How do I feel today?

How do you feel today? We have been watching video 4 of Amazing Me and we have had lots of discussions in our Morning buzz groups about how and what makes us feel happy, sad, grumpy or glad. Our biggest perspective is for young children to say why ... enabling feelings to be acknowledged. Videos are available to everyone to watch at home just ask Judy or Kylie. Thanks to everyone for your input ... the children are beginning to know their addresses and phone numbers and are sharing with us what makes them AMAZING ... and they are !!!

Afternoon children's beans have sprouted and are now under the veranda for everyone to watch the amazing scientific horticultural concept of propagation. We have had many parents asking about our Five Beans story. It is available through the REAP library ... it is fantastic. Another story we have read to the children is 10 Seeds - also available on request. And this week the children have been cutting out and sequencing ... from seed to plant. Well Done everyone. If you would like a copy for your munchkin to cut out at home don't hesitate to ask Kylie or Judy.

Green Fingers!

Yes, we certainly have been getting our hands dirty over the past week!! Since sourcing all the seeds and seedlings from the garden centre the children have been buzzing about gardening and planting!

Our lily bulb that was kindly donated to us by Sharon at the garden centre has gone in a pot. We have also planted seeds, which many of the children have taken home to care for, before bringing them back to kindy to become fully established in our garden plots. And we have also been propagting beans just like the story "Five Beans". My goodness we have been busy!!!

...what do all plants need to grow again?? Oh yeah, that's right...water, sun and lots of love :)!

It was very exciting to come back to kindy today after the weekend and see tiny shoots sprouting from the bean seeds!!! Make sure you keep an eye on them as they continue to grow. I wonder if we can grow a beanstalk like Jack???

A walking we did go...a planting we will do!

What an adventure!!

With the arrival and assembly of our new vegetable plots Judy and I thought we had better source some seeds. So....an excursion was on the agenda.

We talked about what we might plant in the garden

...sunflowers

...carrots

...peas

...broccoli

Oh yea...and beans! I wonder if we can grow a beanstalk?

Then off we went, it's was so awesome to see everyone keeping themselves super safe, especially when we crossed the roads!! Well done everybody.

The fish were definitely the highlight of the trip and many of the children congregated around the pond. How many were there again?? Probably not as many now as there was when we arrived :) oops!

Guess what we will be busy doing for the next few weeks with all our seeds, seedlings, fertiliser, and dirt. And how cool, Sharon the Garden Centre owner donated some Lily bulbs for the Kindy too.

Can't wait!

Maori Language Week - Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori

Tena Koutou, Tena Koutou, Tena Koutou Katoa.

Well Maori Language week went off with a bang at Winton Kindergarten.

We had healthy heart waiata - "Paki Paki", The Kei o Wai game, The "Haka" playing on You Tube and lets not forget the magnificent Taniwha pictures that were produced in Kekeno group.

Hoiho also practiced making faces, Taniwha faces for the boys and Pukana faces for the girls. Be sure to ask your child what they are all about, it's very very cool! What a great appreciation the children have for our native language and customs.

The bi-cultural focus will continue to become an intergral part of the Winton Kindergarten teaching curriculum. If you are unsure of some of the words that are coming home, be sure to ask Judy or Kylie. Or you can check out our Parent information board in our entrance way. This will now include a phrase and words that we are practicing within the centre. This fortnight it is...Haere Mai ke ti (come to the) whariki (mat), kai (Food) and ki waho (outside).

Until next time,

Ka Kite ano

Stars in their Eyes

The last couple of days have seen entertainers emerge among us. For quite a period of time, many of the children have boggied on down to tunes from hit artists such as Hi-5 and hmmm, let me think, what was the other one?? Oh that's right Hi-5!!

Today they took their dancing to a new level and pulled the platform around to the main 'dance floor'. I was very curious to see what they were up too so asked the girls. "It's gunna be a stage!" they replied. What an awesome idea. "Don't forget chairs for the audience", I reminded them. So off they went and sourced the chairs. Right, now they were all set to begin...

Stage...CHECK

Microphones...CHECK

Music...CHECK

Audience...CHECK

It was magical to watch as the girls sung their way through an assortment of Hi-5 hits. Check out the audience, I'm sure they are in awe!

I couldn't resist but take a video of the performers in action, I'm sure you will agree, we have some stars in the making here at Winton Kindergarten!

After discussions with all the children during mat-time, Brooklyn and Maddison shared with us that they just loooove ABBA, and BJ enjoys watching Twisted Sister on You Tube. We would love it if anybody could share with us some of their children's favourite music from home. I would love to compile a C.D. of music for the children to perform to. Who knows we even might do a concert!!

Watch this space....

Starry Starry Night ...

What a great time we had last night ... and the best of all was a clear and starry starry sky. Hats and Coats, Torches and Binoculars and away he went. We had to find some things ... the brightest star, What shape was the Moon?, Can you find the Milky Way? Wow did you know there was so much to see in the night sky? The children were soooo excited. Tks to all our 40+ families that came along ... the children have been so very very intrigued throughout the term with all the wonders of SPACE. It has been such wonderful perspective to 'bring to life' all that we have been researching. Oh yes and we just about got to see a real live Satellite ... it passed over at 6pm & then at again at 7:40pm ... but it was just a bit cloudy to the North. And that HOT Chocolate at Reds was just what we needed to warm us up !!!

Thanks for all you input into your child's learning throughout the term ... the children have been just buzzing with discussions on telescopes, Planets and today we even had a look at Google Earth on the iMac. We looked for the Frypan, the Southern Cross ... some of the things we saw last night ...it has been sooo exciting.

Happy Schooldays to all our children moving onto school and to all our families thanks for all you have done for us over the term ... have a neat Term Break and we will see you all Mon 20 July (Term 3 2009).

Cheers

Judy & Kylie

Bring it on ... Our Project Room

          We are sooooooo excited.  

Our Project Room is now beginning to take shape.  Our new doors have arrived and were installed on Friday.  With that we will begin to talk & discuss with the children ... what exactly the purpose of 'The Project Room' is.

Our perspective is to provide an aesthetic & 'quiet' space for children to work on Projects over time.  We hope to evoke skills & possibilities for children to enquire, research, explore, generate & modify working theories (understandings) of their world.

The possibilities are endless.  We await it's evolvement with ... excitement.  Interested in all your comments.

Cheers

Judy & Kylie