What a wonderful celebration we have enjoyed together as a school community.
Children worked collaboratively to bake Eid biscuits, veggie wraps, an Eid sponge cake and delicious vegan pancakes. On the celebration day, children arrived in their lovely party clothes and sensible school shoes so they could still climb! Some children chose to have mehndi and were so patient, allowing the henna to dry so the designs did not smudge! Children decided what designs they would like: from rainbows to flowers, cars to their names. We came together at the end of the morning and the afternoon to share food, dance and play a few party games - musical bumps and musical statues (which the children were very good at!) Thank you to our wonderful school community for coming together and celebrating. Eid Mubarak and peace to the world! We know the importance of core strength for children's overall development.
At Rachel Keeling we are so fortunate we have many opportunities for children to engage in challenging physical experiences: such as climbing, balancing and jumping from height. We have a firefighter's pole, a high log and rope and a tree. It is wonderful to see how the children develop confidence and skill to attempt the tree: they are so proud of their achievement and the exhilaration is evident when they complete it. Children often observe their friends who have mastered the tree first and adults give a running commentary of what children are doing. We encourage children to watch and take it in turns when they are ready.
Climbing and physical development is so important for children's brains. Do you visit the park and encourage your child to climb? As we have been looking for signs of spring around the nursery garden, we have been also learning about Easter.
Children have observed the spring shoots appearing, the power of the rain and sunshine and many daffodils in the garden. Some children were able to share what they knew about Easter - they recalled some people exchange Easter Eggs. Eggs are a sign of new life and Christians around the world remember the story of Jesus dying on the cross and rising to new life on Easter Sunday. Children handled a range of artefacts and developed an understanding of number when they followed recipes to do some easter baking. Today was the Easter Egg hunt in the garden: I hope the Easter Bunny left some eggs for everyone! The children always persevere and show real excitement during this event. Happy Easter if you are celebrating Easter. Children have been supported in developing an understanding of the Holy Month of Ramadan.
They have been learning and sharing what they know about how many Muslim people in our community and around the world observe the month. They have used information books, handled prayer mats and a dua a day - sharing nice things you can do to help other people. One child shared some of their knowledge about Ramadan with Becky when they came into the office. Muhammad: On Monday I looked out the window and saw the Ramadan Moon Becky: Can you tell me what happens in Ramadan? Muhammad: We pray. We are nice. We share food. We put our decorations on the wall. Children have also been involved in developing an understanding of special food that families share when they break their fast each evening. As part of Iftah cooking, children have been supported in developing an understanding of number and measurement whilst making: Samosas, Carrot halwa, Stuffed paratha, Potato balls Wishing all our families, staff and community Eid Mubarak. We will celebrate with the children when we come back to school. To mark Science Week we have been supporting the development of children's curiosity and encouraging them to ask questions about how things work and what they observe.
There have been a number of experiments carried out over the week and repeated so children can return and recall learning and hypothesize why things happened. The Great Celery Experiment Children handled, smelt and broke up celery (some used sharp knives to cut the vegetable). The carefully followed instructions and added water and pink food dye to see whether we could turn the celery pink. We left it overnight and children returned to observe what happened. Do you think the celery turned pink? Our celery did not absorb the food dye up the stems and turn pink! The Balloon Experiment Children added vinegar to a bottle and put bicarbonate of soda inside a balloon. Next they placed the balloon over the rim of the bottle. They shook the bottle and the balloon inflated. A chemical reaction caused the balloon to inflate! How else could you blow a balloon up? Cress Growing Project Children talked about what plants need to grow. Some of the children were able to suggest they needed a bed and water. Children placed cotton wool and cress seeds in a container and added water. They then left them in the wedge (which is a nice warm and bright room). They returned to observe them the following day and the cress was already growing. Children talked about what they could see and they tasted the cress! Do you now what would have happened if the cress seeds had been placed in a dark room? An Erupting Volcano Children read some information books about volcanoes. They worked all week, creating a large, clay volcano. After it was dry, they collaboratively painted it. Together in the garden at story time on Thursday, they created a chemical reaction using some special ingredients. They filled the volcano with bicarbonate of soda and red food dye and then poured vinegar it. Can you guess what happened? Red lava spewed out and all over the table! Another chemical reaction. Children were amazed at the sight and the smell! At Rachel Keeling, we support children's understanding of number in meaningful ways such as cooking, planting and harvesting, making recyclable models, problem solving real problems together, sharing resources and routines of the day such as setting up the tables for lunch and helping Glenn with his tasks.
