Out in Autumn, Out in the World
All the leaves are coming off the trees aren’t they?
And so are the nuts and seeds.
We’ve been searching and seeking out conkers, cones and acorns.
And collecting them in our baskets,
Whilst out and about in our local parks.
The leaves are all sorts of colours aren’t they?
Orange and brown and red.
We’ve been noticing the leaves on the trees.
And off the trees!
We’ve been noticing the leaves on the ground.
Watch out for the slimy leaves on the pavements – all wet and slippy!
Our St. Paul’s Promise says “I connect with the wider world” and helps us think about how we respond to the natural elements, changes in weather and environment, and how we pay attention to all the sensations and images children have as they notice with all their senses.
We love being out-and-about!
One of our favourite sayings is “The Curriculum is inside the child and outside the window!”
This tells us to go outside, to go out into our communities, to go out into the world.
It’s here that children connect with the world, connect with each other, connect with nature in a very different and unique way.
We do love being out-and-about!
Making Marks, Hands and Tools
Making your mark is such a natural expression isn’t it?
Such a natural expression of a child’s curiosity, creativity, connection.
One of our friends – Julian – says “if a child’s hands are their best research tool then what do we put within their reach?”
So we fill the floor with foam.
And fill the tray with flour and gloop!
Making space to sprawl, to wallow, to experiment and explore.
“What happens when I scrape or print or push or pull” might be asked as the metal cup or bowl is pulled through the gloop.
“What happens when I arch my fingers and scrawl and scrape, scratch and spread?” might be asked as fingers are crawled and pulled through the foam.
Our St. Paul’s Promise says “I can use marks to communicate meaning” and helps us encourage all sorts of mark making experiences – big, small, hard, soft, quick, slow and different shapes, circles, lines and dots.
I wonder what marks you will make?
Shine a Light! Light, Colour and Shadows
It’s getting darker sooner isn’t it?
Into the dark come our torches!
What do we shine them on?
“What shape and colour, pattern and shadows do they make?”, we might be asking.
“Up close or far away, what differences do we notice?”
“What happens when my hands are in front of the torch, or someone else’s body?”, we might be asking.
“How do we force changes in the way we see the light or dark or shadow or colour?”
We have been using walls and mirrors, objects and other people to explore, examine and experiment with light.
Our St. Paul’s Promise says “I use all my senses to engage in scientific enquiry” helps us think about “looking out for” and “noticing” novel and interesting things.
We are scientists!
We are explorers and researchers!
We observe and question, experiment and predict, test and imagine.
Our St. Paul’s Promise says “I am a great learner” and his helps us think about our thinking!
Being a life-long-learner full of Building Learning Power means thinking and learning and trying and practising being resourceful and researchful.
It means noticing, distilling, imagining.
It means collaborating, imitating, persevering.
And it means questioning, reasoning and being absorbed.
We’ve been so so absorbed with light, colour and shadows.
Into the dark!
Shine a light!
