Numbers Workshop for Preschoolers and First Graders

English Class kindergarten children, together with English Class first graders, recently enjoyed a numbers workshop. The children worked independently in small mixed-age groups. The challenge of the day was to create a collage photograph with nine squares, each square showing a progressive number of things from 1 – 9. Armed with iPads the groups spread throughout the school to photograph one of something, two of something, etc. Then together they compiled the photos they had taken into a collage.

The group that did the number photo collage above decided that since there is only one Ms. Sylvia, she would be a good representation for the number one! (There was lots of giggling when the group came to that consensus, but they were right!)

 

 

Photographs in the Forest by the English Classes

The weather was perfect and the children were “in the zone” during their photography scavenger hunt. (See an earlier post to learn more.) The following three different videos show a total of one hundred photographs representing all but two groups of children that participated in Forest Day on Wednesday. (The photographs from the two groups not represented here will be featured later in the week.) Enjoy.

Photography Field Trip to the Forest

Scavenger Hunt and Outdoor Photography in Groups

On Wednesday of this past week all of the English Classes went to the Pori Forest for a day of outdoor activities. The first activity involved taking quality photographs of items listed on a nature photography scavenger hunt list. Before going on this field trip all of the English Class pupils watched a short slide presentation at school about how to take good nature photographs. The children learned how to use the sun for backlighting, how to take close-ups and all about the several different camera angles that can be used while taking photographs.

The children were placed in small mixed age groups with a fifth or sixth grader acting as the leader of the group. Each group had an iPad for taking photographs. Some of the older pupils used their smart phones as well. The idea was that all of the children in a group take turns being the photographer.

The children composed their photographs using what they had learned while watching the slide show about nature photography.

The children appeared to have a wonderful time taking photos. We all picnicked there in the woods and enjoyed warm pasta casserole that had been brought by car to where we were. Mm-mmm. Everything tasted so good outdoors!

Cows and Sheep from Pine Cones

After lunch among themselves each group decided how they wished to spend the rest of the time in the woods. The only requirement for an activity was that the children had to document what they chose to do with photos to share with others at a later date. For example, two groups created cows and sheep from pine cones and made little pastures for their farm animals.

Land Art

Some groups created land art using natural materials they found.

Cops and Robbers and other Chasing Games

By far the most popular activity of choice was playing cops and robbers in the woods. Several groups combined forces to make it all very exciting.

The collage above is a teeny tiny sample of photographs that the children took. The quality of the photos exceeded the expectations of all of the teachers! Visit the blog in the next couple of days to see video composites of the photos the children took.