Kodomo has had a wonderful few months with many enriching incursions and celebrations.
Children learned about NAIDOC Week in July with a visit from Aunty Chelsea from Booyi. The children enjoyed doing a sand art activity using nature to create art. The children drew their hands and Noongar symbols on canvas and enjoyed listening to a Noongar story. They also had the chance to look at various traditional Noongar items. Children learned two new songs ‘Djinda, Djinda’ and ‘Inany.’
Nature activities included planting Tucker bush plants in the children’s garden for NAIDOC Week and planting a tree in their play yard for School Plant a Tree Day.
Kodomo celebrated Christmas in July, which tied in with our weekly devotion – starting the New Testament and learning about the birth of Jesus. In September, the children have been learning about trusting God and storing treasures in heaven. Jesus met the needs of 5000 people as He fed them and calmed the storm on the ocean when His disciples were scared.
We regularly do cooking activities with the children, and in July we decided to cook DAMPER on an open fire outside, for NAIDOC Week. The children sat in a yarning circle and played various instruments and clapping sticks. All the children had a chance to look at the fire, learn about fire safety, help make the damper, and roll it into balls. We played traditional didgeridoo music in the background and enjoyed being outdoors, connecting with nature. The children enjoyed eating the Damper with their afternoon tea.
The children also learned all about healthy eating in July. Using Kids Safe knives to cut up various veg, they made their own lunch TACOS. The children made healthy eating rainbow posters, pasting various fruits and veg onto a rainbow.
In August, we learned about Dental Health. The children had an incursion from Little Smile and were able to brush soft toys teeth, dance to the Wiggles ‘Brush Your Teeth’ song and learn all about how to keep our teeth clean. Children practised using toothbrushes to clean “dirty” laminated teeth, as well as having the opportunity to try and brush their own teeth, with their very own toothbrush, which they could take home. The children loved this, often getting their brush to continue trying to brush their teeth.
Science Week in August is all about fun! We read the book ‘Who Sank the Boat’ and experimented with the activity “Sink or Float.” Other activities included making moon sand together, Ooblong and exploring bath fizz balls with water droppers.
Our book theme for Book Week was ‘Dear Zoo’, and children and educators dressed up as wild animals, painting and making wild animals and getting active and acting like wild animals. The children used their Kids Safe knives to cut up veg and make a lion salad for afternoon tea, we will continue to learn about healthy eating to support healthy teeth.
As part of R U OK? Day, children learned about different feelings, how to identify them, and positive ways to deal with them. We used the Zones of Regulation posters to identify what they are feeling and then chose an action on the poster to help themselves feel better and regulate – empowering children to choose ways to feel better from suggestions on the poster. We played different feeling games and sorting games, painting different emotions, and read the ‘When I am feeling’ book series.
As part of spring learning and the children’s continuous interest in bugs and animals, we will be learning about snails, butterflies and birds. Children will make bird feeders for the birds, watch and count the birds in the garden, and hunt for caterpillars and snails. For butterflies, we will be learning about the life cycle of a butterfly and watching a real-life caterpillar transform into a butterfly.
The children have been loving the beautiful weather we’ve been having and playing on some of the new outdoor resources. We are excited for even more fun times ahead and for the busy season which is soon to be here!
Mrs Drennan
Kodomo Room Curriculum Leader