early learning center journal: Rhythms of Life

Rhythms of Life

We moved a short distance in our personal "treasured chest," from studying the lungs to the heart. We began by listening to our own heartbeat with a stethoscope... as you can see, it took lots of concentration and a keen ear!

As we ran and played in P.E. and outdoors during Large Motor time, we placed our palms flat on our chests to check our heartbeats. We all felt our hearts beating more rapidly when we were moving fast! Why does our "pump" work harder when we play vigorously? We're going to investigate and learn more about what's happening and why. (Next week we're going to look at a real heart.) We'll let you know what we're thinking and learning!

In P.E., we're working on refining our balance and equilibrium. P.E. teacher, Nancy, sets up tasks that involve maintaining physical stability in a controlled, changeable circumstance. We are working with body and brain together in order to execute motor planning. Keeping one's center of gravity when the wide balance beam shifts on the fulcrum is challenging, yet rewarding!

Time to enjoy a lever in a familiar way, to see-saw!

The rocking board gives just enough tippiness to have to be constantly compensating with a body and brain connection. Activities such as these also provide vestibular stimulation, circulating more oxygen rich blood through the brain.

The rounded "steppingstones" give another type of unstable surface to negotiate. Note how high the arms are raised to accommodate the sense of balance... Though this course is short, it is not easy!

Step by step upon varying heights is another opportunity to practice motor planning--- the different colors and heights give visual clues to help compensate; the small but flat stepping surface makes this a more moderate transition for a 4 year old's sensation of equilibrium. In the activities pictured above and below, spatial awareness in the messaging between body and brain, is a key to success!

We are also practicing rolling a ball toward a "target,"

while learning to make a triangle with the pins!

Catching and throwing a ball is one of those "developmental leaps," again involving a high degree of motor planning and sense of timing! Think of how hard it is for your favorite ball player who, despite having many years of experience, doesn't get anything close to every hit, basket or goal. It makes an adult appreciate how challenging a skill this is to master. Now look at your child, who in 4-5 short years, is gaining eye-hand coordination, more complex motor planning skills, and a sense of timing with catching and throwing a ball! This is a nice sequence of photos to demonstrate the action and skill... Thank you to Nancy for working so hard with Seabury's children to maximize their physical and cooperative potential in a non-competitive atmosphere!

A few other classroom motor challenges...

Hammering golf tees into syrofoam is less about force and more about precision--- eye-hand coordination, spatial awareness, motor planning---but don't mention that to the children. For us, it's all about the pride of "big job" well done!

"Look Judith, I made a T!"

Lincoln logs are a very logic based building medium that require a high degree of order and precision.

"I made a ramp coming down from the roof!"

We celebrated another "turning 5" birthday this week... our Bear Cubs are all so excited to be growing older!

We went to

at the Seattle Children's Theater.

We adults were amazed by how SCT can take such a simple story and make such a grand and delightful production! (The following photos are taken from the ones on display in the lobby--- not from the actual production.)

"Do you like my hat?" said the pink poodle to the dog.

This was a favorite repeating theme that made an impact upon the children.

By reading the story beforehand, discussing the elements that were the same and different between the book and performance, through reviewing characters, locations and dialogue, we are enhancing our literacy awareness and skills.

We were delighted!

The following day, back in the classroom, many of us spontaneously headed to the Creation Station. Without discussing it, each child was ignited by the same spark... to make a unique hat!

"Do you like my hat?" took on a more personal meaning!

When we read the book again, the children felt deeply invested in that sentence and insisted on reading it together throughout the story!

Back to Seattle Center~
After lunch, we went back to the
Children's Museum to experience the exhibits that we didn't get to last time...

The museum gives us a concentrated opportunity to experience a "bird's eye view..."

while examining the details in our surroundings.

Construction involves envisioning the big picture, while working on the small steps.

Again, the small steps require precision, coordination, problem solving...

and sometimes an extra hand to steady the effort!

Poppa places his order at the only restaurant...

where food can be prepared on the floor!

At Metropolitan Market,

we enjoy shopping for healthy foods!

The Baker is in, with a wide range of culturally diverse breads--- challah and Swedish rye loaves, pitas, bagels, injera, tortillas, croissants, matzoh--- a whole world engrained in bread!

Look at all those bins of fruits and vegetables, every color of the rainbow!

Check out time! Sorting, counting, categorization literally come into play...

When the children were asked how much their huge baskets of food cost, the highest estimate was $5.00... Make believe is such a wonderful world!

We explored sizes...

BIG,

small,

and in between.

Again, the physical ties to literacy awareness were evident in table settings and chairs from "The Three Bears." The children enjoyed the roles they could play as they handled and sat upon the props, "trying them on for size." They engaged mathematical reasoning skills with their bodies and minds, as they compared and contrasted the various sizes.