Dear Blossom Families,
Things got wild this month as we began studying Oregon animals, prepared for the Leprechaun, and welcomed Spring!
The students became very good at identifying animal and bird tracks! They made plaster casts and played matching games as a class and in small groups. Ms. Stephanie shared a picture of a track her mom found in the snow, and the class correctly identified it as a coyote!
We used boxes to build a bear cave out of the loft, a bird nest, and a den for wolves or other Oregon animals the children wanted to pretend. Miss Madelyn helped the students make a beaver dam; later, they made one out of snow outdoors!
Salmon and their life cycle were very interesting the next week, and we always love hearing new vocabulary words and concepts as well as trying out new art materials and projects. While learning about salmon, we did some fun and focused salmon yoga. Several of the children collaborated on a salmon painting, while others decorated their own salmon–shaped papers. We even got some water from the Deschutes to look at under the microscope.
Next, we studied birds, practiced birdwatching, made bird nests out of dough, and noticed a bird nest across the street that’s been turned into a squirrel drey. We learned fabulous facts about falcons, eagles, and other Oregon birds. And we decorated our little birdhouses to take home at the end of the month.
Many fascinating facts and stories were shared about river otters, the gray fox, porcupines, owls, reptiles, coyotes, wolves, mountain lions, and other predators. We looked at photos and videos, listened to sounds, and read some nonfiction books to help round out our understanding. It was fun to see the students pretend to be various animals in their free play outside and add facts and features into their play that they learned in class!
We also notice signs of growth and “blossoming” in our Blossoms! They are gaining new self-regulation skills, communication, prosocial behaviors, and building solid friendships and bodies! We have seen them caring for one another and our classroom, taking responsibility for their messes and things, and working together to play and engage with classroom materials and activities. We are so proud!
This April, we will begin our building study. Every day, we enter buildings! Some buildings tell us their purpose at a glance; others are so impressive they inspire us. But what makes a building a building? How are they made, and what are they made of? This month, we will learn about buildings worldwide and those in our community. Preschoolers can build with almost anything, and this month we will! As you surely know, your Blossoms are particularly curious about the world directly around them. Please let us know if you have any ideas, materials, or expertise to share! Materials shared in the past have included large shipping boxes, old house and building plans, and clean, recyclable materials like cereal boxes, caps, towel tubes, and newspapers.
Thank you for sharing your exceptional learners with us! Ms. Stephanie and Miss Madeline
