Blog Archives

Sapling Exploration of Gems

10/27/2016

As we observed our Sapling friends playing and exploring their surroundings, we continued to see and hear themes surrounding "gems" appear. We saw friends playing with them in the fairy garden. We watched on as friends made mosaics and patterns out of gems. We noticed friends unpacking heavy themes, such as, who can play with gems; boys or girls or both? We observed friends talking about them in regards to power and beauty in dramatic play.

With all that talk about gems, we decided to start a month-long adventure with gems. Here are some of the places this adventure took us...

Pictured below, are friends exploring gems through patterns, reflections, light refraction, reading, making gem slime, read-alouds, making crystals, exploring gem-like paints in water, and visiting the rock and mineral exhibit at a museum!

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Pips and Pumpkins (and Apples, oh my!)

10/18/2016

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It has been an oddly warm October week so far, but that hasn't stopped the Pips from immersing ourselves in all things autumnal! Our October theme is Autumn Harvest, and one of our favorite ways to grow our early language skills and celebrate the season is through songs.

In the infant and young toddler rooms, we sing all kinds of songs throughout the day to support tricky transitions and engage our friends, but we also practice a more organized circle time complete with theme-related songs and finger plays! Incorporating movement and props with the songs helps these youngest friends make meaning of the language, in addition to strengthening coordination and getting energy out of their growing bodies!

Here are a few of our favorite pumpkin and apple songs that we've been singing together this month for speaking and listening circle...

The Little Apple Seed -to the tune of "The Itsy Bitsy Spider"

I'll take a little apple seed
and put it in the ground
Down comes the soft rain
falling all around
Out comes the big sun,
bright as bright can be
And the little apple seed grows
into an apple tree

"Five Little Pumpkins" -to the rhythm of "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed"

Five little pumpkins sittin' on a gate.
The first one said, "Oh my it's getting late!"
The second one said, "There's a chill in the air."
The third one said, "But we don't care!"
The fourth one said, "I'm ready for some fun"
So the fifth one said, "Let's run run RUN!"
Then whooooo went the wind
And *OUT* went the lights
And the five little pumpkins
rolled out of sight!

"Once I Had a Pumpkin" -to the tune of "Did you Ever See a Lassie?

Once I had a pumpkin,
A pumpkin, a pumpkin.
Once I had a pumpkin
With no face at all.

With no eyes and no nose
And no mouth and no teeth.
Once I had a pumpkin
With no face at all.

So I made a jack'o'lantern,
jack'o'lantern, jack'o'lantern.
Oh I made a jack'o'lantern
With a big funny face.

With big eyes and a big nose
And a big mouth with big teeth.
Oh I made a jack'o'lantern
With a big funny face

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There is room for you

10/18/2016

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Please enjoy a poem written by one of our staff members, celebrating the sort of inclusive environment we hope to cultivate at Green Apple.

"There is Room for You" -loosely inspired by the Tagore poem of the same title

There is room for you here.

There is room
for the way you dress and
the way you move
and the way you talk with your voice
and eyes
and hands.
There is room for who you are
and who you want to be.

There is room for the way you smile
and the way you laugh,
and there is room for your sadness too.
There is room for you to say that it is not okay
and that you need help.

There is room for you here.

There is room for the ones who love you,
room for the stories and hurts,
and room for healing.
There is room for the way you whisper
and the way you yell
and the way you say
you need more room,
and there is room for you to get it.

There is room for you here.
This space is not too small.
The world is not too small.
There is room for you here.

There is room for you.

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Fall Harvest

10/12/2016

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Sprouts are embracing the fall weather and colors. They've been busy exploring the textures and patterns on our squash and gourds. Friends are busy raking leaves and closing down the garden for the season. Some of our fall books we're enjoying are 'Fall Is Here!' and 'Baby Loves Fall!'.

Sprouts will spend the rest of the month exploring deeper into squash and gourds. Friends will spend time painting the outsides and digging with their hands inside to feel the squishy wet seeds!