Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Why not explore the wind?

It is Tuesday and this is a "Slice of Life" for Two Writing Teachers.  Check out their website for lots more reflections on teaching.

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As I headed up the escalator from the metro station to the street,
I was greeted by a strong, cold wind.
The wind pushed me all the way to school.
How happy I was that the wind was going my way!
I wondered what the children would think of this, 
as they made their way into school.

I thought, 
Oh my, we have to celebrate the day's wind.

Somehow.

How might I engage the children about this wind?

Impulsively, instinctively, inadequately

I set up a very simple table project to create "wind sticks" to take with us on our daily walk- 
bright orange streamers cut into long strips, 
attached to simple craft sticks, 
with small jewels and markers to bedazzle the sticks.


Several children found this "morning arrival" project to be fun and engaging, and, together, we created enough "wind sticks" for every child in the class.

Later, after centers, it was time for our daily walk.

Off we went, every child excitedly carrying this simple stick in their hand.







As we stepped outside, 
dare I say, 
I was blown away by their sheer delight?





Smiles. Laughter. Shrieks. 
Joy. Delight. Marvel.

Wonder.


I had not anticipated how surprised they'd be to see
their streamers 
take off into the air,
all pointing in the same direction,
frisky,
wild,
energized.

"Look! Look! Look at the wind!"
"Look! Look! Look at my stick!"

Such a simple idea,
such enormous amazement by the children.





Great fun for their teacher, too!





8 comments:

  1. Can my daughter come to DC and be in your pre-school class? This is EXACTLY the type of experience I hope she will have!

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  2. Delight for the students and the teacher was so fun to read. You are so clever to capture the wind and joy!

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  3. I want to go back to preschool and to your class! You also gave me a great reminder to be more expressive as I teach English to my ELL students. Maybe we need to go out and celebrate "wind" one day too. Thank you for a wonderful post!!

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  4. Oh, this is just wonderful, Maureen, the day, the activity, & the delight, especially those photos-priceless (yours too). I want my granddaughters to have you for a teacher!

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  5. How fun! The fun of the wind and the delight of the smiles on those little faces? what could be better? Thanks for sharing this story and I would be so happy to know my daughter's teacher had this much fun teaching her!

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  6. You will stay forever young because you know how to enjoy wind together with children.

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  7. My daughter loved this! Amazing that you came up with the idea in one morning, and I love the idea of celebrating the wind.

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  8. I was just thinking I would make wind socks but might be hard but these would be perfect. We have to talk about the wind today because it is blowing so great.

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