New Life Learning Stories Update
New Life in the Pond.
We spotted frogspawn in our pond yesterday and today we saw three frogs swimming around! It is hard to see the frogspawn unless the sun is shining on the pond so you need to look very carefully.
Over the next few weeks we will learn about the life cycle of a frog as we see it develop right before our eyes.
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Winter Learning Story
Have a look at our Winter Learning Story to find out what we have been learning about at nursery recently.
Try At Home
Supporting Children’s Learning at Home.
This term we introduced a Try at Home board which you will see in the foyer.
This board and the displays bedside it will give you ideas to support your child’s learning at home.
The activities promote language development by extending children’s vocabulary and listening and attention skills. Within science we are encouraging children to observe, explore and investigate what they see in their world around them.
We started off with a simple baking activity using some surplus apples from the orchard and some seasonal songs and nursery rhymes and now we are encouraging families to take part in an Autumn treasure hunt.
Please help yourself to information sheets and let us know if you have suggestions for activities to support learning and development at home.
Well done to everyone who has taken part so far!
Splish splash splosh.
This week in nursery we have been experimenting in water play with funnels, pipes and containers indoors and out. We are using mathematical language and through our investigations, observations and discussions we are developing a sense of size, amount and measurement;
What does a funnel do?
Why does the water overflow?
Why is the water leaking?
What is an airlock?
Why does the water make a gurgling sound?
Can water flow up?
Who can make the loudest gurgle?
Look at our beautiful poppies.
In November we scattered Poppy seeds given to us by Poppy Scotland at the top of our hill as part of our learning about Remembrance Sunday. We are thrilled to see how big and beautiful they have grown and how much colour it has added to our garden.
For more information about the work that goes on at Poppy Scotland please look on the Education page on their web site. You might even just spot a few familiar faces!
Goodbye Butterflies
Do you remember the little caterpillars we had in nursery? Well can you guess what they grew into? We watched them eat and grow plump, then sleep in their chrysalis’ just like in the ‘Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Crale. Then one morning when we came into nursery we discovered they had grown into beautiful ‘Painted Lady’ butterflies and hatched out of their chrysalis’. We fed them fruit and sugary water for a few days to give them the strength to fly away. It was lovely watching them fly out of the net and off into the nursery garden. If you would like to find out more about caterpillars and butterflies please have a look in the morning red group floor book.
We are still patiently waiting to spot some frogs in our pond. So far we have observed lots of tadpoles swimming around, especially when it is sunny when they swim to the surface of the pond. The wraparound children will keep an eye on them over the summer holidays and let us know of any changes.
Together we enjoy handling, tasting, talking and learning about different foods…
The children at Bathgate Early Years Centre enjoy taking responsibility for caring for and growing fruit, vegetables, plants and flowers in our orchard and outdoor areas. Each week they enjoy spending a group time in the green house watering the produce, observing the changes and growth. They have worked hard to label everything they have planted. Please come in and have and look and join our ‘garden gang’.
Each week the fruit man comes to Bathgate Early Years Centre to allow children to select fruit and vegetables for snack. This week the children also used the fruit to make juicy fruit salads to take home. The fruit and veg is available for members of the public to purchase too. The blue van is parked outside the early years centre on Mondays around 12pm. Please feel free to pop inside the van and have a look. The produce is also available to purchase inside nursery at 20 pence per item at our food cooperative. Please ask Mrs Todd for more information.
Also this week Tracy the Tesco Community Champion spent a day in nursery. Children were learning more about where fruit and vegetables come from and how they grow. They also thoroughly enjoyed handling and tasting sessions…….
“Taste d different vegetables.” Katie, aged 4.
“I learned all about potatoes.” Maya, aged 4.
“I learned about carrots.” Jamie, aged 4.
“I liked the sweetcorn.” Ruby, aged 4.
“I liked the carrots.” Romi, aged 4.
“I learned about all the different vegetables.” Grace, aged 5.
“She told us a story about a turnip.” AJ, aged 3.
“Some vegetables grow under the ground and some grow on top.” Megan, aged 4.
“I looked at all the vegetables but I did not like them.” Shay, aged 5.
“I liked all of the vegetables.” Keris Anne, aged 3.
“If you put a potato in the frying pan it turns out crispy.” Matthew, aged 4.
“You get vegetables in the supermarket.” Ava, aged 4.
“I put tomatoes in the fridge to make them cold.” Beth, aged 4.
“Cucumber is juicy.” Siraj, aged 3.
“Sweetcorn is wet.” Gillan, aged 3.
“The people tried and tried to pull the turnip out but needed more help. I Liked the spring onions.” Louis, aged 4.
“They were nippy (spring onions)”. Roisin, aged 4.
“I liked cucumber, It’s green and sweet and juicy and watery.” Megan, aged 4.
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Breaking News! Frogspawn discovered in garden pond.
Once again this year we have been very fortunate to discover frogspawn in our garden pond. Children are checking the progress daily, patiently awaiting the tadpoles to hatch. Please feel free to have a look for yourself. We will keep you posted on the developments.
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Creepy crawly caterpillars.
We have been very busy transferring our caterpillars into their individual little ‘homes’ so they can munch up all their special food. If you know the story of ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Crale then you just might know what is going to happen next….
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