I CAN TASTE AND FEEL

  

                  POINT CALIMERE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL 

                            WELCOME TO  KINDERGARTEN 

                                     MY FIVE SENSES

CIRCLE TIME: Circle time in UKG is a valuable opportunity for young children to explore their emotions and understand the perspectives of others.

 During these sessions, educators guide students in identifying and expressing their feelings about various situations, fostering a sense of self-awareness and emotional literacy. Through discussions and activities, children learn to respect differing viewpoints and empathize with their peers. They engage in conversations where they can share their experiences and listen attentively to others, building essential communication and social skills. Circle time also encourages problem-solving and conflict resolution, as children learn to consider how their actions impact others and collaborate on finding solutions. By integrating these practices into their routine, educators create a supportive environment where children develop the foundations of empathy, emotional regulation, and respectful communication, crucial for their social and emotional development in early childhood.

SCIENCE TIME: The skin and the tongue are integral to our experiences of touch and taste, respectively. Our skin, the body's largest organ, is equipped with a vast network of sensory receptors that detect sensations such as pressure, temperature, and texture.

 When we touch various objects or surfaces, these receptors send signals to the brain, allowing us to discern qualities like smoothness, roughness, warmth, or coldness. For instance, running fingers over silk evokes a smooth and luxurious sensation, while touching sandpaper yields a gritty and coarse feel. Meanwhile, the tongue houses thousands of taste buds, each tuned to detect different flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. As we eat or drink, molecules from the food stimulate these taste buds, sending messages to the brain that help us identify and savor distinct tastes. Eating a ripe mango delivers a sweet and tropical flavor, whereas biting into a lemon provides a sharp, tangy sensation. Together, these senses of touch and taste enrich our interactions with the world, allowing us to explore textures and flavors that contribute to our daily experiences and enjoyment of life.

ENGLISH TIME: In early childhood education, using alliterations with specific letters like Ll, Ff, and Bb is a playful and effective way to introduce children to phonics and literacy skills.

 For example, when discussing the letter Ll, children might delight in imagining a "lively lion lounging lazily," where the repeated /l/ sound emphasizes the initial letter. Moving to Ff, they might enjoy describing a "funny fish flipping finnily," with the initial /f/ sound capturing their attention. Similarly, exploring the letter Bb could involve a "big ball bouncing beautifully," where the /b/ sound is prominently repeated. These activities not only encourage children to recognize and produce specific initial sounds but also enhance their vocabulary and phonemic awareness. By connecting these alliterations to corresponding pictures, educators create engaging contexts that stimulate curiosity and language development, laying a solid foundation for early literacy skills and fostering a love for language exploration.

MATH TIME: In today's math lesson for Upper Kindergarten, we explored the exciting world of race positions! The children gathered eagerly around as I introduced them to numbered cards from 1 to 10, each representing a different place in a race.

With wide eyes and enthusiastic nods, they quickly grasped the concept that the first card meant first place, the second card second place, and so on up to the tenth card for tenth place. Divided into small groups, they eagerly sorted and arranged the cards, their faces lighting up with each correct placement. Some even used picture cards of students to match with the numbered cards, making connections between the abstract concept and real-world scenarios. As they worked collaboratively, discussions buzzed with questions and answers, reinforcing their understanding of ordinal numbers and sequencing. Each child proudly showcased their group's arrangement, pointing out who was in the lead and who finished further back in the race. The activity sparked creativity too, as they imagined their own races with different characters and outcomes, solidifying their learning in a playful and engaging manner. By the end of the lesson, their confidence in identifying positions from first to tenth was evident, setting a solid foundation for future mathematical concepts.

ART TIME: Spreading soft food items with a knife, such as applying butter on bread, can be a highly engaging and educational activity for UKG (Upper Kindergarten) children. This hands-on task not only helps develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination but also introduces them to basic culinary skills in a safe and supervised environment. 

For many children, the tactile experience of handling a knife and spreading butter or other spreads onto bread can be both exciting and satisfying. It encourages them to explore textures, practice patience, and learn the importance of spreading evenly. Additionally, such activities promote independence and confidence as they successfully complete a task from start to finish. Beyond the practical skills, this activity can spark conversations about healthy eating habits and the importance of sharing and enjoying meals together, making it a valuable part of their early childhood learning experiences.