Rock and Roll

The kids, and I, frequently have paint all over us!

  Your kids may have filled you in on a couple of the new faces we have in our room this semester.  Laura Kate has moved into our class and we have a new friend Leah.  Both of these precious girls have so much to offer each of us and we are grateful to have them with us.  Because of slightly increased numbers, I also have an aide-Miss Kari.  You may recognize her from being Miss Bridgett's stand in in the fall when she (Bridgett) was out on maternity.

 This past week and this upcoming week, we've been talking about rocks.  Physical properties of rocks, items that we use daily that are composed of rocks, etc.  It's been a fun unit for me because it's a new one for me.  Coming up with ideas is challenging and fun. 

A few activities this week-
1.  Rock races!   Kind of like Easter Egg races, but with rocks.  This challenging game gave the kids practice with balance. 

2.  Shake the rock-the kids put pebbles with paint

 on them in a shoebox with a piece of white paper.  We closed the shoebox and the kids got to shake it to their heart's content.  The result was a beautiful splattered piece of art-some are displayed in my room now!  This activity gave them opportunities for emotional release, gross motor exploration, and fine motor (scooping the pebbles up with the spoon was a challenge!).

3.  I painted rocks and wrote the alphabet on them to offer and different experience in our writing/language area.  The kids explore the rocks and are encouraged to pick out letters to their names

 and sightwords. 

4.  I checked out books from the public library on different types of rocks.  We discussed small rocks and how the smooth ones probably came from rivers and we've discussed large rock formations, like Stonehenge and Mt. Rushmore, and discussed how people created the formations out of the rocks God made. 

5.  Falling Rocks-the kids dropped painted rocks down a piece of paper.  This was fun.  It provided a way to discuss gravity as it made some really cool art. 

 6.  Of course, the oldies but goodies often prevail.  Despite new opportunities, the kids are always excited to build something new in the block area or play in the kitchen area!