Inquiring About Fall- Sunflowers and Apples

After we have created an amazing learning community, we focused on continuing to grow an inquiry mindset! We look at the world around us, notice, wonder, try to find out answers and document what we see and find out! I brought in a sunflower for them to investigate.

They loved using tweezers to take out the seeds and it was a good exercise to strengthen fine motor skills! It took them a while to figure out where the seeds were since they were only seeing the tops!



Our digital microscope is one of their favorite science tools to look closer!







We also used watercolors, oil pastels and sharpies to create observational art!





They noticed how the seeds were in the middle and had a pattern. They learned about how sunflowers grow and the sunflower life cycle. They also learned what sunflowers are living things and what they need to survive.

Here is some of their sunflower art. The paper plate sunflowers were done in their art class!

Next I set out apples for them to explore. We learned that harvesting sunflowers is something that happens in the Fall. They learned that apples are also harvested during the Fall season. I love giving them everyday objects that they have seen hundreds of times, and having them look closer! They notice things they didn’t ever notice before! We learned about the life cycle of an apple tree also!

I changed up our sensory tub! I added the dice to see if they might create some games but they were more interested in the sensory aspect of it and sorting the apples using tweezers.

They noticed that apples were not always just one color but could also be red, green yellow and even a bit of orange all in one apple! Again, we used art to show what we noticed!









I set up the science table for them to explore apples, but forgot to take a picture of this invitation to learn! They were very interested in the star in the middle of the apples!

Mostly they were interested in an invitation for them to see if an apple or lemon would sink or float. They wondered why the apple floated but the lemon didn’t! This was very interesting to them! I think an inquiry into what sinks and what floats will be in our future!

They explored measurement using apples and documented what they noticed.

Next we tasted apples and used adjectives to describe their taste and texture!

They recorded their opinions about the taste of each apple.



Here are the results!



Our Student teacher Miss Abby went over what they noticed about the data. She talked about how the word equal means the same in math! 



For our project, we decided to document the details through art and use the describing words we came up with for each apple in a display. They were very serious about making sure they mixed the paint to exactly match the shades of their apples!





They wrote out the describing words by sounding out the words and writing the sounds they hear. To display their work, I had to think outside the box as our new bullion boards are vertical rather than horizontal. 















We ended by making homemade applesauce! Cutting those apples into teeny pieces was a very good fine motor muscle workout!









It was delicious! All of them tried it and most liked it! 

Now that the leaves are finally changing, we will see what else we notice about the Fall Season!

Outdoor Learning: It’s More Than Just a Break (And A New Barefoot Sensory Path)

At our Early Childhood Center, we had an Outdoor Learning Committee that was dedicated to creating outdoor learning experiences that gave children the opportunities to explore their environment, build core strength, connect with nature, and use collaborative, critical and creative thinking skills! Outdoor play was not looked at as a break from learning, but rather a natural way that kids learn about the world around them. For example, they are learning  social skills as they play and create games together, learn how to problem solve as problems arise during those games, and learn how to get along as they play.

They are learning how to take risks that are not too dangerous yet allows them to find out what their physical limits are. 

They are learning about the sciences as they explore insects, plants, sound and weather. They learn physics as build and balance large objects. These happen naturally if an outdoor learning area is set up for it! Here are some examples of outdoor learning from our old playground.

These experiences were what most often started our investigations into science related studies in our classroom!

Now we have a fresh, new playground! A blank slate to create opportunities for kids to explore, discover and learn! My class has already started investigating the seeds coming off the bushes in the mulch along with crickets that live in another bush! They have also found a frog and grasshopper that they were absolutely fascinated with as they observed them and wondered about them! They already have an investigative frame of mind!

Our first project was recreating our barefoot sensory path like the one we created at our old school. Here is the original one!

My husband has always helped with outdoor learning area projects that required some serious building knowledge, so he helped me and two other teachers who are also very passionate about outdoor learning experiences create our new sensory path that will last hopefully forever! A rectangle hole was created when they poured the concrete for us and our districts Maintenance Team filled it with gravel. We measured, framed, and measured some more. We used composite lumber this time so that it will last forever!

Here is the finished product!









At first they didn’t use it! Once I modeled for the kids how they could explore it barefoot they all wanted to try it! Without modeling how to explore it with feet and hands, they didn’t really understand what it was for because they had never seen anything like it. Once I modeled it though, they have been using it consistently!









We have a small area against the building that I am hoping we can turn into something. The sidewalk provides a natural boundary. Maybe we could plant a garden with sunflowers coneflowers, mint, lemon balm, milkweed, etc? Or maybe a sound exploration area? Maybe both? Or big logs to build with? We also have some garden boxes that maybe we can put into use. 

We don’t know yet, but our Outdoor Learning Committee and our classes will come up with some creative ways to create more opportunities to explore, discover and learn in our new outdoor space!