Scientists!

Welcome to the last week of summer school! This week our theme is SCIENTISTS!

Who are they and what is their job? What kind of scientist do I want to be? What are we going to learn as scientists? How can we become scientists ourselves?

We arrived in class this morning, wondering who we would have in class this week... Oh look...it’s Sayaka and Kiki! Yay! As we came in, we all went to the library area to sit and talk to our friends. It was nice to hear new petals and old petals interacting with each other so vocally.

Evie: I like this book so much. Do you like it?

Sinem: Yes I like it. This is mammy here.

Mira: Look at my finger...I go ouchy!

Rafael: Did you cry?

Mira: No...Mira no cry!

Chole: I play with my friend Mackenzie!

Akira: I play at home with daddy.

Riku: (listening carefully at all friends talking and smiling)

Once their discussion at the library was over, Rafael asked his teachers if they could play with some toys. Our answer is always, “Of course you may!”

They talked among each other and decided to play with cars and the building car track. Our Petals worked together to build the track but it was a little too tricky for them. Rafael being the older brother for everyone, asked Kiki for help, “Kiki can you please help us with the track, I think you have good idea to make it.” Kiki smiled at him and went over to help them out. After finishing Akira was quite impressed, “Oh...good job!” Chloe, “Kiki so clever!” Rafael, “Ya, that’s why I call her!” Kiki laughed and everyone thanked her for making the tracks.

It was interesting to see the interaction they had among each other while playing together. You could definitely see the old Petals being the mediators, and teaching the new Petals to wait their turns, not to push and even gave them ideas on how they could play. Our new Petals definitely tried to do their best to follow instructions, but sometime we just want to be silly! It also taught our older Petals to be more patient around our new Petals, as they are still learning. All in all a great learning moment for everyone!

Oh, time for snack...Miyashita Sensei day today, and our last one for a while!!

Ohayo Gozaimaus!!

Miyashita Sensei came in as always with a big smile.

He asked Sayaka who may be leaving, so he could say good bye to them at the end of the class. Sayaka explained to him that it will be Chloe’s last gym class with us. Miyashita sensei said, “Okay…” and started the class. As always they warmed up with the banana stretch, bridges and core balance exercises.

He then brought out the green mattress, to practice somersaults. One by one Petals took turns, but once they finished they had to hop on one leg, around the chair and to their sitting area. Miyashita Sensei leveled the exercises up, by challenging them to stand up straight after their somersault, FAST! This was a little tricky, but once again we tried our best!

After all the practice, it was time to GAMES! They played the egg game and push game. The egg game consists of the children asking Miyashita sensei in Japanese, “egg, egg, egg...what’s inside the egg?” At times he would say, rice, mommy or daddy; if it’s things we like, we can stay. But if he said “ghost!” everyone has to run away. SO MUCH FUN!

The push game was a test of their strength. Miyashita sensei took the green mattress as a “shield”  and then 2 by 2 or 3 by 3,  children would come up and try to push Miyashita sensei down. As you can imagine, they loved the idea that they were stronger than their sensei...hehehe!

Thank you Miyashita Sensei for another amazing gym class! See you next school year!

Time for  a quick circle time with Kiki! Today she introduced our new theme for the week! She started by drawing a person on the white boards. She asked petals to guess who they thought it was. There were some funny answers, “Sinem…teacher...Yuiko….Sayaka…”  Kiki replied, “It is a girl, but it’s a Scientist! “ Kiki went on to explain that a scientist is someone who looks, and observes and wonders...they listen to the ideas of others...asks questions...explores the world around them...shares their ideas...does experiments and uses special tools! Kiki asked Petals class id they do these things. As you can imagine they all said “Yes!”

Kiki: Yes you all do...therefore you all are scientists too! They only difference between you and adult scientist is that you don’t have all the tools, or a white coat and safety googles. BUT inside you are all scientists!

Kiki then went on to discuss what kind of scientists they could be and during the week we can start learning about them too! 

Have lovely evening and see you all tomorrow!

Loving Summer Petals