them this opportunity allows for their curiosity to lead them in their learning and expand from what they already know and gain through these new experiences.  According to the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children), “Play is the way children can learn what it is like to be an adult as they try on adult roles.  Play is the most important way that young children learn”.  The article talks about how children have a right to play, “It expands children’s creativity.  It provides practice of adult roles. Play is motivating. Free play allows children time to investigate, think, socialize, question, and problem solve without judgment from adults”.

We will continue to encourage the children to explore and play in this project.  In support of their curiosity and interest we will add materials and experiences.  The next step we are taking is to create a blue mailbox for our classroom! 

Citation

Adamson-Kain, Stefanie. "Children Need and Have a Right to Play." Young Children. NAEYC, 2014. Print.

                                                                                     -Nicole