Gan Teams up with CI Artists to work on meaningful graduation project

Graduating preschool is a special milestone.

We want our students to leave with something meaningful and representational of what they've learned at Gan.  

We are so blessed to share a campus with the Channel Islands Art Studios--- and have neighboring artists who are willing to share their talent and time with us.

This week our 3 graduating students met up with Sigrid for an art lesson and opportunity to create a "first draft" ---to begin the process of creating a special piece of art in honor of their graduation.

Sigrid explains her masterpiece.

We began by visiting her studio, and looking at a piece she created using newspaper to form a tree!

The basis of the Gan Camarillo Philosophy in educating children, is the premise that each child is compared to a seed. Just as a seed needs a perfect balance of nourishment (water, sun, care)  in its first years of life....for it to grow into a strong tree and withstand the storms of life...

So too a child needs a perfect balance of love and care, both physically and spiritually- for it to grow into a strong person- with deep rooted values and strengths to withstand the tests of life!
The Torah compares man to a tree, and so we thought this beautiful piece of Art from Sigrid Orlet studios, could serve as inspiration for our students to create a piece somewhat similar.

Sigrid created the beautiful background for our display window. She explained to the children how they can create colors and textures, just like they see in the window.

P.S. If you haven't seen the beautiful display there...check it out next time your walking by the front gate! It is truly magnificent! (The background was created by Sigrid)

Next step was to see how they could create a background color, by mixing colors. 

The next step was to practice working with the newspaper to create a form of a Tree. 

Roots, branches, trunks...

Folding the paper and manipulating it can help create a 3 dimensional form.

We'll keep blogging over the next 2 weeks to let you know how the masterpieces progress!

Why would we put so much focus on SHAPES?

Have you ever wondered why most early childhood programs teach children their colors and shapes early on?

Why not letters and numbers? Why not cats and dogs? It's because color and shape are two very noticeable attributes of the world around us. When you look out your window, you may not be saying it ... but your mind is noticing and identifying the green trees, brown rectangle buildings, square windows, and blue sky. Color and shape are ways children observe and categorize what they see. These very recognizable characteristics encourage children to define and organize the diverse world around them.

These first teachings in preschool and kindergarten are basics that your child needs to know before she learns the "other basics" of reading, writing and math. Understanding color and shape is a tool for learning many skills in all curriculum areas, from math and science to language and reading. For eg- when your child learns to discern the similarities and differences between colors and shapes, she is using the same skills she needs to recognize the differences between letters and numerals.

This week our big focus was shapes... but as you will see below (with almost everything at Gan Camarillo) there is SO MUCH MORE (that we had in mind for the children to gain) than simply knowing the names and recognizing the shapes!

We put out LOTS of SHAPE stickers for the children to create even MORE shapes and designs...building and constructing...

When young children are asked to mathematically sort objects (such as leaves, rocks, shells, or keys) they usually use the most obvious attributes of color and shape, plus size, to categorize the items. This seemingly simple process (that we use every week when we sort the laundry or find things in the grocery aisles) is the foundation for living in a mathematical world.

We created 4 isles on the floor---with 4 shapes for the children to sort all different classroom items!

 From cookie cutters to blocks, containers and household items....the children were able to make "sense" and "order" from the most random, unconnected basket of items!

We added a selection of new books, focusing on shapes into our library center!

When your child explores different shapes, she is using one of the most basic educational processes: the observation of same and different. This concept provides her with a basic process that she will be able to use in observing, comparing and discussing all she sees and encounters.

Sorting by color and shape prepares your child for the future application of these skills in making graphs or searching for a book at the library.

Opportunity to practice drawing the shapes using stencils

Interesting Art using squares and circles!

We put out a circle/tube shaped roller, as well as squares taped onto paper!

   I wonder what will happen to the painting after we peel off the tape?

 Beautiful art with square shapes throughout!

Rolling the tube into paint...to create more artwork...

More shape building activities....

Each popstick had only HALF a shape on it...the children were required to find the other half and place them together to construct the FULL shapes!

