Mark Making Matters
Our St. Paul’s Promise “I can use marks to communicate meaning” encourages children to experiment, explore, imitate, and invent all sorts of marks and writing.
We are fascinated by children’s Mark Making journeys.
And how the children are using marks and writing, drawing and painting to express their ideas and experiences, thoughts and feelings.
They are representing their many worlds – real and imaginative!
We have been promoting and championing children to “give it a go” with their mark making, to be creative and imaginative, to be proud and confident with the marks they make – there is so much power and creativity there!
We have been really raising the profile of children’s drawings – they are experts and artists!
The children’s drawings are so ALIVE!
Have you seen the dinosaurs?
Have you seen the maps?
Have you read names, signs, books, cards?
Children writing their names is so connected to their sense of self and identity isn’t it.
We wonder where children’s Mark Making Journey will go next?
The Brilliance of Blocks – Belonging and Contributing
Blocks are brilliant!
Block play supports all areas of learning… it is the doorway to mathematics, technology, science, engineering, architecture!
Block Play is a tool for learning… a tool for thinking…
Block Play really ignites children’s imaginative powers with their own creative ideas and thinking!
Children have been working together AND they’ve been working out how the blocks might fit together in patterns of symmetry or tessellation or balance.
Our St. Paul’s Promise “I can belong and contribute to a group” means we champion children to collaborate and cooperate towards a shared goal.
Here in the blocks the children have not only been imagining, designing, building, remodelling and remaking buildings and bridges…
… but they’ve been sharing goals, imitating learning habits and attitudes, being focused and absorbed, sharing ideas and expertise!
What a challenge!
Block Play is BRILLIANT!
Please look at some of our digital images of children’s models:
https://v.magiscan.app/model/675c0ab08640c64bd55e827d.html
https://v.magiscan.app/model/675c05098640c64bd55e81ec.html
https://v.magiscan.app/model/675c096c8640c64bd55e8268.html
Telling Stories, Storymapping
We love stories.
“Broom! Broom! Broom!”
We are incredible storytellers!
Have you read Mud Walk?
Do you know Mrs. Wishy-washy!
We love reading and retelling our Core Books.
We have been using ducks and pigs and cows and tractors to help us imitate the words and rhythms and actions of the story.
These physical props are so important for helping us making links with the story, the words, the characters, the setting and the ‘beginning, middle, end’ of the story.
And we’ve been using HUGE storymaps on the wall – alive with pictures and words ( and arrows to help us remember what happens next in the story ) – to help us remember and retell the story.
We read again and again so we are so very familiar with the words, pictures, rhythm and structure of the story.
And we retell the story again and again – acting it out, drawing it out, mapping it out!
Our St. Paul’s Promise “I am an inspired and inspiring storyteller” means we are immersed in the incredible world of stories, books and storytelling.
We do love stories!
Sensory Scientists
We are using our senses!
We are wallowing and involved, immersed and engaged.
Rainy and windy days, materials and textures, sand and water, dough and clay… all are curious!
We are scientists!
We have been observing, questioning, experimenting, testing, hypothesising, communicating. Interpreting.
Our St. Paul’s Promise “I use all my senses to engage in scientific enquiry” supports children to explore and examine, to wonder and to research the world around them.
We have been exploring forces – cause and effect, push and pull.
Have you ever rolled a tyre or made a ramp?
We have been exploring light and dark – shadows and reflections!
Have you ever used a light box to make a shadow?
We have been exploring water – so powerful at changing things!
Have you ever mixed water and cornflour? Sooooooo GLOOPY!
We have been exploring sound – our voices and instruments!
Have you ever played the piano?
We have been exploring nature – the wind and the leaves, the rain and puddles!
Have you ever watched a ribbon dance in the air?
We have been using all our senses!
We have been scientists!
