The Opal school in Portland describes playful inquiry as.... This aligns with my belief about children as capable, competent and curious. I always trust that they will learn given kindness, patience and time. In our kindergarten classroom I have planned this framework around morning table work using a wide variety of loose parts and following up with a sharing circle about their thinking.  On this day they were guided with the question "what is a pattern, how can you show your thinking?" I have organized the table work to include a modified version of a gallery walk by asking the children to leave their design for the next participant to read and then move to a new space to create again. If a child comes to a space where a pattern has been left behind, then they can read the pattern and then rebuild using their own ideas. Beautiful Pinwheel Pattern by Eli I find it so interesting that their conversations revolve aro...

Two after school visitors Olivia and Georgia built a beautiful structure for the Kinders to enjoy New!!! Mrs. Stewart, educational assistant will be working in the classroom a portion of our morning. She will be shared with Mrs. Pickerell's K/1 class. Nature Learning We had a full and wonderful morning at DB Seashore this week with the children spread out along the beach enjoying a very low tide. We began with a sharing circle, storytelling and wide area game followed by a morning snack. Then the children explored the beach mostly in smaller groups building sand castles, carrying driftwood, exploring a stream and experimenting with sink and float activities with shells, rocks and small bits of driftwood. On Thursday we returned to Woodstream Park to enjoy a little science along with our regular sharing circle, story, snack and exploration. The children used nature's loose parts for a sensory activity and then during exploration Departure Bay Eco Preschool j...