Block Play

 Influences of Block Play on Academic Learning in Preschool

Influences of Block Play on Academic Learning in Preschool (csp.edu)

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This is an excellent article for the study of the theory of block play information. It gives the reader a pleather of information on different studies of children in block play. This article needs to solve the mystery of the importance of block play in early childhood. But can help support one's argument about the significance of block play. 

 Block Play

Not just a theory: Block play builds STEM skills in early childhood - First Things First

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This article explains how children that build with blocks help support STEM in early childhood. And how introducing block play to children now can help them to become successful in the future as they continue in school. 

Foundations of Learning: Teacher's Role in Block Play 

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I liked this video and how it talked about the role of the teacher and knowing when to interject yourself into the children's play. This information is critical for teachers to know. Giving the children enough support to help guide them in the right direction but not to take over or detour them from playing. Being an active observer gives the children the support they need. But removing yourself once the children get the idea or understanding of block play. I also like that the block is labeled, and the teacher uses the clean-up process as a teachable moment with naming the blocks. This video was informational concerning block play.

Building and Block Area in an Inclusive Classroom

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I liked this video because it was informative about what I must consider when creating this workspace for the children. The questions the video brings to light can help create a checklist to create a block center. 

Book: Changes, Changes by Pat Hutchins

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I really like this book. It is a great way to introduce different ways the children can use blocks in the block center. This book is a great way to start a conversation about what we can use the blocks for, giving examples from the book. I also like this book because it is a picture book and can allow the children to be creative with telling the story. This book also helps children that are non-readers and helps them form associations between the words and the pictures. 

Book: When I Build with Blocks by Niki Alling

                                

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I like this book I children's great ideas for using the blocks in the block area. They can use their imagination to pretend they are an astronaut in outer space or a pirate sailing the seven seas. This would be an excellent book for children who love to use blocks to build things.

Lesson Extensions

Block Rainbow

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In this lesson, the children will learn about the rainbow.

Science- Scientist Isaac Newton explains how a rainbow forms. He said that sunlight is made up of the colors of a rainbow. When those colors of the rainbow are mixed together, it is called white light. White light is the light we see every day.

Technology- https://youtu.be/Cm9ZkYTnCNE How to make a rainbow.

Religion / Relationship - We will discuss how God made the rainbow and His promise to Noah in Genesis 6-9 / rainbows make people feel happy inside. The children can talk about the different feelings the color make them feel.

Reading - The World Made a Rainbow by Michelle Robinson

Engineering- The children will build a rainbow with the Lego blocks.

Art- The children will make rainbows in the art center using materials (paper or playdough) other than paint.

Mathematics- The children will count and sort pompoms matching printed rainbow cards with numbers. 

 

 

Music and Movement

Moving to the Music

I like the article Music, Movement, and, Make-Beleive in the Preschool Classroom. It gave great strategies for incorporating music and movement into children's day.

I would have liked the article to discuss the benefits of children moving to music. Why music and movement are essential for young children? How it improves self-esteem and helps children to develop social skills. And that movement with peers and teachers helps preschoolers focus on teamwork, communication, mutual respect, and trust in others and simply encourages more positive social encounters with those around them. The article seems to be geared toward parents, but it sounds like it was more for educators.

Ratings of 𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮

Strategies to use in your classroom. This teacher gives us some ideas to get our kiddos engaged in music and movement.

Rating of  5 thumbs up 👍👍👍👍👍

The video Nature Jam's PrescJam'sProdigies Pilot-Sweet Beets-Rhythm Lesson and Song for Kids is excellent for children in Music, Movement, and Make-Believe. The children are learning about rhythm and using their bodies to make music while dancing to the beat. They are learning to create an expression using the body as a percussion instrument. They are also learning about rhythmical pulse, which is related to science, and rhythm patterns, which are related to mathematics which connect this to STR²EAM. The beet and the cherry bouncing to the beat incorporate the make-believe aspect of the video. Adding children to the video would have made it a little more engaging for children. An extension to address all STR²EAM concepts would be science, hearing music coming out of a radio is experiencing frequency, technology using a sound beat app to make beats, reading learning to read music, religion singing praises to God, engineering creating musical instruments, art draw pictures of the music they hear, and mathematic counting the beats in the song. 

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This video will get the children moving and singing.

Rating of 5 bananas 🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌

Reflecting on the story, Violet's Music is about a girl who loves to make music all day. It sets a reading focus for children to listen to all the different ways Violet makes music throughout the story. Science can be incorporated by teaching the children that Violet played with different objects throughout the story, making sounds that vary in volume (loud and soft) and pitch (high and low). Violet created instruments out of all types of materials, such as paper, glitter, glue, and a racket that can be connected to STR²EAM. An extension to address all STR²EAM concepts would be science exploring how to view sound, technology using karaoke machines, reading the children can use sequencing to retell the story, religion violet had faith that she would find others that love music, engineering creating musical instruments, art play music, and the children draw what they hear. Mathematic counting musical instrument Violet played in the story. I believe I will be adding this one to my book collection. 

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Check out this STR²EAM book for music and movement. 

Rating of 5 drums 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁

This book introduces the children to the different instruments they may have yet to see or hear of. 

Rating of 4 cellos 🎻🎻🎻🎻