Free Choice

Building with the Marble Maze encourages high level thinking, problem-solving skills, cooperation, team building, and eye-hand coordination.

Wow! Look at that marble go!!!!

The children have the opportunity to make choices each day about what activities they would like to participate in after center time. These children chose to draw in art center.

The First Days of Kindergarten

During outdoor play we have the opportunity to get some fresh air as we socialize with friends, new and old, practice taking turns and have fun looking for acorns and interesting creatures.

This is our magnificent Cecropia Moth that emerged from the cocoon below. We raised it from a very tiny caterpillar. We raised 15 and released all of them as full grown moths this summer. They are such beautiful and gentle creatures. We learned so much from them What an amazing science lesson for all involved.

Creating the Pirate Scarecrow

 The children used watered down glue to adhere peach colored tissue paper to the recycled Clorox bottle..

 This child took leadership of this part of our scarecrow. He painted and applied most of the glue and tissue to create the head. Others assisted him, but it was difficult taking photos while I assisted all of them with sticky fingers.

He continues to apply more tissue paper to the cut out ears, which we will eventually add after they dry.

After the form was dry we added a black wig Miss Debbie donated for the project. The  children wanted a patch. They cut it out of felt and glued on the googly eye and a bandana from Mrs. Wishy-washy ensemble.

 They requested a hat, which I made from tin foil and duct tape, a nose, made from a latex finger and filled with tissue paper and a beard and mustache from yarn in our art center. WOW!

They wanted him to have a scull and bones on his hat, which was made from cardboard and silver duct tape, scars on his face, a red scarf, earrings, gold and rotten teeth. This is it! Cool...huh?

Cecropia Moth Cocoon

This is the Cecropia  Moth cocoon that our caterpillar created on the classroom closet door. How silly?!? 

Well, we figured out it was a great place at the time. We watched it all winter and early spring and then one day we came in and saw its magnificent moth. 

Video of Cecropia Caterpillar Eating Sycamore Maple Leaf

Our Monarch Caterpillar

This is the Monarch Caterpillar the children have raised since its egg stage. I found it on a milkweed plant in my backyard. It was interesting for the children to raise it along side of the Cecropia caterpillar. They are both now in the pupa stage. When I return, I will bring in both so we can document the changes that occurred and compare and contrast the cocoon and chrysalis. The Monarch Butterfly will probably emerge next week just in time for its fall migration to Mexico. We will keep the Cecropia Moth safe until spring when it emerges from its cocoon. Ask your child what they noticed about our caterpillars. Imagine the impression it has made on your budding naturalist. How exciting!