4th December 2019
Our school Christmas Market is coming soon! It’s getting busy in Early Years as we prepare by making
“products” to sell.
November 2019
Fall in Early Years
November provided plenty of opportunities for us to work on our whole year unit “Sharing the planet”. In case you were wondering what ever happened to the caterpillars we found… They have both built a cocoon and have been in there for some time. The kids asked a very good question: “Is it still alive inside? How do we know?” If anyone knows the answer, please feel free to educate all of us :)
Our school Christmas Market is coming soon! It’s getting busy in Early Years as we prepare by making
“products” to sell.
November 2019
Fall in Early Years
November provided plenty of opportunities for us to work on our whole year unit “Sharing the planet”. In case you were wondering what ever happened to the caterpillars we found… They have both built a cocoon and have been in there for some time. The kids asked a very good question: “Is it still alive inside? How do we know?” If anyone knows the answer, please feel free to educate all of us :)
Fall with all its beautiful colours has inspired the kids to explore. We got to experience the wind blowing strongly,
and the leaves were tumbling and swirling around. We went for a walk to the tulip field to see what
it looks like now. On the way, we looked at the trees and collected lots of leaves in different shapes
and colors.
it looks like now. On the way, we looked at the trees and collected lots of leaves in different shapes
and colors.
Back at school, we inspected them closely. The kids placed some leaves in a bowl, and some between newspaper
pages. After a few days, we looked at them and the kids noticed a difference. Some were crumbled and some were flat. They called them “crunchy” and “gentle”. One can be used for making a crunchy sound, and we have to be gentle with the others so they do not break
We also took a closer look into the fruits and vegetables we find in our snack boxes, named them,
and cut them to find out what it inside. Some “uuuhss” and “oooos” were in the air when we cut open
an apple and a kaki fruit.
and cut them to find out what it inside. Some “uuuhss” and “oooos” were in the air when we cut open
an apple and a kaki fruit.
Inside, we discovered magical stars. But we also realized that not every fruit has kernels.
20th November 2019
Shopping in Daiei
Our whole-year unit is “Sharing the Planet”. We will plant different seeds and see what happens.
Kindergarten children and teachers went to Daiei to buy the seeds. We were thinking of what kind of
seeds we could plant. We bought 6 different kinds of seeds, like peppermint and carrots. We will see
whether we have a “green thumb." We are also preparing a small flower bed next to our new sand pit.
Kindergarten children and teachers went to Daiei to buy the seeds. We were thinking of what kind of
seeds we could plant. We bought 6 different kinds of seeds, like peppermint and carrots. We will see
whether we have a “green thumb." We are also preparing a small flower bed next to our new sand pit.
18th November 2019
Light table
For a while we have a light table in Kindergarten. First, the children didn’t show much interest
but now many of them are trying to play with it. They make many different shapes with shiny,
translucent blocks. The children also can make a shape with a hexagon frame. (Here are nice
samples of Miharu)
November 2019
Letter to Germany
Our current unit is “who we are” and friendship. We are in contact with a Kindergarten in Germany
For a while we have a light table in Kindergarten. First, the children didn’t show much interest
but now many of them are trying to play with it. They make many different shapes with shiny,
translucent blocks. The children also can make a shape with a hexagon frame. (Here are nice
samples of Miharu)
but now many of them are trying to play with it. They make many different shapes with shiny,
translucent blocks. The children also can make a shape with a hexagon frame. (Here are nice
samples of Miharu)
November 2019
Letter to Germany
Our current unit is “who we are” and friendship. We are in contact with a Kindergarten in Germany
where Yannic was working before. We decided to write a letter to them and also made small toys
out of origami paper which children in Germany can play with. We also thought what we could ask
questions to these children. We went to post office together and sent the letter. Now we are very
excited to get an answer from them!
out of origami paper which children in Germany can play with. We also thought what we could ask
questions to these children. We went to post office together and sent the letter. Now we are very
excited to get an answer from them!
12th November 2019
St. Martin
We had our St. Martin event. Including Early Years, everybody in the school made a nice lantern.
We saw the play of St.Martin’s story which was played by German students, then we walked together
around Rokko Island, sang songs and shared “Weckmann” bread. It was a cozy night for everybody and
interesting for families who are new to German traditions.
around Rokko Island, sang songs and shared “Weckmann” bread. It was a cozy night for everybody and
interesting for families who are new to German traditions.
7 Nov. 2019
Lantern making
We had lantern making day with parents for St. Martin festival. Everybody had a nice unique idea how to make lanterns and each of them looked beautiful at the end. After we finished making them, we all went outside and practiced walking in a processing and singing St. Martin’s Day songs.
