Ice Cube Art and Science Experiment

Ice cube art and experiment

Winter in Vancouver is not snowy like other provinces-we have limited opportunity to experience snow here. Fortunately,  we had some chances to experience some snow a few day ago in Richmond and Vancouver. Sometimes we cannot have plenty of time for the preschool children  to spend a long time in the outdoors to explore and investigate more about Nature. I decided to create some opportunities for the children ice inside the classroom. 

We already had made artificial snow in the classroom sensory table before this art activity. This is the extension activity we provided after that sensory experience. Children were so delighted to observe the ice cube with the Popsicle stick; it was colorful and appealing for the children. They were touching it, and discussed how they felt when they touched it. Before we presented it to them, we explained that it was only for art, we couldn’t eat it because the color was not safe for putting in their mouths. (Next time may be we will put something they can taste -maybe in the summer time. 

Some children wanted to touch it, some of them enjoying the way it was melting on the paper and some were curious to observe why the water was absorbed in to the construction paper? They were creative and investigative while they were doing the art. After finishing art we decided to save it in the jar and displayed it on the science area to observe how the ice was melting. Teachers were showing and explaining to the children why ices were melted. Children were free to touch and feel, and had opportunity to experiment with the ice cube .It was a fun and exciting experience for our preschoolers.

My Unique Style of Painting

 1:I am mixing both green and blue color to make an alphabet H.

 2:I am using a tooth brush for my painting!

 3:I decided to use two paint brushes together for my painting.

 4:I decided to make my rainbow with blue and green colours.

5:I made so many bubbles with my paint, also a big cloud.

My story: Easel and paint brushes with tempera paint are very popular to our preschool school. We encouraged the children to wear a smock by themselves and roll up their sleeves before they start their art activity. Children know how many children can join together and teachers make sure that everyone will take their turn.  We set the easel up with blue and green colour, regular paint brushes and tooth brushes.  Our goal was to introduce the children to different ways of using art material,  also we wanted them to explore the colour mixing activity.  M was so curious about how both the tooth brush and paint brush work as painting utensils.  He was experimenting with the tooth brush and observed what happened when he drew a line.
R was delighted to use both of the paint brushes together and surprised when he noticed that the paint become dark green when he mixed them together.
I was so amazed when A said,  "Sister Fatima, I am making a two colours rainbow."  Alhamdulillah, how creative our children are!  S was taking long time to make her dot with the paint brushes and I was curious what she was trying to make. I went to her and asked her to tell me about her picture.  She was delighted to answer me - I am making blue bubbles. I asked about the big blue drawing. She answered, "This is my cloud."  

December Newsletter

Sprouts of Iman Preschool

December Newsletter

Assalamualikum dear parents,

Thank you very much for attending with your child on our first field trip to the Richmond Public Library.  Insha’allah we will visit the Richmond Nature Park when we will have sunny weather, probably in May or June. I hope you all enjoyed the tour and activity in the Library with us.  I will appreciate you all if can manage you time to visit the library with your child Insha’allah.

Mashaallah, we have already completed three months of school.  The children are settle into the classroom, and the teachers are enjoying creating exciting learning environment for them.

Last month they were exploring insect and bugs, also learning about colours, shapes weathers, and Arabic and English alphabet. We are learning some new Islamic/English rhymes and dua which we are practicing in the classroom, Mashaallah.

Please provide a warm jacket and raincoat everyday with your child. Again, gentle reminder to send healthy food and water for the children snack.

School will be close

• December 13, 2012 for Pro D day .
• Winter Break will be from December 24th 2012 to January 4th Inshaallah.

Last but not least, I want to thank all the parents for your prayers and support when my house was burned. I have no word to express how much it was for my family the way you all gave your hand to us. You all will be in our prayers always. Juzakallahu Khairun!
MAY  ALLAH KEEP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE.

Fatima
4-12 –2012

Fall leaves and our preschooler

 1:Counting and shifting the pine cones from bamboo basket to bamboo tray.

 2:Gently pouring the pine cones to the basket .

 3:Both of the children were counting how many cones they collected on the tray .

 4:M said I have more pine cones .

5:F was excited to have the largest maple leaf in his hand .

Teachers comment:Beginning of September children were  exposing the caterpillar s,lady bugs and earth worm at our outdoor play area.Sometimes we brought them in our class room and provided   magnifying glasses to observe more about the bug and insects .This is fall in Canada-some of the trees leaves are turning yellow red and falling down .Children were observing and sometimes they want to pick it from the ground .We decided to collect some maple leaves and pine cones for our sensory table .We found multicolored leaves and various sizes pine cones and also Chinese lantern  to explore .It was fascinating for us to observe the way children were interacting with the natural objects.They were counting,pouring,sharing their ideas with each other and also with the teachers.They were curious about the different parts of the leaf and some of them were asking how the leaves changes their colors.Our little scientists were observing the leaves carefully and commented about their ideas  .lots of vocabulary they have been using while they were playing.They got the concept of big and small,hard and soft ,heavy and light ,it was amazing to notice how nature can be our great teacher.

