Learning on vacation

     I believe children who have more experiences outside the home and school are the children who can learn quickly by relating what they already know to new learning topics.  That's why teachers love field trips.  A visit to a pumpkin farm shows children what a vine is.  A visit to the zoo shows children animal habitats.  A visit to a science museum gives children hands on opportunity to learn about jobs

Physics of motion
(Circular physics and up, down, up, down)

How you can effect motion
(forward, backward, forward, backward)

How nature effects motion
(Is it going to blow away?)

ECONOMICS 
(It cost how much?)

Job Security(How do I take care of people?)

History
(Do you know who invented this?)

Marine Biology
(caught in the ocean, Do you know what it is?)

Zoology
(Are you brave enough to hold this)
http://www.jungleadventures.com/
(Do you know which Florida animals are going extinct?)
Driver's Education
(a little early, but she kept asking what does that pedal do)


Vacation memories can help build language and memory skills.  You can use these memories to encourage writing and reading, research, map skills, and patience (that horrible car ride across country).  I hope you enjoy your vacation.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Math Centers- Number work

Image
Children get to explore numbers in a variety of forms.  Numeral to set These types of games are very simple to make.  Pick any theme.  Cut shapes or buy them already cut out.  Then find something that goes with the shape to use as counters.  I like using those shaped erasers you can buy at the dollar store. Here are butterflies cut from the ellison machine. I put numbers 1-10 on the front and 11-20 on the back just so higher level thinkers can have a challenge.  I have snowmen, cars, Christmas trees, hearts, and flowers.  Any little manipulative piece can be paired with a shape to make a thematic game. You can also buy store bought games and adapt them to your needs.  This game is cute but is too easy.  It is set up more like flash cards so that kids can count the number of M&M's on each card.  I use bowls or thought about making candy jars with the little M&M pieces. great number work This site has the cutest printable number games. Fun and good for fine mot
Read more

Changes, Changes- A book of building and a craft too

Image
Changes, Changes is a book by Pat Hutchins This book has no words and I was amazed at how it kept all the children's interest.  We predicted what the people would build next.  At the end of the story we recalled all the different things that were built.  They did great with it.  Some even asked to read it again.  Since we share all our books from Creative Curriculum with another class, we had to give the book up for the day. I decided to let the children make their own structures like in the book. Like the book states, plans change. My lesson plan shows the intent of the activity below. First, we worked together to watercolor paint a large piece of paper.  I then cut out shapes from the paper, and I added some other paper scraps from other cutting projects.  Next the kids were asked to glue some shapes down to make something.  I recorded what they made on each page along with their name. We turned it into a book we will keep in our library.  Now, the kids can read our story. We
Read more

Creative Trash

Image
Your trash can or recycling bin doesn't seem like the place to find art supplies, but it's cheap and can make great fun projects.   We made a bee using a toilet or paper towel tube.  You can look at other tube projects on  this previous post . Egg cartons make great art projects.  Just make sure you wash them out. You could make spring flowers and caterpillars How about musical instruments? Every year we would make shakers using paper plates and beans or beads inside.  It's not too loud, but just the right amount of fun.  Kids decorate the outside what ever way they want.   Here is the maraca we made using a plastic Easter egg and spoons.  We covered it with colorful duct tape and shake away. We made animals with paper tubes.  Here is a zebra colored bee. What kind of fun can you have with your trash?  Did you know there is a real orchestra that makes their instruments from the trash they find?  It is called the Landfill Harmonica.  Yo
Read more