We have begun a study of fairy tales, and it's very eventful! For the blog today, we are sharing a photo gallery that includes Read Across America Day characters, writing projects, and a "mask" making project. We have added creating jewel patterns to the science table as well as re-creating The Mitten . We have castle blocks that have jewel windows and characters to play with to build with on the table, and we have looked at pictures of castles to get inspiration in the block corner. We have created faces with cardboard collage and painted them-soon we hope that they have names and stories!
We have been creating masks with cardboard bits and glue collage, and then a layer of very colorful paint. We will be naming these characters and writing "once upon a time" stories about them.
There are castle blocks and small figures, and books with castle pictures to refer to as we create castles with towers and walls and moats.
Jewels and a long strip of paper make a pattern ready activity.
The children read the mitten together with me, and with animal masks made from the Jan Brett book we act out the story with a large white blanket for a "mitten". The A A A KA CHEW! is the best part.
For Read Across America Day, the children dressed in all sorts of story book characters. We had a parade, witnessed by parents, and then we spent time with our buddies reading books in the classroom.
The Mitten Story is also available in our classroom as a read along book to put together and color, or story stones to put into a mitten shape as we tell the story together.
The children refer to the book as they create the story with the stones.
Read Across America was very colorful! We enjoyed dressing up and sharing stories.
The rice table is full of colored rice, gems, and bowls for collecting.
The Three Billy Goats Gruff story is a wonderful setting for science and engineering as well as storytelling! The children worked hard to create their own bridges, and then cooperatively told the story with little designer blocks with the troll and the small, medium, and large goat.
We will be continuing our exploration of fairy tales for many days to come! The fairy tale story is rich with traditions, building block opportunities, introductions to other cultures and their versions of fairy tales, and even watching a middle school performance of Cinderella!
Until Next Time,
Michele
