This week we read the book Grandfather Tang's Story, by Ann Tompert, continuing with our exploration of two dimensional shapes.  This is a Chinese folk tale about two fairy foxes told in tangrams, which are seven shapes cut from a square that are arranged to make other shapes.  In this story the foxes shift their shapes to become different animals.  After we read the story, children explored with plastic tangram pieces and then made their own pictures using tangrams cut out of paper.

In math we have started a unit on geometry.  Our focus thus far has been observing and describing two-dimensional shapes, noting each shape's distinguishing features, such as number of sides and corners or vertices.  We have spent time sorting shapes by different attributes, recording different ways one set of shapes can be sorted.

Children also had an opportunity to explore different ways of composing a larger shape using smaller shapes (e.g. a hexagon can be made with two trapezoids or 1 trapezoid and 3 triangles).  They used pattern blocks to fill in an outline of an object.  Once they had covered the object with blocks they used pattern block stickers to make a permanent representation.  They finished by completing a simple table, recording how many of each shape they used as well as the total number of shapes.   It's interesting to compare the different ways children fill in the same outline.  Lots of rich math is hidden in this super fun and engaging activity.

In addition we played a game called the barrier game.  Partners each have a three by three grid, hidden from the view of the other partner.  One partner uses specific directions to tell the other partner where to place shapes on the grid, trying to create two matching grids.  This activity provided practice in naming shapes and using position words such as above and below.  It's also a great exercise in speaking clearly and listening!

Last week we started a Project Lead the Way science unit on forces and motion called "Pushes and Pulls."  In this unit, students will explore different forces and identify them as pushes or pulls.  We will also explore the effects of different strengths and directions of pushes and pulls on the motion of an object.  So far we have learned that pushes are forces that move an object away and pulls are forces that move the object closer.  While most often we can see the force being applied, we have also talked about forces that we might not see, including wind and gravity.

Over the last few days we have been noticing pushes and pulls that we use throughout our days.  It's amazing how many we were able to identify once we started paying attention!  Some of these include pushing or pulling a door to open it, pulling on snow pants, shoes, boots, mittens, pushing in a chair, pushing and pulling pencils and markers to write, pulling paper towels out of the dispenser, pushing and pulling the faucet to turn it on and off, pushing and pulling sleds, snowballs, swings and myriad other objects on the playground.  When we start thinking about it the list is endless.

Pushing in a chair

Pushing and pulling to cut

Using wind to push a propellor

Pushing the door open

Pulling a zipper

Pushing and pulling a crayon

Pushing a sled

Pushing and pulling the tire swing

Pushing a swing

Pushing a snowball... up the hill!

Pulling to climb up the structure