Pizza Making

Since studying food production, we have been baking up and cooking up a storm. At least once a week, we try to make something, and I have been discussing with the kids how all of the ingredients get to the grocery store and are compiled to make some of our favourite things to eat. After a group discussion and vote, we decided to make pizzas one day. I gave the kids two options, we could use pizza dough which had to come to room temperature, or whole wheat english muffins that we could make mini pizzas out of. We decided to go with the mini pizzas first, and let big pizza dough come to room temperature. We used a blend of mixed cheddar, oregano, tomato sauce and whole wheat english muffins to make our mini pizzas. The kids took turn spreading the sauce out over the english muffins and sprinkling the cheese and oregano. We then put them in the oven to bake for about 20 minutes and then we enjoyed them for snack. It was a great, tasty treat and also was a great means of getting the kids invovled and working as a team to create our mini pizzas. We did not end up making our big pizza, but that was ok with everyone, they were content with the small ones. It was a really fun activity to do with the kids, not only did we get to talk about food production, but also it was a collaborative effort, where we also practiced life skills which the kids will need to be able to use in the future.o

Making Poppies

Leading up to Remembrance Day, we spoke with the kids about the significance of this day and what it means. We had some great conversations that will continue to develop throughout the year I am sure. One of the most fascinating facts for them was the fact that women were not soldiers in the early wars. I then worked with the kids individually to help them draw and create their own poppies that they could wear on remembrance day. Before doing this activity, we talked about the significance of the poppy. They all did a fantastic job and made amazing, unique poppies.

Tally Charts

On a Monday evening, I was talking with one of the kids in our group about ideas he had in terms of activities he wanted to do with his peers. He suggested doing some tally charts in our sketch books, and we collaborated on an idea- going around the park and doing tallys on the trees that we see. This was a neat idea since we are still studying trees, and we decided this would be a great way to explore the types of trees in the park and estimate their ages. So, on a nice afternoon, we decided to have snack outside and do the tree tally activity in our sketch books. We set up our snacks on picnic table and then the kids went around the park, working independently but also in pairs and a group to talk about how they divided certain trees on their tally charts and why.

Eating our snacks on a beautiful fall afternoon in the park.

One way of setting up a tally chart. Since some of the kids had never done tally charts before, it was a great group learning experience, but also a great way for the kids to teach one another and learn from one another too. They worked so well together and really did a great job.

Here the boys are discussing what they have recorded so far.

Looking for a few more trees to add to his tally!

After completing our tally activity, the kids wanted to play red light/green light using the huge hill leading down to the dog part. We exercised our legs and talked about the importance of strengthening bones and muscles. They all did a great job and celebrated by cheering each other on and giving each other high fives!

All in all, the tally activity was fun, and one we will definitely explore again in the future with different themes and objects. This will also allow the kids to develop their counting skills and get better at doing tally charts overall.

Our Trip to Toronto General Hospital

We took a trip to Toronto General Hospital to visit the Robert McEwan Atrium/conservatory to view how sometimes bringing the outdoor in, can really make a difference. This was a great trip to take, espeically in our study of trees and the importance of greening different spaces, especially in the city. We took the bus and subway, and walked around the hospital as well. We ended up in the atrium where is was nice and quiet and had snack. I asked the kids why they thought the atrium might be important. The kids showed so much thought, iniative and compassion while we were at the hospital and in their answers and thoughts during our snack time discussion. They said that the atrium is especially important to the patients in the hospital because it provides them with the feeling of being outside, and helps them to get better. It gives everyone the feeling of being outside, surrounded by nature without actually stepping outside. I was so proud and inspired by this group. They are fantastic!

Arrivng at Queens Park subway station, getting ready to take a ride up the escalator!

On street level, discussing all of the hospitals and the important work they do in the 'discovery district' also known as University Avenue!

Having some quiet time and snack in the atrium. All of the beautiful windows and plants provided us with lots of insights and great discussion. Even some patients talked with us.

Waiting for the subway to go back to the space. What an adventure we had that day!

Beads!

Since the start of playschool, we have travelled to many different shops in the area of Little Portugal and beyond. We have really enjoyed going to the bead store, and looking at all the differnt types of beads- wood, plastic, glass, etc. One day, we went to the bead store and carefully selected some beads that we could use for various projects. After careful consideration of bead type and colour, we managed to find some great beads. We all sat together one Tuesday and started one of our many bead projects.

