Focus:Observation, Creativity, Thinking Skills, Communication Skills
We have been observing nature and wondering about the treesaround us.
I went on a walk and found a leaf skeleton. I am wondering about trees🌳🌲🌴 and their leaves🌿🍂🍀. How are leaves different or the same? How do leaves and trees ‘change’ over time?
Yesterday I went on a treasure hunt. I looked for what treasures I could find outside. I had help from Ms Karen, Ms Shemo, Ms Tasha and Ms Victoria. Everyone found something and I thought carefully about what I wanted to create. I looked at the sticks I found and started to arrange them. Next I decided to tear Ms Tasha’s orange peels into smaller pieces. They reminded me of leaves in the fall. Ms Shemo had found beautiful leaves that had worn away until they were just skeletons. I loved how they looked against the black paper and reminded me of winter. Ms Karen found tiny pinecones so I added them to make my tree more full. Ms Victoria had found beautiful blossom petals which reminded me of spring so I put them on the bottom. While I was making my community tree I thought about the life cycle of trees and the seasons we all go through. I found items that represented each season except summer. Summer is on its way and I wonder what I will add. What would you add to represent summer?
This invitation encourages children to:
express themselves creatively
enjoy a variety of visual arts experiences
select tools, materials and processes for specific purposes
use imagination and experiences to inform their art making
Focus: Communication Skills, Research Skills, Thinking Skills
“Trees have developed an intelligent way of living that means even though they always stand still they can feed, reproduce, communicate with each other, defend themselves, and even play together.” – Reggio Children
The weather in Nanjing has changed over time. How do these changes affect the trees?
I saw these trees during a nature walk.
🌳 What do you notice?
🌳 How would you describe the trees?
🌳 Do trees look the same all year round? Why or why not? Does it change? When do they change? Why or why not?
Let’s read the picture book ‘Tap the Magic Tree’ by Christie Matheson to explore change and growth.
I wonder what you notice about the trees around your neighbourhood. You might want to go on a nature walk to learn more about the trees.
While at school, we have learned that observing like a scientist and drawing what we see can support our knowledge. It also helps us share our understandings. Drawing can encourage us to observe carefully to notice patterns and connections, while developing curiosity and an appreciation for the world around us.
Inquiry Invitation #1:
🌳choose a tree and observe it (this can be a tree in your own neighbourhood or in a picture book). Notice the different parts of the tree, the textures, the fragrance
🌳choose a tree or trees to draw
🌳take a picture of your favourite tree (you might want to tell us why that is your favourite tree)
🌳use paint to share your observations about trees
🌳share your drawing, painted picture or favourite photograph with us!
Felix and his family went on a bike ride to ‘Skyways’. They saw two trees that looked pretty strange! One even had a number 🤔.
🌳choose a tree and observe it (this can be a tree in your own neighbourhood or in a picture book). Notice the different parts of the tree (bark, branches, leaves, fruits, flowers) the textures (rough, smooth, prickly)
🌳re-create a tree using any loose parts you have around you (leaves, twigs, stones, seeds, shells, Lego, fabric)
🌳take a pictureof your creation and share it with us!
🌳EXTEND: How many different loose parts did you use? How many of each item did you use to make your tree?
Inquiry Invitation by Ms. Anna Mila (Atelier) #3:
Do you remember this artist?
Piet Mondrian
His name is Piet Mondrian and he was an artist that painted thousands of paintings. One of the things he painted again and again was trees. Sometimes artists become very interested in one idea. They paint the same thing again and again, experimenting with different colours and techniques. This is called a series. Mondrian also painted a series of trees over many years.
Artists give their paintings names. This painting is called “Tree of Life”. It is by an Austrian artist called Gustav Klimt. Why do you think Gustav Klimt gave this painting this name?
This tree painting is also by Klimt. In this painting, Klimt paints from a different view or “perspective”. He also decided to paint it in a more realistic style. In this painting, Klimt decided to focus on the trunks of the trees. Artists think carefully about perspective. They think carefully about what their painting will show and if it will include everything or only some things. This painting is called “Birch Forest” and it is from a perspective that makes you feel as if you were right in the middle of a forest.
This painting is by a famous French artist called Claude Monet. It is called “An Orchard in Spring”. Notice the perspective he decided to use. In this painting he stood further away than Klimt did in the previous painting. Why do you think he made that choice?