Making play dough
To demonstrate how we can work together as a team, and why it is nice to have friends join us,
we made two teams and each team got a chance to make a batch of uncoloured play dough, taking
turns in measuring, pouring, mixing and kneading. The kids worked nicely together, waited their turn
and watched closely when measuring. The finished play dough was then kneaded, pressed, smelled,
rolled, patted, squeezed, poked and pinched into different shapes and offered limitless potential for
imaginative play.
we made two teams and each team got a chance to make a batch of uncoloured play dough, taking
turns in measuring, pouring, mixing and kneading. The kids worked nicely together, waited their turn
and watched closely when measuring. The finished play dough was then kneaded, pressed, smelled,
rolled, patted, squeezed, poked and pinched into different shapes and offered limitless potential for
imaginative play.
Discovering
As we just discovered a huge caterpillar and one of our units is about caring for living things, we
brought the caterpillar inside our classroom. We gathered some fresh leaves, sprayed them with water,
and put them in our Butterfly Garden (net enclosure). The kids said he is so big, and surely this
caterpillar was not of the small kind. The little horn on his head made him look a bit like a unicorn :)
We’d like to learn how to take care of the caterpillar, think of what it might need, and observe it.
brought the caterpillar inside our classroom. We gathered some fresh leaves, sprayed them with water,
and put them in our Butterfly Garden (net enclosure). The kids said he is so big, and surely this
caterpillar was not of the small kind. The little horn on his head made him look a bit like a unicorn :)
We’d like to learn how to take care of the caterpillar, think of what it might need, and observe it.
The first morning when we wanted to feed it, we found it hiding under a leaf. The second day we could
not find it anywhere. The kids thought it might have escaped at night, hard though considering the
enclosure we keep it in. Then we tried to lift up the dry leaves to give the caterpillar fresh leaves for
breakfast. We noticed the leaves were stuck together and there was some white stuff, one of the kids
said it looks like a spider web. The caterpillar had built a house with the leaves as walls and spun a roof.
not find it anywhere. The kids thought it might have escaped at night, hard though considering the
enclosure we keep it in. Then we tried to lift up the dry leaves to give the caterpillar fresh leaves for
breakfast. We noticed the leaves were stuck together and there was some white stuff, one of the kids
said it looks like a spider web. The caterpillar had built a house with the leaves as walls and spun a roof.
We can’t wait to see what will happen next.
20. September 2019
This past Monday, the children and parents enjoyed the Sports Day games together such as the penguin race, caterpillar game, parachute game, etc. At the end, everybody ran as fast as they could at the end of the relay and showed great enthusiasm despite the heat! Parents, thank you for coming. We had a lot of fun!
On Thursday, eight children from Sweet Heart Kindergarten came to visit us.
In the beginning, they were shy and didn’t say much, but then when DSKI children showed them
our rooms and made friendship necklaces together with them, they started to come out of their shells.
Finally, all the children enjoyed playing together on the playground. We all had a good time together.
In the beginning, they were shy and didn’t say much, but then when DSKI children showed them
our rooms and made friendship necklaces together with them, they started to come out of their shells.
Finally, all the children enjoyed playing together on the playground. We all had a good time together.
Last week,the Unicorn children invited the Butterfly children for a special snack time.
They helped prepare the juice with fruit. We all enjoyed the juice together. After that,
he Butterfly children stayed in Unicorn room and they played nicely together.
They helped prepare the juice with fruit. We all enjoyed the juice together. After that,
he Butterfly children stayed in Unicorn room and they played nicely together.
13.September 2019
This week, the Kindergarten students enjoyed water play in our small kids’ pool.
They tried many different ways of playing with water, such as pouring, scooping, making “soup,”
watering the plants, and just plain getting wet.
It was a great way to spend these final hot days of late summer.
They tried many different ways of playing with water, such as pouring, scooping, making “soup,”
watering the plants, and just plain getting wet.
It was a great way to spend these final hot days of late summer.
6. September 2019
Here are some pictures of what happened in our classrooms in the first weeks since school started
again.
again.
In addition to stories and activities (painting with a friend, taking friends for a bus ride in the hallway,
looking into kind and unkind behaviour….) around our Unit "Friends" we
looking into kind and unkind behaviour….) around our Unit "Friends" we
supported the kids interest and created a creepy crawly section and a space section.
June 2019
We had the kids weigh and carry the weight which they were when they were born. Some said it was not heavy at all and others said it was too heavy to walk with.
