Launching Our New Unit: Buildings/Structures

Handle with care...

With the launching of our new IPC unit Buildings/Structures, our unit lesson this morning was a bit of a tricky one. Children found that building a house of cards is not as easy as it sounds! Our assignment, to build a simple card structure together with a partner using a deck of playing cards, proved to be a challenging one. Children made many attempts, and with cooperation and a tad of help, simple constructions slowly evolved out of the piles of playing cards on desks. The most successful efforts didn't always last very long however, as we found that the slightest breeze or a little jolt to the table (often caused by simply getting situated in a pose for the camera), sent our structures tumbling down. Ideas were shared and successful examples copied and we ended the lesson very excited about what else we will be doing in the coming unit.

If you have a deck of cards at home, why not have your child show you how it's done and give it a go!

Completing The Magic Toy Maker

We successfully completed our IPC Unit The Magic Toymaker and marked our unit exit with an open house, where children shared their learning journeys with their parents. Thank you to all families who were able to take the time to come and celebrate with us. There will be other open house events to come if you weren't able to make it to this one.

Autumn Days and Indoor Shoes

Autumn days are here, filled with extraordinary beauty and colorful vegetation, and in Denmark, a good bit of rain. To avoid tracking mud inside our classroom, I ask that you please send indoor shoes with your children to change into after the outside breaks.

The Velveteen Rabbit

There must be something innate in us (maybe I should speak for myself) that give us a sense that toys are kinda alive. For example, when my kids step on or play rough with their stuff animals/dolls, I find myself wincing and end up scolding them to not treat their toys in such a matter. Perhaps it's more of teaching them proper behavior or respect. But, why did I wince? Did I think that the toy really got hurt or did my kids' behavior upset me? I can't help but answer yes to both...

During our daily read aloud on Fridays, we took 30 minutes or so, for a few weeks, to read the children's story, The Velveteen Rabbit. The book tells the story of a toy rabbit, loved by the boy who owns him. When the boy becomes ill with scarlet fever, all of his toys, including the rabbit, are thrown away and new ones bought for him. However, a magical flower fairy collects the toy rabbit and turns him into a real rabbit.

It is quite a touching story, and has a magical and happy ending. It teaches children about empathy and has some poignant quotes. Grade 1 simply adored it!

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

"I suppose you are real?" said the Rabbit. And then he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse might be sensitive.

But the Skin Horse only smiled.

Jægersborg Deer Park

Grade 1 had a wonderful trip to Jægersborg Deer Park on a brisk autumn day on October 8th. Along our route through the huge ancient oak trees, children were busy trying to spot Red Deer, Fallow Deer and Sika Deer, and ended up seeing a mixture of these at close hand. During this time of year, visitors have a special opportunity to experience the Red Deer’s bellowing call when competing with other deer during the rut, and Grade 1 weren't let down. Children found it quite entertaining when their teacher starting to imitate the call and was greeted with return calls from a nearby Red Stag. It was a unique and enjoyable day  with lots to observe and experience. A big thank you to the mums who accompanied us!

Designing Board Games

Designing and making our board games was hard work and required a lot of concentration. In the end, children came up with some very elaborately designed games!

Toy Shop Window

 

Today in IPC, Grade 1, together with K2, looked at the painting, The Toy Shop by Peter Blake (1962). The picture is a type of self portrait telling about the artist's favorite toys that he played with as a child. We listed the toys we could identify in the painting and talked about the types of toys that are still popular today.

The children were then given sheets of paper which were divided into four boxes, to represent their toy shop window. In the first box, children will be drawing/showing toys that their grandparents would have played with; in the second box, toys their parents would have played with. The bottom two boxes will feature toys the children like to play with today and what toys might be available in the future.

Children started drawing the toys they play with today and were given the rest of the task as home learning this week. I ask that parents please take a look at this task and talk with your children about the toys you played with when you were young. Children can interview their grandparents to find out what toys they played with, or if this isn't possible, get help from parents to fill out this square. These sheets should be brought back to class where they will be shared on Friday, September 21.

Toys, New and Old

Our toy share last week went very well and children were eager to share the toys they brought in. We talked about each toy in turn and what the children noticed about it. Children explained what made their toys special and shared their views and opinions. We had focus on vocabulary describing the age of the toys, and put the toys in order, from oldest to newest.

For our next history task, children are asked to bring in an example of a toy (or game) that their parents or grandparents used to play with. Last week, children devised a list of questions to ask parents and grandparents about their favorite toy. Please talk with your children about these.

• Who gave you the toy?
• How old is the toy?
• How old were you when you played with the toy?
• Why is it special?
• Does the toy have a name?
• What is it made from?

Please note that toys brought to school will be looked at and handled by the children, and though we will be ever so careful with them, I ask that you please avoid sending any breakable objects. As an alternative, if you are unable to send a toy, children can take a photograph of the toy/game or invite parents/grandparents to school to talk about it with the class. Our vintage toy share will take place on Wednesday, September 19, during lessons 3 and 4.

Friday, Sept. 7

I'd like to ask grade 1 children to please bring a favorite toy from home on Friday, Sept. 7, as well as an example of toys and/or a photograph of toys that they used to play with when they were younger. We will be presenting and talking about these, sharing our views/opinions, and comparing and contrasting. We will take very good care of these, but please don't send anything fragile or of large value. Thank you!

Picture Day

Just a reminder that class pictures and individual pictures are tomorrow. Thursday, September 6, 2012...Remember to Look Your Best!

Forest Play in Nødebo

Grade 1 took part in NGG's annual Sports Day event and enjoyed a fantastic afternoon out of the classroom at the forest playground in Nødebo. The natural playscape both challenged and engaged the children and offered them loads of sensory stimulation. It provided room for creativity, imagination, social connections as well as direct social and individual experiences in nature. Outdoor play, besides being healthy and increasing activity levels, is also pivotal in creating a connection between children and nature and is shown to be important in the development of an environmental consciousness and identity. I'm grateful the weather was so cooperative - we had an absolutely brilliant day!

The Toy Museum of North Sealand

Last week, along with K1 and K2, Grade 1 visited the the Toy Museum of North Sealand, a privately owned museum exhibiting a wide variety of toys from around the world, played with by children over the years. A pleasant surprise awaited children and adults alike a few moments after entering through the doors of the 200 year old building. The museum is filled with not only virtually every kind of old fashioned toy imaginable, but also those one has never seen! From teddy bears to tin soldiers, trains and tractors, there were toys to suit every taste. It was a magical journey to the past and provided an excellent entry point activity for children to begin our new IPC unit: The Magic Toy Maker.