Inventive Play in the K classes

We had another great week of interest driven centers in kindergarten. One student shared about her developed interest in crabs after visiting Hawaii. She showed students how to draw a crab step by step, we read a great crab book, watched a movie clip of the great migration of crabs on Christmas Island ( http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/media/red-crab-migration/?ar_a=1 ) and explored a discovery box with shells, and other ocean items.

In another K class a student decided that he wanted his center to be about using the iPad. He taught students to play various games and shared his interest in technology with his peers. By loaning iPads from the library I was able to have three iPads which students shared to make discoveries and learn together. As a teacher the part I enjoy seeing during the use of this technology is that students are not just plugged into a screen...they are paired with another student and they are talking, experimenting, problem solving and creating!

In the other K class, we did not have a student led center this week, so students developed their own plans for each center with materials we had in the room. What was great about this play was that I got to see how comfortable students are in the enrichment space. They know what materials are available and they develop ways to be creative! Some students used a cardboard box to make a rocket ship. After some time working on the outside of the ship they asked what the inside of a ship looked like. We were able to go online and find a great picture and now they were designing the interior of their box too! Other students made an intricate ramp system that guided a ball to hit a target. Other students decided that they wanted help and were writing notes to ask others to join in their creation. W also painted, made a daffodil craft to welcome spring and drew the solar system!

Kindergarteners are busy, curious and inventive!