After School Engineers Engineering projects of all kinds are a popular pastime in the After School Center. From bridge-building with Legos and K-nex to constructing large sculptures and edifices with cardboard and reused (nontoxic) construction items, from tunnel digging with sticks and bricks to...
The Fireflies, with some help from the Grasshoppers, finished their food drive for Philabundance last week by filling up Lead Teacher Joanne Schock's SUV. According to Joann, the response from the PIC community was great! "Over the course of the drive, I saw the children really begin to understand...
At PIC, we know that a story book can come to life, especially when a little magic (or Magic Circle more accurately) is added. During the Peanuts recent study of sound, the teachers and children dove into some great books to enrich their learning. Early on a clear classroom favorite became, We’re...
The Sounds of Storytelling When you read your to little ones before bedtime, is it a one way interaction? Young children experience read-alouds in many different ways and contexts, but seldom are any of these ways passive! An artfully written children’s work is interactive, colorful, carries meaning...
The Bees are on the Move! We have witnessed a huge sprout in gross motor skills in the Bumblebee classroom. Our once non-mobile babies are sitting up and reaching and grasping for toys; our former crawlers are standing and taking steps; and our walkers are now running! Gross motor skills include the...
Bugs, Slugs, and a thirst for knowledge Since starting in the summer, the Dragontails have cultivated a healthy interest in science. To be more specific, they have been extremely curious about biology, and the many amazing living things that surround us. With the fascinating new tool of a microscope...
written by Lead Teacher Joanne Browley The Process is the Product On one of our breezy fall mornings, the Rainbows ran back and forth filling a bag full of leaves. We categorized them as small, medium, or large and named the various colors of brown, red, purple, green or yellow. Bringing the leaves...
Recently, the Grasshoppers invited friends from other classrooms to come to a Fire Safety Open House. After spending two months exploring different elements of this important topic, they were eager to share what they had learned. What they learned During their study, the class visited the...
Changing Classrooms This is the time of year when children and parents are adjusting to new classrooms. At first, it can be difficult because you are used to your child’s old teachers and their routines. They know your child well and that makes it comfortable for you. So now here you are in this...
For the Love of Books! This month we have been encouraging a love of books. This awesome exploration has taken us on a journey to learn about the plot or problem in a book, the characters, and the different parts of a book. As we got more involved in our investigation we learned that we love rhyming...