The Value of Art for the Preschool

Collect It!

By C. Seefeldt|B.A. Wasik

Pearson Allyn Bacon Prentice Hall

Art is basic. Of course, every subject area is important, but no program for young children could succeed without emphasizing art. Through making, looking at, and talking about their own artwork and the art of others, three-, four-, and five-year-old children are doing the following:

Expressing their feelings and emotions in a safe way. They learn to control their emotions and recognize that they can express and handle negative as well as joyous feelings through positive action.

  Practicing and gaining fine muscle control and strengthening eye-hand motor coordination. By holding paintbrushes and learning how to control paint, crayons, scissors, and other art tools, children gain the skills necessary for later writing activities as well as a feeling of control over themselves and their world.

Developing perceptual abilities. Awareness of colors, shapes, forms, lines, and textures result as children observe these and try to replicate them through art.

Being given the opportunity to make choices and solve problems. How do you get the legs to stick on a clay figure? What color should I use? Making art offers children a multitude of choices and many decisions to make.

Seeing that others have differing points of view and ways of expressing these than they do. Comparing children’s drawings, paintings, or models gives children concrete, dramatic examples of how different people express the same thing in different ways. While learning that their way is not the only way, they learn to value diversity (Strasser, 2001).

Becoming aware of the idea that, through art, culture is transmitted. Becoming acquainted with the art of the past, children are involved in learning something of their origins and themselves.

Experiencing success. Because art leaves the end open to the creator, all children experience a measure of success. This is why art activities are appropriate for children with special needs. Regardless of the physical or mental need of the child, there is some art media and activity through which he or she can experience success.

Making connections between the visual arts and other disciplines. Art integrates the curriculum. Content from every subject matter can find form through art.

Mathematics. Children become aware of different sizes, shapes, and parallel lines and use every mathematical concept as they discuss their art and the art of others.

Science. Paint changes texture as it dries, powdered paint and chalk dissolve in water, and chalk produces bubbles when dipped in water. Also, paints change color when they are mixed together. The physical sciences are ever present as children produce art.

Economics. This and other concepts from the social studies develop. Children become producers by making art and consumers by using the materials of art.

Language. Children learn to talk about their art and the art of others and develop the vocabulary of art.

Beginning reading. Children make and read symbols that represent reality.

Social skills. By sharing paints and paper, cooperating to create a group mural or other project, and assuming responsibility for cleaning up, children gain valuable social skills through making art.

Reference :http://www.education.com/reference/article/value-art-preschool-children/

Farm Animals

 1:F called me and wanted to show me what he had done.

 2:H told me, "Look sister Fatima, I put all  the cows together".

 3:He was collecting and sorting the different animals.

 4:I was asking him how the hens got on the roof. He answered because they can fly, Mashaallah.

5:Finally he categorized all the farm animals in a different group.

My reflection:
 We introduced the children to farm animals and wild animals, and shared stories, songs, and activities about animal.  After that we set up the farm animal in one corner of our classroom. I was observing F after his art activity he joined to the farm animal corner. He was sitting there and sorting the animals carefully, he removed all the wild animals into one basket, then he dropped all the farm animals on the floor. Each time he was picking up one animal, he was wondering where to put. When he was putting the animal he was telling the name and size of the animal, big cow, small cow, etc. F took lots of time to sort and placed the animal onto different category. The teachers did not interrupt while he was playing. We wanted to observe what was his idea and how he wanted to place the animal. It was amazing the way he sorted and set all the farm animals into different group- which is an important skill for a young child to master.

Our Colour Experiment

Our Colour science experiment with the little scientists.

 We put yellow, blue and red in the test tube with a purple dropper .

 Each child had an opportunity to experiment with the colours.

 M was wondering what happened when blue and yellow mixed together?

 She was surprised when she noticed that the colour become green-she said,  "Oh it's green now!"

 T wanted to try an experiment to see what would happen if she mixed blue and red together.

The teacher was introducing the vocabulary for each container and explaining when and where we use test tubes and droppers.  She was also showing the preschoolers how to use the dropper.

This year most of our preschool children are around three years old. Everything is new and exciting for them. They are enthusiastic to learn about alphabet, shapes, animals, colour and about the beautiful nature from Allah. Those who are a bit older are very eager to share their knowledge with the group and expand on what they already know.

We are gradually trying to know each child's interests, and carefully creating the environment, so that they can learn about the beautiful world Allah the almighty gave to us, Mashaallah. When we were doing the colour mixing experiment children, were not only learning what happen when they mix red and blue or yellow or blue, they were also learning how to use the dropper. They learned the name of various containers and how we use them. We were teaching them important daily living skills, such as how to correctly clean up the table with the cloth when they spilled water on the table. This will give the the confident and responsibility to do something for themselves. When they were using the dropper it helped them to develop their fine motor skill and also their hand and eye coordination. Children were doing this activity with a group where they were taking turns, sharing the dropper, communication, and also helping each other mashaallah.