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nothingwithoutjoy 11:24 AM 01-22-2013
Originally Posted by Heidi:
THank you!
You're welcome!

Originally Posted by :
That fit's exactly into how I do things, although I don't document quite as much as I should.

An example would be we are sitting at the breakfast table, and we see that the bluejays are out and about. So, we start talking about how pretty the bluejays are. The bluejay screeches, so I might say "Did you hear that?" Then I might pull up a Youtube video about bird songs. Or, maybe we will count aloud how many bluejays are out there. Or, maybe we get out our field guide (I have a great one with pictures), and find out bluejay facts. That might lead to a discussion about other birds, etc.
Yes, exactly.

Originally Posted by :
Last March, we pinned up a piece of paper and every time we saw a new bird migrate back, we wrote it down (I wrote it down, but narrated every word). Then, we'd look it up in the field guide and find out more. Everyone, toddlers to 4 yo, was engaged in this activity, and it became such a fun thing for them.

I could have expanded that into drawing the birds, probably should have, but I think that would have been too much for that particular group, mostly 1 yo, plus a 3 yo and 4 yo.
Maybe then, don't tell yourself "should have." The cool thing about "the hundred languages of children" is that there are so many ways for kids to represent what they know, and it doesn't have to be drawing. When my daughter was 1, she was super interested in watching seagulls smash mussels and sea urchins on the beach. I set out toy birds and real shells on the coffee table, and she "told" the other kids what she knew by playing it out with a word or two here and there. Just as valid as drawing.

Originally Posted by :
It will be challenging to me to do the above activity sheets for my class, because it goes against how I think. Never mind that come March 15, I will have 3-4 infants under age 1 here every day.
Maybe your professor will surprise you. I had a student teacher here once, and her professor was here observing when we were outside playing in a big leaf pile one day. Her professor encouraged her to tell the rest of her class about "the leaf activity."

Now, I'd better go free them from nap!
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