Free flow-Books-Plants

What a busy day we had today!



We started with a free flow day. This meant that all classes were open and it was up to the children to choose which class they would like to play in. Sayaka went up to Flowers with 6 Petals friends and Pauline went to Buds with 6 friends too. The remainder 4 friends chose to play in Petals class with Kiki. It was interesting to see how everyone played and socialized with other classes. At first everyone’s instinct is to play with the group that they know, aka their class. Towards the end, they started mixing up and even talking to other teachers freely.

This is part of Ohana’s philosophy of playful learning. We hope to continue this in the following years to come.

After our free  flow day we had our snacks and sat down with Kiki to have our Learning center. As usual we went around asking each other how we were feeling today…

Ee: I feel thirsty
Je: Good and angry- because I don’t know
Sa- I feel tired
J- I feel great
L- Happy
Rl- Lethargic
L- Good
Bn- Hmm... Happy
Ev: Happy
Bke: Happy
Ht: Peckish
Rn: Tired...

Kiki: Maybe he feel a little sensitive…(All: What is Sensitive?)...Sensitive means that small-small things might be bothering me today. Like noise, touch or even the weather.
R: Peckish

A: I feel wonderful.

After that we asked our teachers how they felt. When we reached Kiki she said, “I feel tired, but also feels promising!” Petals asked once again what that meant. Kiki explained that it means that things are looking good, things are getting better. She then reminded them about Wednesday and how sad she felt.

But now she feels like things might be getting better in Petals class, as we are slowly understand the importance of books. She then asked Petals children, “With everything we have talked about, I wonder why are books important? Why are they so special? Why you and so many other children like them?”

E: I love to look at it.
J: The pictures are so beautiful
R: Books are so important because we have to be gentle. I like to see books because we like to see pictures.
B: Don’t jump on them. IT’s for reading.
R: Because the books everyone likes to sit together and look at the picture
Rl: We don’t throw the books because if we throw books it get hurt. It gives is pictures
Rma: Because I like pictures, so I like reading it
Si: It’s so much fun.
Je: Because I just like it.
Ro: Because I see lots of pictures in it and so I like see it.
Ae: Mommy always reads it to me in the evening. I like it when Mommy reads to me.
Rl: Because if there is no more books, then we just sit. Do nothing.
Bn: Because I just like them. They give me hugs.
L: I like reading it.
So: Kiki reading book, I’m happy!
Ht: Because I just like reading them.
E: I like reading them at home. Mommy and daddy reads books with me.
J: Because it’s nice to read.
Ly: Read with Mommy. Princess books. 

Kiki ended our conversation by telling us that long time ago, we didn’t have TV, iPhones and iPads. “If we wanted to learn something or watch something, we read books. Books teach us things just like teachers do. For example, Kiki didn’t have toy cars when she was small. So if she wanted a toy car she would read in a book how to make it and then make it by herself. Same thing went for dinosaurs... Now we can look at videos on iPhone and iPad so easily. But before, we would get our books and look at the amazing pictures of dinosaurs, and learn from that.” Petals class was so amazed to hear this.

With this Kiki said that maybe, depending on how the day goes, on Monday we might bring the books back. So fingers crossed we had a respectful day of our belongings (Hint: We did...shhh don’t tell them yet!).

After that Kiki moved onto our Petals garden. Kiki explained the importance of plants and asked the children what they thought plants needed to grow. Petals class were very good at guessing that they needed water/rain and sun. Kiki also explained that just like us, plants need air, but their air is different from the air we breath. It had a SUPER FANCY SHMANCY NAME called carbon dioxide! Petals class was impressed with this SUPER fancy shamncy name. Kiki said it’s okay if we don’t remember it, but it would be pretty impressive if we could, but no pressure. Kiki explained that all plants clean the bad air around us and it’s called carbon dioxide. Apparently they even clean the air when we sleep! Pauline added that the air we breath outside from our body is also carbon dioxide. The plant cleans the carbon dioxide and gives us clean air to breath. This all happens super fast! Plants love the bad air and use it as their food, and in return they give us the clean air. Wow… plants are so important to us!

We then planted Petals garden and sang our One Seed song by Laurie Berkner.

We then headed to the park  to enjoy this beautiful day!

Next we headed out to the park and played with all of Ohana at the park!

Have lovely evening and see you all next week!

Loving Petals