This week is all about eyes, welcoming Ms Emily and looking far away (read on to find out why this is so important).
We are exploring exercise in the form of hiking (to get to places where we have the opportunity for wide open views), using hundreds of googly eyes in playdough, cloud dough and our journals! Later this week we will mark our classroom with cardinal signs North, South, East and West (you can do that at home too!). As always, the children have access to the whole classroom for big chunks of the day…watch them play!
Our Alphabet friends Abe, Bobby, Claudia and Dotty got some play time today too:
We have 5 Story Time books this week all from our local library (I will return them after this week so you can check them out too!): Hiking Day (Rockwell), It’s Impossible! (Cordouroy), The Hike (Farrell), Hiking (Reagan) and Where Did Josie Go? (Buckley). The books all show the experiences of children and animals looking at things both close up and then taking in the wide open spaces. You can find out which your child likes the best!
E Week Activities
Here are some E things for the week you can look for in photos, conversations and backpacks!
Watercolor Eyes: children experience crayon resist with watercolors this week while looking in mirrors at their own eye colors. The crayon is drawn on first and then watercolor painted on top. The watercolor doesn’t stick as well to the waxy crayon which is the “resist” part.
Eggy the Egg E: We’ve affectionally given a silly name to this week’s cardboard E. Covered in egg cartons and painted with watercolors, they will get their eyes on Thursday once the paint dries enough!
Here are 3 questions to learn more about our day:
What did you eat for snack today?
The morning class is prepared for you to be very surprised and concerned about their answer when you ask them, “What did Charlie bring for you eat for snack today?” (if they forget you can say, “Surely it wasn’t eyeballs…” so they can say that yes it was!). We also had cheetos, apples and pretzels. Thank you, Charlie! Here is a clip explaining the process:
In the afternoon we had another snack that might surprise and concern some grown ups when you ask them, “What did Heath bring you for snack today?” (if they forget you can say, “Surely it wasn’t any kind of ball-those are what we play with…” so they can tell you all about the Energy Bite Balls). We also had triple e cheese sticks and the “biggest grapes we’ve seen.” Thank you, Heath!
What were people using those stick things for?
During Circle Time we discussed low vision, blindness and assistive technology aids (like a blindness cane, braile, large print, etc). If you invite them to repeat “assistive technology” they can do it! The children were very curious and listened carefully as I showed different dollhouse people and their assistive technology.
We talked about canes and walking sticks that can be used for another purpose: stability and balance before reading about families going on hikes. This was a perfect entry to our outside time where we found our own Dirt Mountain and walking sticks for some far away gazing.
Here’s the pre-teaching of “what do we know about walking sticks:”
Here is a website with helpful information on explaining low vision and blindness to children: https://veroniiiica.com/childrens-questions-about-low-vision/
What showed up on the paper when Ms Kristin painted on it?
Jack-o-lantern faces! The white crayon was already on the pumpkins and then she painted over it with watercolor. This was more crayon resist in action: the watercolor would not stick well to the crayon! It seems like magic but it is science…magical science.
Bonus questions where all the answers are no: were there only 3 pumpkins? No…there were five! Was the paint really red like it looked in the jar? No…it was very concentrated orange paint. Did Ms Kristin put the paint back in her Circle Time basket? No…she put it on the Teacher Cart so it wouldn’t spill.
Coping Skill of the Week: Far off gaze
This week we are exploring the “Far off gaze.” Using our eyes to look at things far away can have relaxing and calming effects.
By expanding our visual field the body is able to switch off the stress response. So, to take this one step further we can induce a state of calm and reduced stress by allowing our eyes to relax and take in a wider panorama or view, like the horizon. Looking at distant objects can also help relax eyes that are strained from close-up tasks like being on an electronic device. There is a lot of research being done on eyesight and the effects of screen time. Looking far away with a relaxed gaze is important!
This Coping Skill builds well on the last weeks where we looked at things around us by Orienting and the close hiding and burrowing by exploring Containment.
This week’s Coping Skill questions you can ask your child (and yourself!):
What is the farthest thing we can see from here? Actually naming the objects allows us to be even more in the present moment.
Can you see the tops of the trees? Name the colors or if there is any movement of the leaves.
Can you find the sunrise/sunset/moon/clouds?
BONUS: notice your breath while you’re doing this or take a deep bubble breath (deep inhale and long, slow exhale)
Our Poem of the Week:
newcreationpreschool.com 