Globe Trotting

Our MWF classes are really enjoying looking at maps and the globe.  This center is a very simple center for the children plus after they complete their globe they get to press the 'easy button'.

Student Work

Explore a world map or globe with your child.  You will be surprised at how much they know!

Come Over to My House

Our MWF preK classes are getting ready for an amazing adventure.  During the school year, we will 'travel' to many countries around the world.  We will begin our travels in America.  We introduce many concepts---

*we show students a globe and a map

*we introduce the word sphere

*we will talk about the name of our country, our state and town and also our flag

*we talk about how a map and a globe are the same and how they are different

*we talk about the oceans

*we talk about that there are children all over the world 

*and much much more.

So, today we looked at the globe and the map.  We talked about countries.  We learned the name of our country is the United States of America.  We looked at our flag and talked about the colors, the pattern and counted the stripes. One friend in our morning class had a flag on his shirt!

Well, where do we live?  We live in a house.  Our craft was a house. When we create crafts at MCP, there is a lot of talk about shapes and colors and following directions.  The children glued the roof on the house and then added doors and windows.  

 

 

Come over my house!  Come over and play!

What a Wonderful World

Our MWF classes are really enjoying looking at maps and the globe.  This center is a very simple center for our MWF classes.  After they complete their globe they get to press the 'easy button'.

We've Got Mail, cont'd

This ongoing project has given us so many wonderful teaching opportunities.  We have received over fifty postcards or letters from 27 countries.  Amazing!  The children now look into my basket (whereI keep daily materials) to see if we have mail.

The children are able to locate the United States of America on the map or globe.  Many children recognize the flags of other countries and can locate several countries on the map or globe.  England, Ireland, Hawaii, Australia, Japan and New Zealand provided lessons on islands.  We are learned about the North Pole, the South Pole, the equator and oceans. Last week,when we learned about China and Chinese New Year, several children remembered the postcard from China with the photo of the Great Wall.

The children know our country is led by President Obama and he and his family live in the White House.  They know the First Dog is Bo.

We talk about children all over the world are sleeping, eating breakfast, going to school and playing with their friends.  We talk about families and that mommy and daddies all over the world are going to work, taking children to school and doing many of the same things we do.

We are looking  forward to many more postcards! Send to: METAMORA COMMUNITY PRESCHOOL P. O. BOX 928  METAMORA   ILLINOIS  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 61548

We can't wait to hear from you!  

Previous posts---
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2012/09/please-write-us-in-us.html

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2012/11/weve-got-mail.html

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2012/12/1600-pennsylvania-avenue.html

Travelling Man

The traveler who has once been from home is wiser than he who has never left his own doorstep.

Margaret Mead

We love 'travelling' with our preK students.  Over the school year, we have 'traveled'  to Canada, England, Australia, Ireland, Japan and our final destination has been Mexico.  What has your child learned?  A lot. 

We talk a lot about children all over the world are going to school, playing in parks, brushing their teeth, that moms & dads are going to work and much more.  The children learn that  there are different languages, about accents and that they have an accent (and their teacher is terrible with accents).  We watch videos of people and places.  The children learn that an island is land surrounded by water. We locate countries on the globe and maps. We look at flags. We have large world maps and the children work in pairs are able to locate many countries on their own. 

This past week we laced a ristra.

Our Morning Meeting asked 'Do you like tacos?'

Morning Class

Afternoon Class

This activity is available during center time---

More information---

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2014/03/north-america.html

Want to do more with your child?  Pick a country.  Search for information and activities.  Search preschool (name of country) themed activities and that will give you a great start.  You and your child can learn about the people, language, animals, holidays, food, regional art and so much more! Find a recipe and cook a meal.  Look for age appropriate videos that show the people and the culture.  Have a globe and maps for your child to explore. Spark your child's curiosity about the world and the people in it. 

Have fun travelling with your child!  

An Absolutely Awesome Adventure!

This week our MWF preK classes started on An Absolutely Awesome Adventure!  We 'read' some words that started with 'A' and turned our letter A into an apple. On Monday, the children chopped apples and we made applesauce in the crock-pot.  Today we ate applesauce for snack and it was sweet, warm and delicious! 

We have also been talking a lot about America and where we live. The concept of planet, continent, country, state, town is difficult for preschoolers to grasp.  We are just introducing the idea...we will continue to talk about our country throughout the year as we 'travel' the world.  We have several maps and a globe in the room for the children to look at and explore.

We also have been learning about American symbols-the White House, the Liberty Bell, the Washington Monument and the Statue Liberty.

White House Tour---http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/inside-white-house

Statue of Liberty virtual tour---http://www.nps.gov/stli/photosmultimedia/virtualtour.htm

Facts about the Liberty Bell---http://www.nps.gov/stli/photosmultimedia/virtualtour.htm

The Washington Monument---http://www.nps.gov/wamo/index.htm

That kept us pretty busy but we also created some patriotic art.  We provide sheets of tag board for the children and added red, white and blue stripes.  After they glued stripes, we added stars!  Patriotic, creative and each one is unique! 

Want to do more?  Do you have a globe or world map?  Get them out and let your child discover their world!

God Jul! Christmas in Norway

Good Christmas to you!  Our MWF classes started learning about how Christmas is celebrated in other countries.  We started on Wednesday talking about American traditions.  On Friday, we learned how Norwegian children celebrate Christmas.

 

We located Norway on our globe.  The children learned Norway is close to the North Pole and very cold.  We also learned that Norwegian children usually have snow on Christmas day and the sun shines only a few hours each day.  

