Our two weeks together following Winter Vacation have been filled with new experiences, new knowledge, and lots of fun!
We read two books that illustrate the actual size of various animals - Actual Size by Jenkins and More Life-Size Zoo adapted by Earhart - as a way of connecting the children’s interest in animals with our exploration of measurement.
We read two books that illustrate the actual size of various animals - Actual Size by Jenkins and More Life-Size Zoo adapted by Earhart - as a way of connecting the children’s interest in animals with our exploration of measurement.
We asked the children if they would like to measure the size of animals, just as we had measured their heights. They were excited by this possibility, and created the following list of fascinating questions for us to research and measure:
“How long is a zebra’s body, neck, and tail?”
“How long is a spider’s leg?”
“How big is a bear’s tummy?”
“How long is a rhino’s horn?”
"How long is an elephant’s trunk?”
“How long is a crab’s claw?”
“How big is a tiger’s tummy?”
Since the websites we visit give the answers to our questions in feet and inches, we are using rulers and tape measures to create our visual representations. While the children may not yet fully understand the meaning of these standard units, they know that they need to tape together strips of paper that are “five rulers long” or that reach the number 35 on the tape measure to represent the appropriate length or circumference. After measuring, the children write signs to label their measurements.
“How long is a zebra’s body, neck, and tail?”
“How long is a spider’s leg?”
“How big is a bear’s tummy?”
“How long is a rhino’s horn?”
"How long is an elephant’s trunk?”
“How long is a crab’s claw?”
“How big is a tiger’s tummy?”
Since the websites we visit give the answers to our questions in feet and inches, we are using rulers and tape measures to create our visual representations. While the children may not yet fully understand the meaning of these standard units, they know that they need to tape together strips of paper that are “five rulers long” or that reach the number 35 on the tape measure to represent the appropriate length or circumference. After measuring, the children write signs to label their measurements.
We have just begun the process of researching and measuring, but have already discovered some interesting facts and comparisons. For example, an elephant’s trunk can be five feet long, a Giant Huntsman spider’s leg can be six inches long, and a white rhino’s horn is longer than a zebra's tail.
The children are also using reference photos to draw the animals they are investigating. We encourage them to look carefully at the photos to notice the shape and size of the animals’ legs, body, head, and tail, and reflect their observations in their drawings. In this way, drawing becomes a way of expressing their thinking and knowledge.
We began exploring clay in the Tinker Lab last week. This natural material engages the children’s sensory, motor, and creative processes. They have learned how to roll balls and coils to build snowmen, form letters in their name, and create abstract sculptures. As they continue to explore, they may want to create animals with clay which would require new techniques for sculpting details and forming the various body parts. Or, they may embark on an entirely different path of exploration!
The children have also explored balance and design with Wedgits, created pen and watercolor art inspired by Kandinsky and fractals, built structures with Legos, created animal habitats with the unit blocks, practiced numeral recognition by playing Uno, and played in the snow at Trio Park. It is not surprising that they are tired when they come home from school!