Sometimes we also need to further support this learning with explicit teaching: supporting children to count with one to one correspondence, recognising numerals and use specific vocabulary such as 'more' 'less' and comparing quantities. Over the past week children have sustained concentration and developed independence in being able to recognise numerals, use the number names and being able to count out correct amounts and match them to the numeral. This has been developed over time so children can return and master it. We will be building upon this learning with more experiences to develop children's counting and recognising numerals: using special resources and treasures and moving on to estimating and tallying. Do you encourage your child to help with chores at home? Counting as they tidy up or brush their teeth. Helping get cutlery out for meal times and looking at door and bus numbers when you're out and about are practical and fun ways to develop an understanding of number. We know how important books are for children's development: from enhancing wellbeing by cosying with a special person, to developing listening and understanding, to learning new words and phrases, to finding out information about the world!
We celebrated World Book Day at Rachel Keeling by inviting children to come in dressed in their pyjamas to enjoy some bedtime stories. Although World Book Day is once a year, we share books everyday.
Remember to take home your child's Special Book to share at home. You can add your own photographs and drawings: just make sure you bring it back to school. Children have been encouraged to observe the spring bulbs which have appeared in the garden recently. We have a sea of daffodils, some snow drops and crocuses.
Children looked at them closely, smelt them and touched them carefully. They were supported in understanding that the flowers were still alive and growing so we needed to leave them in the flower bed. A quiet space around the flower bed was set up with observational tables: information books, paper and a range of mark making tools. Children used pastels, coloured pencils, slim and chubby felt tips to respond to what they saw. Some children chose to draw quietly, some sat with adults and others in pairs, chatting as they drew. It is important we value how children respond: which they did in a variety of ways: some drawing recognisable flowers with parts and others marking shapes and colours. Children's mark making is so important for them to begin to express themselves, make sense of the world around them and their overall development. Do you draw? Perhaps you and your child could draw together whilst listening to music or after reading a story? We have plenty of paper at school so please ask if you need some: we encourage children to draw on both sides of paper and draw on envelopes and the back of any leftover wallpaper. Children have been so engaged in their learning in the garden during the recent brighter weather.
They have been supported to observe changes in the environment: from spring bulbs emerging, to worms and snails, to more bird visitors (maybe to nibble on worms and snails) and lots of weeds starting to grow. Children are always supported to be respectful of Mother Nature and our garden visitors. Nazma worked together with a group of friends to clear weeds from the plant beds, children used their hands and tools to turn the soil over and listened careful to instructions. Children worked harmoniously together to solve problems and clean their shoes and boots. Some children understood they were preparing the plant beds for planting. Children independently explored the bird boxes and information books to learn more about our flora and fauna. Two friends could not agree on how many eye a frog has: one thought "2" and the other thought "8". When they researched and looked in the information books they discovered it was 2. We then talked about 8 being an important number for spiders! Other jobs children have helped with: Potatoes have been planted and nets covering them to stop squirrels from eating them. Keeping an eye on the garlic growing. Turning over the beds where the cheeky squirrel ate all the peas! Appreciating the flowers growing. When on friend, Kit came to school on Thursday he and his mummy heard a woodpecker in Meath Gardens. I heard one this morning in Greenwich Park. Did you know this is called 'drumming'? Woodpeckers do it when they are trying to find food or a special friend! Maybe you could listen our for the very distinctive tap-tap-tapping of the woodpecker when you are in the park. Today it was very wet indeed with lots of rain and puddles: we still go out in the garden to explore.
While we were in the garden we noticed lots of snails travelling across the ground. The children were all so careful, forming a circle around them and looking closely. We counted 8 snails in a small area. Children supported each other saying “Be careful!” Children were supported to sustain interest for some time and focus concentration. You showed lots of joy alongside your friends. We gathered information books and created a circle using wooden blocks. We negotiated with each other, sharing the information books. We discovered snails like to come out in the rain and they have eyes on the end of long stalks. We read that snail’s homes are their shell and the shell is soft. We used vocabulary such as shell, slimy, soft, slither. Next time it rains, go outside with your family and look for snails and worms as they come out and love the wet weather. |