Rachel Keeling Nursery School
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Welcome to our Learning Blog

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Exploring Dyes, Fabrics and Sewing

25/2/2020

 
Children first explored natural dyes, creating them using a pestle and mortar with food waste such as teabags, spices (turmeric, cumin) vegetables, fruit, plants, flowers and coffee.
Children added water and salt to fix the natural dyes. Some children used their senses and were able to identify the food and link the smell with the scent.
Children created their own colour samples using cotton and linen, dipping the fabrics and painting straight onto the fabrics. Children commented on the colours: raspberry and beetroot making pink, and the brown from the cocoa. Lots of talk and excitement was evident.
This inspired some children to go foraging in the garden to create green: collecting leaves.
This led to children creating their tie dye patterns using fabric dye. They dipped large cotton samples of fabric into dyes and left them overnight. 
After they were unravelled and dried, children returned, commenting on the linear and circular patterns. Children used this beautiful fabric as a base for their design. They used fabric paint and fine brushes to paint their patterns. To further embellish their designs children selected beads, thread and some children were able to thread their own needle. Saarah asked why the eye of a needle is called the eye.
Children showed their uniqueness in selecting and placing of their beads, the calmness with which they worked and their ability to sustain concentration. Children showed great pride in their achievements. 
​The work will be displayed in the nursery for all to enjoy. 

The World

24/2/2020

 
At Rachel Keeling Nursery School many of our children come to school with so much knowledge, experience and cultural capital. From the languages they speak, the foods they have been lucky enough to explore, festivals they celebrate and observe and the places they have travelled to. 
Recently children were introduced to a beautiful globe that a family has bought for us. They enjoyed handling it (spinning it REALLY fast!!!) and talking about it. A sensitive practitioner took the time to listen to children's ideas and comment and she supplemented this with other representations of the world from maps, to encyclopaedias and an inflatable ball with oceans and countries on it.
Children had group discussions to share their existing knowledge and some used our information books and the internet to further research areas they wanted to know more about. Many children knew their families were from London, Peru, Australia, Somalia and Bangladesh. 
Children explored homes around the world, rainforests, oceans, The Statue of Liberty, Africa, Turkey, Antarctica, France and temperatures. 
A book was made of the findings and recordings children made. This is now out in the nursery for children to use. 

Making Connections with Circuits

14/2/2020

 
Over the past three weeks children have had ample opportunities to explore electricity and develop an understanding of it. Children showed a good awareness before they started of safety surrounding electricity "It can give you a shock!" Aida said. "It runs in pipes under the ground" Joseph told everyone.
​Children also knew some of the common things that needed electricity to work: particularly televisions, toasters, phones and many knew that you cold charge some appliances. Children spend time exploring electrical items us close: deconstructing and reconstructing them using screwdrivers and observing the components. 
Next the children were introduced to batteries and how these also carry electricity. They explored electrical circuits, constructing them together with an adult and then the challenge of making their own. Some children powered light bulbs, some propellers and others had a buzzer! Children have been enabled to 'wallow' in this provision for a few weeks and have shown real perseverance and skill. Many have developed a good understanding of electricity during the process. 
Rachel Keeling Nursery School - Bullard's Place - Morpeth Street - London - E2 0PS        Tel: 020 89805856   Email: admin@rachelkeeling.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Picture
  • Home
    • Contact us
    • Location
    • Welcome
  • News
    • Learning Blog
    • Learning Blog Archive
    • Newsletters
    • Visitors
  • Our School
    • Curriculum Goals >
      • Settle in and become a confident learner
      • Follow a recipe to bake a bread roll
      • Make a model at the woodwork table
      • Ride a bicycle
      • Create your own rhythmic patterns and respond to music
      • Create shades of colour using powder paints and palette
      • Make up your own stories
      • Write the first two letters of your name
    • Our Films
    • Our History
    • Our Mission Statement
    • Our Nursery Building
    • Our Policies/Risk Assessments
    • Our Staff
    • Our Values
  • Information
    • Admissions
    • Early Help
    • Early Years Pupil Premium
    • Federation With Children's House Nursery School
    • GDPR
    • Health Guidance/Viruses
    • OFSTED
    • Organisation
    • Places for 3 & 4 year olds
    • RHSE
    • Safeguarding Summary
    • School Development Plan
    • Special Educational Needs and Disability
    • Self Evaluation Form
    • Term dates
  • Families
    • Cycle Sisters
    • Food Bank
    • Lunchtime
    • Library Visits
    • Saturday Garden
    • Children and Family Centres
    • Useful Links
    • What our community thinks
    • Working Together
    • Workshops and Courses
  • Outreach
    • Articles, Research & Conferences
    • Our Outreach Work
    • Resources >
      • THINC
      • Design Project
      • RKNS shopping
      • Learning Journeys
      • Special Books
      • RKNS using film
      • Courses
      • SEND/Inclusion
  • Governors
    • Who Are Our Governors?
    • What Do Governors Do?
    • Annual Report to Parents
    • Governor Attendance
  • Learning
    • Curriculum >
      • Personal, Social & Emotional Development
      • Physical Development
      • Communication and Language
      • Literacy
      • Mathematics
      • Understanding the World
      • Expressive Arts and Design
    • Learning Gallery >
      • Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
      • Performing and Playing Music
      • Learning Outside
      • Taking Risks and Being Independant
      • Being Creative
      • Showing Curiousity
      • Designing and Building
      • Cooking
      • Our Shoppers
      • Bike It
      • Science
      • Independent Projects
      • Research Projects
      • Friendships
      • Sustainability
  • Home Learning
    • Learning with Rachel Keeling Staff >
      • Stories with Staff
      • Numbers and Counting
      • Busy in the Kitchen
      • Sing-along Songs
      • Experiments
      • Letters and Sounds
      • Gardening
      • Keep Moving
      • Exploration and Games
    • 52 Things To Do
    • Learning at Home
    • Talking to Children about Coronavirus
    • Music at Home
    • Cooking Together
    • Phonics
    • Mathematics at Home
    • Science
    • Nature Detectives
    • Sharing Stories
    • Tales Toolkit
    • Being Creative
    • Keeping Active
  • Events
    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • September 2022
    • July 2022
    • June 2022
    • May 2022
    • April 2022
    • March 2022
    • February 2022
    • January 2022
    • December 2021
    • November 2021
    • October 2021
    • September 2021
    • July 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
    • April 2021
    • March 2021