Time to transition. Winter is transitioning to Spring – and our space studies are transitioning to sea studies. It’s hard to just switch bodies and brains to new temps or new topics though, so we use transitions during change. Transitions like world studies to learning about transportation- to space travel- to space studies.
Space studies offered a lot of STEAM studies (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics). Space studies offered a lot of opportunities to learn through creative representation. Creative representation is a way of learning through ones senses; playing pretend; relating models, pictures, and photographs to real places and things; making models and pictures using various materials…
Creating with various materials provides opportunities to learn through hands on activities. Students discussed shapes while creating paper-mache’ planets. Color knowledge was reinforced while painting the planets. Circular planet discussions led to comparisons of oval eggs, and color mixing was learned decorating Easter eggs.
Easter egg themes easily transition to birds, connecting space with sky lessons. Birds and airplanes will help us transition to fish and boats. As the weather warms sea and nature studies will be explored this spring and summer in all our programs. Mi Families (“my families”) LLC facilitates programs for providers, parents and youth. Visit www.MiFamilies.com for more information.
Many of our youth programs use theme and supportive materials from Mother Goose Time (www.MotherGooseTime.com). Mother Goose Supplies are designed for preschoolers, but can be used to introduced new concepts to tots and encourage lesson expansions with tweens. We are currently enrolling tots to tweens in our part time child care, tutor time and homeschool programs.
As we begin preparing for summer programs we are re-designing learning spaces to encourage education through creation, as well as education through recreation. Check future articles for education ideas that encourage critical thinking and problem solving skills – by encouraging students to use their brains and bodies through all subject matters.
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