Today we continued on with our exploration of Harvest, focusing on corn.

The sensory bin was full of dried corn for the children to weigh and pour.  There were also cobs of corn from which the children picked kernels and explored the cobs themselves.  We used those same kernels in a bevy of ways, using them for 1:1 correspondence, identifying numbers written on laminated corn cobs and counting out the correct number of kernels, estimating numbers of kernels in a jar and even planting kernels in a cup, OUTSIDE of a paper towel that was filled with dirt.  This way the children will have a chance to observe the growth cycle of a seed directly.  We even tried an experiment with seeds being placed in a ziplock bag that the children placed wet cotton balls in.  These bags are hanging on our window and we hope to be able to observe another way that seeds can sprout.

We compared popcorn kernels to those of corn kernels for seeds/bird food and predicted and then observed what happens to those seeds when put in a very hot pan (from a VERY FAR DISTANCE)!  We even danced to the POPCORN  song!!

We even made a great corn art project, creating tall stalks from rolled green paper, attaching roots to the bottom end of the stalk and using tissue paper to decorate the “ears” the children had cut out earlier.  We hung those in our classroom to add to the Fall theme we are building.

Of course, we worked on letter D, we sang, danced, moved our bodies and enjoyed some time working with children in other classrooms too.

Such a fun, busy week!