The Week Ahead 20180504

  

  The importance of art           Children are naturally curious. From the minute they gain control of their limbs, they work to put themselves out into the world to see how it all works. They explore, observe and imitate, trying to figure out how things operate and how to control themselves and their environments. This unrestricted exploration helps children form connections in their brain and it helps them learn. Moreover, it’s great fun. Art is a natural activity to support free play in children. The freedom to manipulate varied materials in an organic and unstructured way allows for exploration and experimentation. These artistic endeavours and self-directed explorations are not only fun, but educational as well. Art allows young learners to practise a wide range of skills that are useful not only for life, but also for learning: 

     

  Fine motor skills: grasping pencils, crayons, chalk and paintbrushes helps children develop their fine motor muscles. This development helps children with writing, buttoning a coat and other tasks that require controlled movements. Cognitive development: art can help children learn and practise skills like patterning and cause and effect (e.g. pushing very hard with a crayon makes the colour is darker). They can also practise critical thinking skills by making a mental plan or picture of what they intend to create and following through on their plan. Mathematics skills: children can learn, create and begin to understand concepts like size, shape, making comparisons, counting and spatial reasoning. Language skills: as children describe and share their artwork, as well as their process, they develop language skills. These skills are supported by actively listening and asking open-ended questions in return. Art also provides a fantastic opportunity to learn new vocabulary words (e.g. texture). Wellbeing: in addition to helping young learners develop important skills, free expression is also good for overall health and wellbeing. Giving children a creative outlet can help relieve stress and work through things happening in their lives. By encouraging artistic expression, you can help facilitate learning. When children feel good while they are creating, self-confidence receives a boost. Additionally, children who feel able to experiment and to make mistakes feel free to invent new ways of thinking, which extends well beyond the classroom.

  

Adapted from http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/the_art_of_creating_why_art_is_important_for_early_childhood_development and https://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/development/intellectual/why-art-and-creativity-are-important/   A cautionary word to parents……….are you ready to get creative? Before you decide to allow your young artist to get creative at home, it is crucial to mentally prepare yourself as well as to prepare the environment appropriately. If the living room is a white-themed sanctuary, this is clearly not the place to let your child loose with paint and glitter. Getting creative is also NOT a time to maintain appearances; old t-shirts, joggers and bare feet (weather permitting) are essential. Art can be messy; it is supposed to be expressive and by default with young learners, that generally equates to messy. Therefore, prepare for a mess. Set up an art space where your child can be free to experiment; put newspaper on top of your kitchen table or on the floor. Better still, have an art corner somewhere where the flooring is easily washable and there is lots of space, light and ventilation. Consider buying an easel, or a table and chairs that are child height. If the weather permits, let your child paint outside.  

 Whilst your young Monet is creating, avoid giving direction. Try not to tell your child what to do or how to do it. Instead, encourage your young artist to experiment with mixing colours, use several types of brushes and sponges or to add embellishments. Play music to help your child create. ‘Tell me about what you made’, ‘Did you have fun making it?’ are great conversation starters. Be close and let your child know that you’re interested, however resist the temptation to join in – keep your distance and let Picasso get to work! And when they’re finished, they are finished. It is not the place of a parent to become the art critic; try not to suggest additions or changes, it is important that your child feels that they have created something worthy of recognition. Once completed, there are some wonderful ways to display your child’s art, which allows the grown-ups to get creative too.

    