We tried to understand what it is like for a baby when it is learning something new, so we did something we have probably never done much before. We tried to draw with our feet. Some kids thought it was funny because the pencil tickled their toes, others said it was too difficult, and others just couldn't help it and used their hands too.
There was also water play, mud play, practicing writing of shapes, letters, numbers and making lady bugs, dream catchers, and much more.
May 2019
We made a wind chime from paper and took it to the green field to observe what wind can do
to it and to find out if we can provoke something happening by changing what we do. The
kids started swirling around or running with it. They discovered that the wind chime
behaves similar but different and that it creates sound as well.
to it and to find out if we can provoke something happening by changing what we do. The
kids started swirling around or running with it. They discovered that the wind chime
behaves similar but different and that it creates sound as well.
29 May 2019
Today, Yellow Team children and parents came along and made their school cone ("Schultuete" in German) for Pre-school enrolment party. Everybody had great ideas and each school cone looks very different and personal. School cone making is an old German tradition for children who are graduating Kindergarten and going to primary school. Inside the cone, there will be lot of nice surprises prepared from the parents. Please look at the beautiful school cones. Yellow Team and parents, well done! Blue Team children and parents, your turn will be next year.
13. May 2019
Ms. Faye's EAL blog:
https://msfayeeflclass.
Please check it out!
15. April 2019
We had our Early Years Assembly/Showcase last Wednesday. Many parents and primary school students came to watch and join us. The children performed 3 songs: "BINGO," the "Sharing Song" and "Bruederhcen Komm Tanz Mit Mir." After that, the children were able to show their parents and the older students what they had made out of used materials (in their "used material museum") and games that they had created with the teachers. The Pre-Kindergarten children showed their moms what they learned in the last few months.
Everybody enjoyed it, and we Early Years Teachers are very proud of showing you what our children can do!
10. April 2019
We went to the Easter Egg Hunt picnic with the children, parents and grandparents. We were lucky to have the perfect weather. We all enjoyed having our snack together. We played games like egg spoon race, bunny hopping and Janken caterpillar with children and parents. The most exciting moment was of course to find the eggs hidden by the Easter Bunny!
2.April 2019
We went today to the community tulip field to look at the beautiful tulips which we planted.
The sun was out but it was very cold. But we had lot of fun looking at tulips with the CA children, and sang the "Saita Saita" song (Japanese traditional song about tulips) with them together.
The last picture on the left side is our own tulips in Kindergarten. These tulip bulbs are from last year, which we planted in the community field and reused.
14. March 2019
As you know, we have book and culture week. A lot of exciting events are happening in the
whole school. In Kindergarten, parents came to read in different languages like Korean,
French and Russian. Ms. Rausch and Ms.de Montfort, thank you for reading stories to us.
whole school. In Kindergarten, parents came to read in different languages like Korean,
French and Russian. Ms. Rausch and Ms.de Montfort, thank you for reading stories to us.
Also, the children are bringing their favourite book from home this week.
These are the favourite books of the Unicorn children. Children share their ideas about these books,
and the teacher reads the books to the children during free time.
Butterfly children are also sharing their books.
These are the favourite books of the Unicorn children. Children share their ideas about these books,
and the teacher reads the books to the children during free time.
Butterfly children are also sharing their books.
The pyjama day was also a beautiful experience for all of the students in our school. Early Years children were very happy to see the beautifully decorated MPR and enjoyed the stories which were read by parents and older students. Of course they liked the cookies and milk, too.
Some more nice pictures of sledding excursion!
07. March 2019
On Thursday this week, the Kindergarten students went to Rokko Snow Park and spent the morning
sliding down a big snowy hill on sleds. It was a good chance for the children to play with snow before
winter ends, and they practiced their gross motor skills by controlling the sleds and walking through
deep snow. We were lucky with the weather, because it only started to rain when it was time for us to
go back to school. This day was a lot of fun for the children, and they wanted to slide down the hill
again and again.
sliding down a big snowy hill on sleds. It was a good chance for the children to play with snow before
winter ends, and they practiced their gross motor skills by controlling the sleds and walking through
deep snow. We were lucky with the weather, because it only started to rain when it was time for us to
go back to school. This day was a lot of fun for the children, and they wanted to slide down the hill
again and again.
07. February 2019
Last Friday, the Kindergarten celebrated the traditional Japanese holiday, "Setsubun." They made their own "oni" (demon) or "fuku" (good luck) masks and wore them outside as they met two real "oni!" Chanting "oni wa soto," which means "demons out," they threw lucky soybeans at the "oni" and scared them away. Then the children chanted "fuku wa uchi" to summon good luck into the house. Thanks to the children, our school will surely have a happy and prosperous 2019.