Here are the beads we chose- some were made from plastic, some were wodden and we also got a beautiful selection of glass beads. We talked about warm and cool colours, and what the colours of the beads made us think of.

We bought a roll of hemp to help us create different things. Here a necklace is in the works.

The kids used different beads and different patterns to develop their own unique pieces. We talked about the fact that art and creating your own pieces and style is a fabulous thing because it represents you and we can each admire something different about one another's work/pieces.

For some of the pieces that were created, it took skill and patience as some of the beads proved to be slightly difficult to place onto the hemp. However, the kids exercised much patience while doing this activity.

The NFB

A while back, we took our first trip to the National Film Board, where we watched a movie on trees, in which a family owned a tree farm and the difficulty they faced. We talked about how cutting down trees can be wasteful and things we can do to be more environmentally friendly, such as recycling, or making our own paper! We then headed over to Chapters to have a snack, and explore some books. All in all, it was great fun, and we will definitely be going back to the NFB.

Having fun with the adjustable speakers and chairs!

Paying very close attention to the movie.

Food Production

Our theme of food production has been a really fun and interesting one. I think that the kids going to the Royal Winter Fair was a great way to start to explore this theme. We have used many things as inspiration for our conversations. For example, the other day while walking to Ossington and Dundas, we saw a truck zoom by that happened to be a meat truck from butchers shop. We talked about how it could be going to a major grocery store, or could be going to some restaurants or a smaller local store. We have been really trying to discuss and track how the food we eats ends up in our stomachs. For show and tell, one of the kids did an amazing job telling the other kids how an apple starts out and makes its way into our homes and tummies. Not only do we talk about the growing process of some goods, but we have also been discussing how much some of our food travels to make its way into our local stores and major grocery stores. This week, we will continue to explore how our food ends up in our hands, and we will start to talk abot the importance of farmer's markets and buying local. This has been a lot of fun so far and I can't wait to continue this topic with the kids!

Bullying Awareness

Over the past week with the kids, I have really tried to not only focus on our monthly themes, but also the very important issue of bullying since it was bullying awareness week. From the beginning, all of the teachers at the playschool have really focused on establishing a tone in which bullying of any kind is not accepted. We want all of our students to understand from a very early age that bullying, in any way, shape or form is not tolerated or acceptable- not just in the playschool but beyond it as well. I thought it was important to let the kids know that it was bullying awareness week, and how important it is that we continue to strive as a collective to be kind, warm, appreciative and respectful of/to our friends. I really think the kids are taking on a deeper understanding of the issue; they often think of how they would feel if they were the ones being bullied. A great book to read with the kids is called 'Don't Laugh At Me' by Steve Seskin and Allen Shamblin that focuses on bullying. I am very proud to work with kids who want to problem solve and find other avenues to deal with potential issues instead of bullying one another. We constantly work at strategies to use with one another and others to make sure that we deal with things in a proactive and postive way.

Our Friend the Bee

As the weather has gotten colder, and summer has faded into fall, we have been keen on observing and noticing all the changes in nature around us. While walking back to the space after lunch and outdoor play, we had noticed some bumblebees, dancing on the flowers one day when the weather was warmer. We stopped to look at them; they were very busy and determined in their task. I explained to the kids the importance of bees in our food cycle and that they in fact were dancing for a cause! The bees were busy as they were pollinating the flowers. As the weeks passed, we saw less of our bumble bee friends, and especially since the cooler fall weather was approaching, the kids and I began to discuss that at the end of certain seasons, such as summer, many plants have their growing season come to an end. I also explained that in many places, bee populations are declining, at times for unknown reasons, and that we need to do our part as consumers of food and flowers we need to be aware of the very important role that bees play in our food production.

We thought that was the end of the bumblebees for the season, but then, one day when it was fairly cool out, we saw one! We were so excited and curious. The bumblebee was on the side walk, slowly moving. We weren't sure if it was tired, or sleeping, or just taking a break; but his activity, or rather inactivity, had us very curious and coming up with many scenarios as to why this was happening. We had agreed that the bee must have been taking a rest because it was still moving. Unfortunately, a few days later, we found what we believe is the same bee, to be deceased very close to the spot we had seen it earlier in the week. Perhaps it was the cold, or the footprint of a passerby, we aren't sure. But bee watching and discussion has definitely been a high point.