All of us joining together...to create a LARGE shape using our body shapes!!

At Home:

Play shape-sorting games with simple household items. Put a collection of objects on the floor and invite your child to sort them into different piles — for round, square, flat, or rectangular items. Then ask him to go on a treasure hunt around the house to find one more thing that can go in each pile. You will be asking him to apply what he has learned in sorting the shapes to the greater world around him. 

Take a shape walk around the neighborhood. You might want to focus on one shape at a time. This will help your child match the shape to objects in the environment, and to notice same and different. Give her a cardboard circle to carry as you go on your "circle walk." You can also take a shape walk looking for all shapes. Carry a clipboard and a piece of paper with the basic shapes drawn on it. Every time your child finds one of the shapes, she can draw a tally mark. Which shape did she find the most of? Click here to find more shape and size activities.

Should Homework be given to preschoolers?

Homework "as we all know it" is NOT a part of our preschoolers lives....and shouldn't be...

This week though, as part of our unit on shapes...each child went home with a different shape around his neck...with a job to do! To find a shape that is similar to the one around his neck....and bring it in to show his friends at circle time!

The children were SO excited to fulfill their task... (hope this excitement towards homework remains with them forever ;)

The objective was also to give the children an opportunity to carry over the concepts learned at school, into their own worlds at home...and into other settings. This is a crucial step for children to master- with all future learnings.

Show and tell also builds the children's confidence and skills in public speaking, and sharing with others!

Later in the week at snack time....
The children started an exciting discussion after opening up their lunchboxes....about WHAT SHAPE THEIR SNACKS WERE!

 Jessa had an oval shaped sandwich!

 Charlie had a Circle/Cylinder shape wrap!

Ella had a triangle shaped Wonton!

 Chaya Created a circle INSIDE her square fruit leather!

 BL had a rectangle cracker!

The learning is definitely being applied to more than one setting.....

Do you know what was last years NATIONAL HALL TOY OF FAME? WE DO!

Did you know that the humble old CARDBOARD BOX is in the National Toy Hall of Fame?

"With nothing more than a little imagination, boxes can be transformed into forts or houses, spaceships or submarines, castles or caves. Inside a big carboard box, a child is transported to a world of his or her own, one where anything is possible." 

- National Toy Hall of Fame (click here to see!)

 At Gan Camarillo, we're always looking for ways to build the children's creativity, imagination and resourcefulness!

Cardboard boxes can engage children for hours for minimal cost and minimal impact on the planet.  But more than that, playing with a cardboard box can build skills that toys with more bells and whistles can't -----> creativity, imagination and resourcefulness.  

First the children wanted to make a huge SQUARE (shapes have been on their mind all week!)

So we just put out the boxes...and watched the play unfold!

Then BL tried to make a diamond shape!

Each child  found a cozy spot for hom/herself....

They discovered ways to play using the hole on the bottom!

Menucha made a house!

Chaya found a window!

Rochel pretended to be a baby in a crib!

It was getting sunny...so the children decided to move all the boxes into the shadey side of the grass.

There was more shade here... as well as a slight incline...for a train to be chugging up a hill!

Noach was the driver... BL figured a way to give each child a ride...
by moving each of the cabins/carts of the train a little bit...until the whole train moved forward!

The best kinf of play with boxes is unstructured play- giving children the opportunity to explore a versatile open-ended material without an end result in mind!

Big Thank you to VONS for the huge Kosher Food Donation...which stocked us with an abundance of boxes!

If your looking for more opportunities to let this play unfold in your home...check out these resources:

WHAT CARDBOARD BOXES CAN TEACH KIDS

http://movingsmartblog.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/what-cardboard-boxes-can-teach-kids.html

Check out the links on the bottom of that post

Blog: Teacher Tom

http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com.au/2010/09/tutorial-on-playing-with-cardboard.html

Blog: Let the Child Play

http://www.letthechildrenplay.net/2013/03/cardboardboxplaypreschool.html

http://pinterest.com/lisamconnor/kids-activities-cardboard-box-fun/