  Classroom News for week beginning Monday 7^th May 2018 

   EY1 – Erica Ni writes about the theme The Very Hungry Caterpillar After art project week, EY1 is going to continue our theme The Very Hungry Caterpillar. On the 8^th of May, we will have a special event in EY1. Children will dress up like the food from the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Dragonfly children and bumblebee children will play the game together to build relationships and review the words and phrases from the book. We will also do sink and float experiment with children and talk about which objects are sinking and which objects are floating. We are reading: 《好饿的毛毛虫》 《小船的旅行》 The Very Hungry Caterpillar We are singing: 《小老鼠》 《手指谣》 Days of the week Special dates: 8^th May: Dress up like food day   EY2 – Vivian He writes about the theme A Squash and a Squeeze This week, we will continue learning about our theme story. We will read stories about our children‘s favourite characters. The children in EY2 will have the opportunity to learn how their favourite characters solve the problems when they face difficulties. They will also use various materials to design different masks and capes for their favourite characters. We are reading: A Squash and a Squeeze The three little pigs 有了问题怎么办？ 小红帽 小马过河 We are singing: 5 Green Speckled Frogs One finger, one finger There were 10 in the bed 大狮子 三只章鱼 A note from the EY2 team: For show and tell children could bring their favourite books or pictures about their favourite characters.   EY3 – Nicole writes about the theme Adventures under the Sea “All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full.” King Solomon. This week the children will be looking deeper into the sea. We will be looking at how to sort see animals and sea plants. E.g. Are corals sea animals or sea plants? How do humans protect them? The children will choose their favourite animals and use different kinds of materials like paper cards, paper rolls, umbrellas and clay to make them. We will read the story ‘A shark likes to laugh’ together and talk about why or why not animals like the shark, and then we will act the story out in our puppet show theatre. We are reading: 《爱笑的鲨鱼》 A shark likes to laugh We are singing: 《海藻歌》 There I was just a-swimming in the sea Special date: May 26^th is Carnival Day   EY4 – Emily Gu writes about the theme Imagine That A wolf, and knocked at the door, and said: “Little pig, little pig, let me come in.” But the pig answered: “No, no, by the hair of my chiny-chin-chin.” The Three Little Pig story is so popular to our children. Children will start to talk about the charact story, events and main setting of the story, they will use images from the story to sequence the story and they will work in small groups to role play their own different versions of three little pig stories, On English day they will model how they can use actions to go with the story which will help them to be able to remember and retell the story. We are reading: 《三只小猪》 Three Little Pigs We are singing: 三只小猪   Music and Movement – PeiHua and Sarah write about life in the music space EY 1 – The weather is warming up and the children will find many marvellous mini beasts in our secret Music garden.  This week we will discover a new creature with a house on its back and learn the Chinese children’s rhythm and movement game 小蜗牛.  We’ll also slide along like snails to music and learn a fast and slow nursery rhyme about garden creatures. EY 2 – “Wise old man, won’t you help me please? My house is a squash and a squeeze!” Beloved British children’s author Julia Donaldson and her husband Malcom have created songs for many of her books.  This week we’ll sing this theme’s book A Squash and a Squeeze together. We’ll also visit the pigs and sing 小小猪. Other farm animal favourites will continue. EY 3 – Let’s go fishing! Pack a pair of socks as we dive into the super fun new 小鱼游 dance activity this week. We’ll also introduce 1 2 3 4 5 Once I Caught a Fish Alive, a traditional English children’s song. As always we will continue to review our favourite sea songs, and play instruments along to a sea shanty. EY 4 – The Animal Rescue crew is heading to Australia to help save a beached whale this week.  The children will sing and play along to the English folk song Bound for South Australia as we make the long trip across the Pacific Ocean. The children will need to work together as they row together to 众人划桨开大船 and learn to cooperate in teams.  We’ll also listen to a whale’s song and experience the unusual sound of an Aboriginal digeridoo. We are reading: EY 2 – A Squash and a Squeeze EY 3 – Sharing a Shell EY 4 – The Storm Whale We are singing: EY 1 -美丽的蝴蝶Hello Mr. Sun, 小蜗牛, Fly Fly the Butterfly EY 2 -小小猪, A Squash and A Squeeze EY 3 -Baby Beluga, 1 2 3 4 5 Once I Caught a Fish Alive, 小鱼游 EY 4 – Bound for South Australia, 众人划桨开大船 Special notes: EY 3 children please bring a pair of socks to play with in the classroom this week. Any colour or pattern is welcome!   Spring is here and we are expanding the Music Kitchen. Pots, pans, spoons, plastic bottles, biscuit tins, chopsticks, ladles, cups… We would love to have those odd pieces from the back of your cupboard for our children to make joyful noises with!  Please drop your items in the Music Kitchen box in Reception. Should you have any questions please e-mail peihua.wang@wellingtoncollege.cn or sarah.peel@wellingtoncollege.cn for more details.