Brrrr! Learning Can Be So Cool!

We started off the new year with some COOL learning! First off, we noticed our calendar looked different. Instead of turning over the next number, we are now using our number skills to find it from the mixed up cards in the pocket chart. It's tricky, but we can do it!

 

The letter Ii is a vowel- so we learned about both the long and short sounds it makes. We dripped glue and glitter to make icicles, and constructed igloos out of foam pieces. 

 

 

Colors can be cool too! We talked about how blues, greens and purples are called cool colors, and reds, oranges and yellows are warm colors. Using droppers, we dripped some cool watercolors on our placemats, and tilted our trays until the whole paper was covered. After sprinkling them with salt, and letting them dry overnight, we had some icy looking paper. To finish them up, we added snowflakes to make them look even colder!

 

Our frozen fun continued with ice painting! Using cubes of frozen paint in all our cool colors, we created some wintry art.

Ice Cold Reading! We read a rebus reader called When Water Freezes,  and enjoyed several books at circle time about ice, the arctic and polar animals. We also watched a short video supplement to our magazine that let us take a peek at the arctic- it sure looks different from where we live!

 

 

Our sensory bin is always a favorite spot with the class, and a new month means a new surprise inside for sensory play. For January, we have "snow", polar animals, plastic ice cubes, icy gems and mittens to explore.

 

 

Everything wasn't all about snow and ice- we took some breaks to build some cool contraptions, buddy read in the igloo, and celebrate a special birthday!

Friday was a free form center day. After music with Ms. Bekah, we could choose among several activities, and change center as we liked instead of our usual color groups that stay together for centers. Since one of our centers was going to be ice play, we practiced putting on gloves at circle time. Once you have all the fingers in the right spots- stick that hand up high. Who can do it?? 

We ALL can!!

Ice and Snow Play! 

(The ice was real, the snow was a fun and easy dough you can make at home with one bottle of conditioner and 1 box of corn starch mixed together- it's smooth and cool for playing, and smells wonderful.)

Thumbs up for ice!