We are lucky to have seen these bees, because what they do for us connected so well to our fall themes at the playschool. This is a topic we will definitely be exploring more of.

Spending Time with the Cycling Giants

We spent some time with the Cycling Giants last week in their space. We played some name games, and then we got to work sanding a table and chairs they had recently gotten for their space. After that, they painted away. It was a great afternoon, thanks for having us over Cycling Giants!

Clay and Paper Theatre

Today, we went to Dufferin Grove Park and had a great time at the Clay and Paper Theatre. We went with the Twirly Birds, and we were supposed to meet the Cycling Giants later on. But as the skies got darker, we had to leave a bit earlier than expected. However, we did get to see and contribute to some great pieces of art. On Saturday is the Night of Dread celebration at the park, and we got a first hand look at some of the neat pieces that will be seen that day. We also got to paint some of the pieces that will be at the festival too. If you have time on Satuday evening, it is something you should try to check out. You can visit their blog for more details.

Walking through the park, and settling in for snack time. We love eating outdoors with our friends.

Inside the studio, we had some giant crows heads to paint. Inside of the studio, we were surrounded by giant pieces that will be on display come Saturday. We also had the company of some adults who were working on some other pieces, sewing and painting. We took turns sharing the paint brushes and crows heads. They did a fantastic job!

We had a few minutes to play the in the playgroup and discover some new sights.

All in all, a great trip. Thanks to the folks at the Clay and Paper Theatre for their hospitality.

Show and Tell Gallery

Last week, we stopped by the Show and Tell Gallery with the Twirly Birds to look at an exhibit. The kids walked around in partners, observing the different works, and discussed what they liked or didn't like about the pieces and which one was their favourite. It was so insightful to hear the wide array of opinions the kids had and why they felt the way that they did.

Humber Arboretum

The Humber Arboretum was another field trip destination for our group. It was another location that proved to be a valuable visit for us, especially since we are learning about trees this month. There were so many things for us to do see and do, and the Humber students were very kind to our group. In fact, many of the Humber students that we crossed paths with while navigating the arboretum were so pleased to see the kids there, and wished them a happy and safe visit. We ventured into the arboretum itself, which is huge! The kids did an amazing job that day, as a lot of walking was required, but they were troopers. We were excited to see the wildlife that lived in the arboretum, and I asked the kids why they thought it was important to have a place like the arboretum. They all answered that they know trees are important for our survival and we need to continue planting them. This discussion also led us to talk about the importance of providing homes for the animals in the area, espeically with the increased development and the fact that animals are loosing their natural habitat. All in all, we had a great trip!

On our way to the arboretum entrance.

When we came to this entrance, there was a sign asking us to close the gate behind as, so that the deer would not get out and come into harms way....we wanted to be extra quiet after this in hopes we would see some wildlife.

Over the bridge we go..there were many unique pathways and structures that we came across on our visit, including this bridge and many others just like it.

Trying to decide which way to go, as the paths had many forks in them.

When we came to this sign, I read it to the kids, and our mission for the day was to find the seasonal wetland. The kids were so excited when they heard about it that we just had to try and find it.

After walking for a bit, we came across this map, and tried to locate the wetlands.

After snack, we continued on, and one of the kids found this enormous set of stairs. We decided to go up them and see what was at the top.

At the top of the stairs, was a beautiful garden and several water bodies. The kids were super excited and rushed over once they discovered it.

Just relaxing and looking in the water for any fish or frogs.

After resting, we saw a neat building with a bright red door. Inside, was an ecological centre, where we signed in, and got to see some very interesting sights, such as this stuff beaver. There was also a stuffed raccoon on the wall.

Downstairs in the centre, there were some live animals for the kids to observe. Here they are watching a giant turtle swimming around. The kids loved him, and couldn't stop smiling at him.

Across from the tutrle was an iguana and a chameleon. They were neat to look at. Upstairs, we also got to see some leopard geckos.

Before making our way back to the bus, the kids really wanted to run over one last bridge. While there, they looked once more for any fish or frogs in the water. Although we didn't find fish or frogs, we saw some beautiful ducks swimming near by. One kept dunking his head under water looking for food.