Artists are often inspired by the seasons. This painting was also painted in spring. It is by a famous Dutch painter called Vincent van Gough. It is called “The Pink Peach Tree”. He also stood further away and made sure to paint the entire tree. That was the perspective he wanted to use. We have been talking about how artists use colours. Notice the colours in this painting. How do you feel when you look at it?
This painting is by a Chinese artist by the name of Qi Baishi. He called this painting, Bird and Magnolia. Notice the lines in his painting. Notice how he used colours.
When I first moved to Nanjing, I noticed the beautiful trees. We arrived in the spring and this was one of the first trees that made me smile. This tree is a Magnolia tree and it inspired the previous artist’s painting. Take a look at the picture and compare it. Do you think it looks the same or different from the photograph? Notice the perspective I used when I took the picture.
Yesterday, I went on a tree hunt. I looked at all the trees very carefully. I looked at them from all different sides. I touched them, I smelled them and I thought carefully about the things I could see and the things I couldn’t. For this picture I looked up and took a photo. The branches and the leaves look like they are reaching. I wonder what they are reaching for?
🌳 I wonder what tree will inspire you.
Approaches to Learning (ATL’s)
Research Skills
data gathering and documenting (drawing, photographing)
gather information from a variety of sources (people, places, materials, literature).
use all senses to observe and notice details
record observations—drawing, using emergent writing skills, when possible, annotate images
Focus: Self-management Skills, Communication Skills
Children enjoy and have fun when cooking. Cooking also develops many mathematical concepts such as measurement and volume, while instilling healthy eating habits.
Other benefits include:
strengthening their fine motor skills through cutting, pouring and scooping
learning the concept of sequencing through reading recipes and discussing what comes first, second, and third in the cooking process
expanding their vocabulary as they are exposed to new words and terms
developing a greater sense of discovery with new foods
developing independence and self-management skills
learning about and developing an appreciation for the different resources and produce that are used when cooking
Do you like pancakes? This book is about all the steps needed to make them. Let’s listen to Ms. Anna Mila read ‘Pancake, Pancake!‘ by Eric Carle. Then, let’s make our own pancakes.
Ms. Heidi and her son decide to show their creativity in different ways through Performing Arts.
You can make up your own call and response song linked to cooking. It could be making scrambled eggs, making egg fried rice, baking cookies…. Choose objects to act out and perform your song with. Post a video on Seesaw of yourself singing your own call and response song’ with your chosen objects based on the ‘Pancakes call and response song’.
Curious George loves to cook. This is when he made pancakes!
You can follow along to make your own pancakes. Here is George showing us how to do it!
If you make your own pancakes or other delicious foods, don’t forget to let us know about your experience!
We have had a lot of excitement in the kitchen. We have had opportunities to watch others help out in the kitchen as they cook, clean and prepare healthy meals. Ms. Anna Mila and her daughter worked together to make pancakes. Ms. Heidi and her son were also busy in the kitchen! Here is yet another family preparing a meal together.
The children gathered around Ms. Ai to create boats using paper from the recycled box. They were curious and wanted to see how pieces of paper can be turned into something new and exciting.
Some children created musical instruments using different types of paper.
They made maps, iPhones, games and money using paper and card.
The Game
The Map
Money
iPhone
A computer with lots of buttons.
Learning Outcomes:
engage with, and enjoy a variety of visual arts experiences.
use their imagination and experiences to inform their art making.
create artwork in response to a range of stimuli.
Noticing the children’s interest in paper, Ms. Tina decided to share some examples of paper art. The children then sorted out different paper to use in their creations.
Ms. Anna Mila used a video to show the children the process of how paper is made. The children asked to watch the video repeatedly, asking insightful questions about the trees. They made great observations about the paper making process.
After we watched the video and read some books about how paper is made/recycled, we went into the atelier to make paper.
First, the children needed to rip up scraps of previously used paper.
Then, they needed to add lots of water.
Then, they needed to blend the paper into a pulp.
Next, it was poured into a bin with water that had a screen in it. The children needed to pour the pulp into all corners, covering the whole screen as evenly as possible.
This part of the work took great concentration and strength.
Sometimes the children noticed that they needed to add more paper scraps.
After the paper was poured, the screen needed to be lifted up carefully and then placed on a drying rack so that the pulp can dry, creating paper.
When the paper pulp on the mesh had dried, the children carefully lifted it off the drying racks. They were excited to see their own paper!
They sat around the tables with their own sheet of recycled paper and paints, excited to the create yet a new piece of art.
We wonder, what other materials and objects can we recycle?
