Climbing Trees ~ Assessment and Reflection

This week in nature detectives we focused on trees. I love how MGT develops their themes like this. The kids are exploring bugs and animals but it is all woven together around elements of nature. The themes invite the kids to explore by asking question and inviting them into a mystery;

·          Mystery in the Trees

·          Mystery in the Air

·          Mystery in the Water

·          Mystery in the Dirt

This past week we are looking at the Air but I’m going to jump back a week and show how we explored trees.

I’m planning on starting my formal training this year in Early Childhood Education, so I’m trying to be more intentional about using the teaching and assessment tools provided in the teachers guide and I’m finding it makes a big difference.

Activity: Dough Critters

Skill Work:

Visual Arts, Fine Motor Skills and Life Science

We focused on one animal that climbs trees, a porcupine. We used play dough to do this activity.

First we sat down together and looked at some porcupine pictures and then they started creating.

ASSESSMENT:

·      Did the child make intentional choices during the creation of the project?

The first choice the children made was what colour of dough they wanted to use.

·      What did he say when explaining how he created his critter?

The older kids paid close attention to what they had studied and were using what the observed to explain why they were giving their porcupine a long mouth with a round nose on the end or a long tail with longer spikes in at. By constructing the porcupine themselves the kids could see in 3-D why the slap of a porcupines tail to the face of a Dog or person would be a very unpleasant experience and a good line of defense for the porcupine.

REFLECTION:

·      How do your questions during the child’s process support him in thinking about his ideas and decisions?

I like to use questions that lead them towards facts they (sometimes even myself) didn’t know before and then we find answers that help us discover and complete our project.

EX. Why do you think the porcupine might have a longer tails with longer quills?

MGT -“Young children are just beginning to think about their thought process. This is called metacognition.”

While observing a group of varying ages I can certainly see how this is the case. My grade 1 and 2 kids talk the whole time they are doing an activity. You can tell who, what, where, when, why and how are constantly floating through their brain and they parrot that back as they create.

My 3 year old, however, creates more quietly, tends to ask more simple why questions or make more personal preference statement rather than methodical and logical choices. This reflects her need for self expression and personal choices at this age. A porcupine can be pink and purple. Her porcupine can have a smaller tail and look however she wants because this activity puts her in charge.

Activity: Koala Bear Puppet

Skills:

Fine Motor, Drama

ASSESSMENT:

How much control did the child have while cutting along the dotted line?

The older ones cut their puppets out quickly and with ease.

I was so impressed with my 3 year old during this activity because she has shown so much improvement this year in her fine motor skills through work with have done at our local school in our Strong Start program and through using Mother Goose Time at home.  Her jagged uncontrolled scissor cuts have turned into patient methodical smooth lines.

REFLECTION:

How does the child deal with frustration?

Both the boys become quiet and determined. They are very focused on what they are doing.

Myëlle’s little (3 yrs) hand had was aching by the last ear of the koala and she veered off the line so I offered to help her finish. She’s grown from a place of no warning, just having a total melt down to calmly admitting that she is tired or having a hard time and asking for help.

Disclosure: I receive Mother Goose Time Curriculum free of charge for educational purposes in return for posting my honest experiences using the curriculum. Photos of children featured on my blog for review of Mother Goose Time are used with signed consent of the child's parents. I welcome any questions or concerns.