Nifty November!

I can hardly believe that we are already celebrating the month of November in the Bright-Eyed Bear classroom!  It's here!  We're in full swing of our Living off the Land unit.  The children have really enjoyed learning about the first people and what life was like before there were roads, cars, supermarkets, video games, skyscrapers, homes with plumbing, and homes at all!  They had amazing answers to the questions about where the people lived, how they got food, how they traveled from place to place,  where clothes came from, and so much more.  Here are a few of the bright thoughts of the Bright-Eyed Bears:
What were houses made of before there were factories and builders to make them?
*They could use sticks to make houses.
*Leaves too!
*Maybe some mud with the sticks poked in them.
*Some houses were made with animal skin.
*They could chop trees down to make wood houses. (This led me into my next question)
How would they chop the trees down?  Did they have tools?  What were they made from?
*They could use animal bones for tools.
*Sticks can be tools.
*Rocks are sharp and hard like tools.
*Some people can make tools from shells too.
Maybe the tools could be used to get food too.  There weren't any grocery stores!  Where did people get their food?
*They trapped animals.
*They used bows and arrows to catch animals.
*They could eat fish.  If they catch the fish in the ocean they could eat them and shells too.
*They can plant food to eat, like a garden.
*They could catch alligators to eat.
Uh oh!  How would the people cook their food without ovens and stoves?
*(unanimously) Fire!

BRILLIANT!!!
We have so much more to learn....but I'd say they are certainly on the right track!  :)

Chickee

building the top of our CHICKEE to add to the Exploratorium

The children learned the first people in America built homes that were all different and appropriate to the area in which they lived.  Indeed, twigs, leaves, mud, wooden poles, straw, clay, etc. were all used in different parts.  The Seminole was a people indigenous to Florida.  The Seminole built homes called Chickee's. They were made of palms, wood, etc. and were no more than a roof and floor on stilts. They were a summer home of tribes in the Southeast, who lived in villages ringed with secure barriers.

Stay tuned for more exciting news of our Living off the Land learning!

iPads

 We have iPads!!!
They are filled with wonderful apps for learning!

This week we explored apps for counting, putting things in numerical order, and patterning.  The children really enjoyed working with them and I loved seeing their enthusiasm!

I am excited about getting the opportunity to visit the NAEYC Early Childhood Conference in Orlando this week.  I will not be in school on Thursday or Friday.  However, Mrs. Cummings and a wonderful substitute teacher will keep all the learning rolling.  Please be sure to direct calls and/or emails to Mrs. Cummings and Mrs. Gootson.  Have a wonderful week and long weekend! See you on Tuesday!  

Mrs. Carson