News from the Outdoors
The Detectives concluded our Nocturnal animal unit this week by thinking more about moths and possums! With the wet weather on Monday, the kids thought about what animals would be doing in the rain, as well as took time to explore our bamboo forest and meadow.
Bamboo Shoots and Ladders
Building with Ann-Mari
On Tuesday, both classes enjoyed our weekly naturalist visit from Blue Crab! This week, he continued our learning on foxes, sharing fox pelts and skulls with the classes. He took the Detectives to the meadow, where we searched for fox clues by the den, as well as playing a fox and rabbit tag game!
Nest is the Best
When introducing our possum study, the detectives learned how these mammals ‘play possum’ to trick predators into thinking they are dead as to pass them over as prey. The Detectives enjoyed emulating this game, turning into tricky possums all around Woodend!
Everything is Possum!
We ended our unit with a nocturnal animal party! We made posters for the playground and set out our night vision camera to see which nocturnal animal came to join our festivities! It was exciting to see which animals are playing on the playground when we are not around.
Chester making his Party Début
News from the Classroom
We continued our Mindful Monday lessons this week on emotions. This week, we discussed how and when we feel angry, and things we can do with our bodies to help feel more calm. The Detectives enjoyed stomping their feet, patting the ground and taking deep breaths along with the story.
It was another Birthday heavy week at preschool, both classes having two birthday celebrations! As the year progresses, it is so wonderful see how thoughtfully the students make their personalized birthday messages to each other.
Birthday Book Bonanza
At the art table this week, the Detectives created their own stained glass luna moths, as well as new Possum sign in tags! Now, each kid will hang their upside down possum on our tree when they arrive to school.
Mission Im-possum-able
We continued our light table play this week, building even more intricate structures with the magnatiles. In the block area, we opened up the play house and trucks, where auto lots and hospitals were built daily! In the dramatic play, we created our own fox den- the Detectives transformed in foxes and other nocturnal animals to play the part! We continued the nocturnal animal small world play in the lab table, where the kids camouflaged the animals under our cocoa mulch.
You can never have too mulch fun!
On Thursday we ended our unit with a Nocturnal Animal PJ Party! At meeting, we did a show and share with every Detectives PJ’s and stuffies. In learning centers, we created glow-in-the-dark art work, as well as played with glow-in-the-dark night sky stickers in the classroom.
Books we Read
Oscar and the Moth by Geoff Waring
A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na
Weekly Top Hits
Everything is Possum (Tune: Everything is Awesome)
Everything is Possum
Everything is cool when at night you can see
Everything is Possum
When you live in a tree
Everything is better when we dangle together
Side by side
You and I
Gonna play possum together
Let’s stay safe forever
Everything is Possum
Everything is cool when at night you can see
Everything is Possum
When you live in a tree!
Spoiler Alert: Next week we are starting our Fairies and Gnomes unit!
Audubon Nature Preschool 