Music (31/10)

Sing along!

Alpha children have been exploring sounds.

Musical instruments are an important resource in this early contact with music. Children are exposed to different musical instruments in every Music lesson, such as claves, tambourines, shakers, bells, caxixis, reco-recos, drums, xylophones and piano. They make music, sing and move!

Here are some pictures of some of their Music lessons:

           

Children have also been singing action songs using body movement.

Check our the links to some of the songs
we have been singing:

Hickory Dickory Dock

Incy Wincy Spider

The Wheels on the bus

Walking Through the Jungle

Going on a Lion Hunt

Tiny Turtle

If you are happy and you know it

Down by the Bay

PLAY DOUGH

THIS WEEK, THE ALPHAS HAVE BEEN exploring HOW TO MAKE PLAY DOUGH. WE ALL KNOW THAT PLAY DOUGH IS FUN AND POPULAR WITH YOUNG CHILDREN and IT offers  MANY LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES ALONG THE WAY: they investigate changes in ingredients, STRENGTHEN their hand-muscles and develop their creativity! 

The recipe we used in class was only with water, salt, flower and food coloring, but we are are posting a different one that lasts much longer, but needs to be made by grown ups as it involves the oven.

The Best Home Made Play Dough Recipe:

(to be made by parents): 

Ingredients: 

3 cups white flour

1 cups salt
3 tablespoons cream of tartar (find it in the spice section)
3 tablespoons oil

3 cups water
food coloring

Directions:

Mix first 4 ingredients in a pan. Add water and mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5 - 8 minutes. Dough will become difficult to stir and form a “clump”.  Remove from stove and knead for 5 minutes–add food coloring during kneading process. 

Play dough will keep for a long time stored in a covered plastic container or plastic sandwich bag.

Try it out! Your child will love it!

Now a few pictures of the play dough we 
made in the classroom:


Alpha Sigma

                                                                  Lucila

Alpha group 

Alpha Omega

Maria Luísa, Isabella and  Pedro Barchese

Pedro Belli, Lucas, Ben and Fernanda

Alpha Delta

 Catarina 

 Mariana 

Alpha Beta

Manoela, Rafael, Leonardo and Julia.

Pietro, Tomás, Laura and Ana Teresa.

Clay

Clay

Alpha children have been encouraged to manipulate clay!
As well as various other activities they have been exposed to, manipulating clay allows them to strengthen their large and small hand muscles, to develop their hand-eye coordination and to enhance their attention span, not to mention their creativity. 
It also gives children the opportunity to notice cause and effect, as they squeeze 
the clay and notice that some changes happen.

Here are some pictures of children experiencing with clay:

Alpha Delta 

Maya and Stella 

Luiz Eduardo and Felipe 

Alpha Sigma

 

Bernardo, Lucca and Alice

Maya, Julia and Felipe

Alpha Beta

Julia and Pietro

Laura and Manoela 

Alpha Omega

Fernanda

Maria Luisa, Pedro Barchese, Ben and Cecília


Song of the Week:

Head, shoulders, knees and toes

Sandpit

Sandpit

Alpha pupils have the chance to enjoy the sandpit weekly. 
Sand play is not only an activity they have fun but it is also a great
 opportunity to promote physical, social 
and cognitive development.

Children work their large muscles skills while digging and pouring sand and small muscle control improve as children manipulate sand toys. 
Sand play also promotes social skills as children learn to play together and share.

Here are some pictures of Alpha groups working and playing.

Alpha Omega

Pedro Barchese, Cecília, Isabella and Maria Luísa

Alpha Omega

Alpha Sigma

André and Théo

Lucila, Theodora, Manuella and Alice

Alpha Beta

 Tomás, Laura, Ana Teresa, Manoela and Maria Helena

Yuri and Rafael

Alpha Delta

Maurício, Otto and Felipe

Alpha Delta