Saint Lucia Day is a on December 13th.  Ask your child how this is celebrated...the oldest daughter dresses in a long white gown with a red belt.  She also wears a crown with seven candles on her head. 

Santa has many different names because children speak many different languages.  The children learned that in Norway the children call Santa 'Julenissen'.  As I was reading from the book, one little boy kept saying, "He looks like Santa."  and another child responded, "He is.  He is just Norwegian!"   You gotta love it :-)

Christmas trees in Norway are decorated with ornaments and lights.  We also learned that Norwegians like to bring decorations into their homes from nature (a little lesson on things from the mall or outside?) and children enjoy making paper chains (we have a paper chain activity in our art center.  If your child's is long, you may be getting a bagful!)

A julenek is a traditional Norwegian decoration made from oats and tied to a pole or tree branch.  The julenek is a symbol of hope and good farming.  The children also learned it is considered good luck if the birds eat from the julenek.  While the children were working on a special project at the tables, I quickly created a julenek.  Our julenek is not made from oats but decorative grasses from my yard.  It looks pretty close!  

Julenek

Juleneks

Grud is Norwegian rice pudding.  An almond is hidden in one bowl and whoever finds the almond wins a candy pig!  We used vanilla pudding for the children and  because of allergies used fruit snacks instead of an almond.  It was amazing!  Everyone found the hidden surprise but we did not have any candy pigs...maybe next year!

God Jul!

Circle Up

 

"The arts are an essential element of education, just like reading, writing and arithmetic...music dance, painting and theater are all keys that unlock profound human understanding and accomplishment."   

William Bennett, Former US Secretary of Education

Our MCP students have learned about the works of Wassily Kandinsky. We have learned Kandinsky was born in Russia and are able to find a Russia on a map or globe.  Kandinsky loved to listen to music and saw his art in the music.  He loved circles and his work is describes as abstract.  

Have some fun at home with Kandinsky!  Easy breezy with crayons and paper!

https://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2016/12/happy-birthday-wassily.html

https://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2017/12/kandinskys-colors-black-lines.html

-Color and add black lines-

Our next Masterpiece Monday artist creates some yummy art!

G'Day Mate

Has your child been talking like they have been to the Australian outback? U was for Under and the Land Down Under.  Ask your child to find Australia on a map or globe. Can s/he name some Australian animals?  They worked really hard on their Aboriginal art, too!

  

YouTube Aboriginal Painting---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNAryu1aUuQ

 

 

Earth Cam/Sydney, Australia

http://www.earthcam.com/world/australia/sydney/?cam=sydney

 

 

Live surf cams/Australian beaches---

http://www.swellnet.com/surfcams

 

 

Aboriginal art will be displayed in our MCP Art Gallery and sent home soon.

Past posts---

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2014/01/do-you-come-from-land-down-under.html

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-land-down-under.html

North America

This center is for our MWF preK students. Remember centers in our classroom are a personal choice for the child so not all children will bring this sheet home.  Since the beginning of the school year we have been learning about many different countries around the world.  This is a concept we are introducing to the children.  Planet, continent, country, state and city is a complex concept for the young child.  Some get it and some don't...no worries.  It is a simple introduction to geography and the world around them.

Student Work

Student Work

 

The children LOVE maps and globes.  Look at a globe or map and explore the world with your child!

Can You Say That Word?

Nocturnal, orchard, auger wagon, palette, sketch, experiment, observe, abstract greatest, least, chemistry, globe, liquids, solids---your child can say these words. We introduce and use these words in our classroom.  Why? Building vocabulary is an important in your child's development and reading readiness skills.  Find out more:

https://notjustcute.com/2017/06/13/language-for-literacy-the-importance-of-building-vocabulary-in-preschool/

Global Challenge

 This puzzle is in our Discovery Center and it's hard!  

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/01/national-puzzle-day.html

Our preK students continue to discover more and more about the world in this center activity!

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2012/11/globe-trotting.html

Global Science

Student Work

Student Work

This center is for our MWF preK classes.  For more information or how to---

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2012/11/globe-trotting.html

Cinco de Mayo

 

A ristra is a string of jalapenos or chili peppers.  They are usually dried out and used for cooking but often decorate kitchens and doorways as a symbol of welcome or good luck.  This week our MWF classes had some fun with Mexico.  This is the last country of our year long journey around the world!  We located Mexico on the globe and world map and learned about the climate.  I spoke as much Spanish as I could remember from high school (I even sang 'Happy Birthday' in Spanish).  We counted to ten, learned please, thank you and your welcome in Spanish. 

We also always talk about the families and children in each country.  We talk about children going to school, mommy & daddy going to work, families eating meals together, children all around the world have to pick up their toys and probably even go to 'time out'.  :-)   This was a really important aspect of this year long unit!

Each child created a ristra.  I originally saw this idea in Family Fun magazine many years ago and had it saved in a file. Mrs. M cut out lots and lots and lots of fun foam chili peppers in a variety of colors. We used green colored rigatoni for spaces instead of knots.  The children were instructed to create a pattern of pasta/pepper/pasta/pepper.  They could use eight peppers so they continually had to count while they were lacing.  We limited them to eight because of the number of students we have in two classes. 

Teachers looped and knotted the top for hanging! This is an easy craft for Cinco de May. This would also be a great center activity for a classroom.

How to color pasta---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2009/11/colored-rice-and-pasta.html

Family Fun Magazine---http://spoonful.com/crafts/mexico-ristra

TLC w/pattern---http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/paper-art-crafts-for-kids7.htm