Picture of PK activity

Projects and physical knowledge activities are an every-day part of this kindergarten. Anything that interests children can become a project- insects, leaves, how shoes are made, even beany babies! Ramps, tops, bubbles, musical instruments, water, construction, cooking, boards and rollers, pendulums and simple machines are some of the physical knowledge activities the children will explore. They will ‘construct’ or build their own knowledge by studying, experimenting with, thinking about and writing or drawing about things that are important and interesting to them. If you are watching, you might think they are ‘just playing’. Far from it! During project time, children learn about and practice science, math, social skills (like cooperation and negotiation), self-regulation, language, letters and sounds- and that’s only part of what’s going on!

What can you do at home to promote scientific thinking and active learning?

Cook together. Cooking is full of chemical reactions. Talk about heat and cold, liquid and solid, temperature versus length of cooking time, what makes something thicken- whatever you and your child observe happening. Don’t worry if you don’t know the answer. Call the library or call the chemistry teacher at the intermediate school or high school- maybe they will know!
Go lots of different places. Trips to the store, the zoo, the children’s museum, the library, the river, the park, construction sites, a concert, on a boat, on a train, in a plane- anywhere you go, your child has opportunities to make observations about what is going on, what has happened, what will happen. Every piece of information becomes part of the foundation that your child will use to build or ‘construct’ their future knowledge. The more experiences a child has, the easier it will be for him to make learning connections. This is how ALL knowledge is aquired.
Make sure your child has materials to work with, experiment with and explore. Wood coving (for ramps), bubble solution (easily bought or made at home), a hammer, saw, hand drill, nails and screws, different sizes of boxes, tempra and finger paints and brushes- these materials and many more offer your child rich opportunities for exploration. Expect a mess, put some limits on what can be done where, but let your child get ‘down and dirty’ investigating.
Ask questions about what your child is doing, building, or exploring. ‘Why?’ and ‘What if…?’ might cause her to think further- or it may not. Respect your child’s exploration by allowing her to ignore your question or suggestion if it doesn’t interest them at that time.
Make trips to the library to find books about what your child has explored. Try to find the answers to the questions the two of you have.
Encourage your child to draw a picture representing what he is doing. It’s a great way to have a lasting record of his projects. You can also take a picture of a work-in-progress or of a finished work.

How children learn

Learning to read & write

Math ideas

Lifeskills

Cooking with kids

Conflict resolution

School calendar

Project & research reports

How children learn		Learning to read & write
Math ideas		Lifeskills
Cooking with kids		Conflict resolution
School calendar		Project & research reports