ECDC

Congratulations, President Obama!

2009-01-20T15:53:00.005-05:00

OH, the wonders of technology! We had our live feed all set up for the fours and kindergarteners and the kids happily watched the pre-inauguration festivities all morning off an on as they went about their usual activities. As their excitement built, and we closed in on noon, however, the high volume of internet traffic just crashed everything -- SO, at the very last minute, we dashed the children over to the Stern Center Ballroom and made it just in time to see the new President get sworn in and hear his speech. As things leveled off, we got our feed back on so they could watch the parade, and the big cake they made this morning was shared by all - so, stickers, cake, confetti, TV - all in all, it was a very exciting day and we are very thankful our children could witness this most historic event in real time! (Our photos are still not uploading, so you will have to use your imagination on the cake - very red, white, and blue, with stenciled letters spelling out "Obama

Two poems inspired by Langston Hughes

2008-12-11T17:39:00.004-05:00

Rain by Claire, Charley, Cody, & Preston

Pssh, Pssh

Water falling down from the sky

Getting wet

Running away before you get soaking wet

Pitter, Patter

Rain by Elijah, Griffin, and Marissa

It pours down the clouds

Lightening!

It gets things wet

Thunder!

Tap, tap, click, click

Smell the rain.

Farewells

2008-12-10T13:13:00.004-05:00

We have several student assistants going off to clinical practice next semester - Ashton, Katherine, Anna, Michelle, Caroline, we wish you well and thank you for your hard work and dedication to our program and families!

Self-portraits

2008-12-10T12:30:00.004-05:00

We find it incredibly interesting to document children's comments, thinking, and products over time about self-image. We have made considerable efforts over the past three years to encourage study of portraits; the children make at least one visit each year to the Gibbes Museum to view their collection of portraits and participate in their workshop for children. With frequent, ongoing opportunities to study their images with mirrors and photographs, and minimal structural information about facial anatomy and placement of features, they have created a series of self-portraits using high quality watercolors and large papers that is endlessly fascinating, revealing, and quite beautiful aesthetically. Negotiating the fine line between providing just enough information to satisfy their desire to locate features proportionally, but not so much that creativity and spontaneity is compromised has been challenging. More on this effort later....

Architecture interest

2008-12-10T12:12:00.002-05:00

We've noticed our 4/5's class has a particular interest in building with large boxes this year. They started with a school bus big enough for four children, and learned a lot about how strong it needed to be if they expected to play in it for any length of time. A few weeks later they got another idea and spent several days working on plans for and constructing a much sturdier, and very cool haunted house, complete with surprises behind the shutters on each of the many windows, and roof shingles patterned after the ones on the historic house across the street that they really liked. In a few days they will begin developing their blueprints and starting construction of a large gingerbread village. During morning meeting, a great idea emerged to see if, as part of that project, they could convert the haunted house into a big gingerbread house. Extensive remodeling is now taking place out in the hallway; every day something new gets added. In the meantime, we continue to collect and keep on hand a ready supply of boxes in all shapes and sizes as we never know when another idea will surface -

3's make quilt!!!

2008-12-10T11:49:00.002-05:00

Our 3's class recently completed a study about babies - appropriate timing as we have several children in this class with new siblings - many of the babies (including the twins) made visits to the class so the children could learn and practice how we take care of them - feeding, changing, bathing, and playing - bath time was especially fun - One of our moms then brought her sewing machine to school and helped the children decorate fabric blocks and assemble a 'baby' quilt right before their eyes. It will stay on permanent display so when the babies are old enough to come to ECDC, too, and their big brothers and sisters are in kindergarten, they can tell them all about it.

Uploading photo problems

2008-12-10T11:42:00.005-05:00

Just a note: we're experiencing problems uploading images, so in the interest of not continuing to postpone posting information about our program activities, we are just going to resume posting news without pictures until this problem is fixed! Stay tuned - we will add photos to these narratives when we can.

Goo, Oobleck, and other mysteries

2008-12-10T11:28:00.003-05:00

Our four/fives class has been very interested lately in the curious physical properties of some of their favorite play materials - while most children love to manipulate 'goo' (in this case, green slime) and 'oobleck' (corn starch and water), the teachers and one of our chemistry department parents have been helping the children organize their thinking, observations, and questions using venn diagrams, charts, and time during reading and writing workshops to communicate their ideas. Here are their words when asked to describe how a venn diagram works - "We made lists firsts of goo and oobleck. We described what it sounds like, tastes like, hears like and felt like. It has a mini-chart that Miss Deanna put on the computer and printed it. We made a chart that says ooobleck, goo and oobleck and goo. We made 2 circles with a mini small circle in the middle and 2 big circles (venn diagram). We used the words from the mini-chart and tried to decide where they went. Miss Mary said the things and we decided which one went to which." The children are looking forward to mixing up more potions and adding them to their ongoing analysis project.

Costume parade

2008-11-12T10:43:00.003-05:00

Well, the goblins, witches, princesses, superheroes were out - our annual costume parade was well attended, with lots of onlookers! Thanks to all who took time out of their morning to participate; Public Safety folks were awesome as usual--