Showing off their "oni" masks.
Ready to meet the oni!
Despite the fact that the oni represent bad luck, the children thought they were very nice.
One of our students drew a picture of the oni afterwards.
25.January 2019
After the winter holiday, we started with the unit "How We Express Ourselves Through Play."
At the beginning of the unit, the teachers hid many of the toys from Unicorn and Butterfly room. When the children discovered that there were no toys, they had to find new ways to play. They came up with a lot of good ideas very quickly. One of their ideas was to make their own toys or games out of used materials.
Just take a look at what they made!
Ruth made a "rabbit."
Rei made a "crystal ball."
Sara made a "photo album."
17. January 2019
The new Wake up Shake up was made by Yellow Team this week. The children might sing the new song at home. It's in German and English. Here it is. Please listen to the music and enjoy yourselves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0cmH5xmGlU The title of the song is "Up Up Up Nobody is Perfect!"
January 2019
The new year started and the children came back all with exciting stories about what they did in the winter holiday.
Everybody is happy to see their friends again and have started to play together as usual.
This week we were talking about winter and did lot of experiments with ice and shaving cream (snow), made some winter-themed art, and made hot chocolate.
Early Years Advent (Christmas) Calendar
We made the calendar ourselves. We tied all the socks and ornaments on the hoop. Since 3rd December, we have been meeting all together and opening the Advent calendar each morning. Each day, three children can look into the socks and get some goodies.
Early Years Tulip bulb planting on 4th December 2018
On December 4th, we went to the community field and helped plant tulip bulbs. We will observe how they're going to grow in the next months. We hope to see many tulips next spring.
Early Years Tulip bulb planting on 4th December 2018
Our Field Trip to the Water Museum
On November 14th, the Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten students went on a field trip to the Water Science Museum, where they learned more about water and other forces of Nature in connection with our unit "How the World Works."
First, they watched a show in which water, air, and electricity were used to create "magical" effects. Here, one of our students is experimenting with static electricity.
Our "science guide" wowed us all with a demonstration using a ring of balloons and a powerful hair dryer.
The students really enjoyed the show!
After the "magic" show, we watched a short 3-D film about water.
We were quite a few hands-on activities for the children to enjoy. Here they are exploring with suds and water.
Hmmm.... how does this work?
On November 14th, the Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten students went on a field trip to the Water Science Museum, where they learned more about water and other forces of Nature in connection with our unit "How the World Works."
How the World Works
Recently, we have done some activities connected with our whole year unit: "How the World Works."
We made collages with colored papers, acorns, and sticks which the children collected from the park.
What do we wear in the colder months?
The children worked and explored with Nature's treasures, such as sand, acorns, chestnuts, leaves and sticks. They were able to experience feeling the difference in texture of a fresh and dried leaf, the crushing of dried leaves, the sound it makes and the smell of a basket full of leaves. The leaves were then used to create sand leaf Art and for an Art activity.
The children came up with the idea
to sort acorns and chestnuts into bowls. They explored into counting and filling the bowls equally, realizing there were too many acorns to fill only four bowls.
We discovered wind as one of Nature's forces and experimented using our breath to imitate wind and move things. By using a straw, we were able to blow a cotton ball across the table, and also ink across a paper to create a very interesting looking kind of thing which we decided could represent a tree. Later on we used the crushed leaves from our activities before to add leaves to our tree creation singing "All the leaves are falling down, falling down...".
When we were singing our "Way up high, in the tree, 5 little apples smile at me..." and "all the leaves are falling down song..." the kids acknowledged "everything falls down" and we think this means they have discovered gravity 👀
On a big sheet of paper and with crayons the children could try to draw the path a leaf takes when tumbling down to the ground or create a leaf print by rubbing crayons on a sheet of paper which was placed on top of real leaves.
Unit: Who we are
Our first unit is who we are- learning about myself.We started this unit by taking pictures of the children's eyes, hands and feet.
Children compared their body parts and tried to find out to whom the body parts belong.
Children drew their self-portraits while looking in the mirror.
We talked about how we feel differently every day.
Children talked about how they have changed since they were babies and who their families are.
Music
This week, Yellow Team learned how to keep rhythm using rhythm sticks. They were able to follow the tempo very well!
We also sang a German song about autumn called "Falle falle falle." The children pretended to be trees dropping their "leaves."
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