Posts tagged kindergarten
Investigation Area Ideas for the Start of School
Investigation Area Ideas for the Start of School

Are you looking for some simple yet highly engaging investigation areas and learning invitations to start the school year? In this blog post, you’ll discover a heap of Investigation area ideas for the start of school. These tried and tested learning invitations are my go-to setups year after year, so you’ll be sure to find some that you can use in your classroom too.

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Investigations, Classroom EnvironmentJanelle McArdleinvestigations, investigative play, learning invitation, kindergarten, first grade, grade one, starting school, foundation stage, back to school, play based classroom, play based learning, classroom setup, investigation areaComment
The Orientation Schema
The Orientation Schema

In this blog post, you will learn all about the orientation schema and why it needs to be supported in your classroom. You’ll also discover several hands-on playful activities that will help you to support this interesting play schema.

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InvestigationsJanelle McArdleplay schema, orientation schema, kindergarten, prep, preschool, first grade, grade 1, early years, early childhood, child development, play based learning, play based classroom, play based Comment
How to Write Open Ended Math Questions
How to Write Open Ended Math Questions

If you are wondering how to write open-ended math questions so you can improve your math instruction, this blog post is for you. Discover everything you need to know before you even start writing and then follow my 3 easy steps on how to write the best open-ended math problems.

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Explicit TeachingJanelle McArdlemaths, open ended, open-ended math questions, open ended questions, kindergarten, grade 1, first grade, early years math, teaching math, math problems, problem solving, teachingComment
The Transforming Schema
The Transforming Schema

The transforming schema is all about change and how things transform in substance or appearance. If you have children in your classroom mixing sand with water or drawing and painting on their bodies, you might have children developing their transformation schema. This blog post will explain exactly what this play schema is and give you a heap of playful hands-on activities to support it.

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InvestigationsJanelle McArdleplay schema, play based learning, play based classroom, developmental play, child development, transforming schema, schema play, kindergarten, grade one, grade 1, preschool, hands-on learning, investigative play Comments
The Connecting Schema
The Connecting Schema

The connecting schema is all about how things connect and separate. If you have children in your classroom tying things together, fascinated with tape or building and knocking over towers of blocks, you have children developing their connection schema. This blog post will explain exactly what this play schema is and give you a heap of playful hands-on activities to support it.

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InvestigationsJanelle McArdleplay schema, play based classroom, connection schema, connecting schema, developmental play, play based learning, kindergarten, preschool, grade one, first grade, child development, early childhoodComment
Teaching Geometry in Kindergarten
Teaching Geometry in Kindergarten

Discover why it is so important to teach kindergarten and preschool children geometry and find out all about the Australian Curriculum Geometry strand so you can be confident teaching this complex maths subject.

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Explicit Teaching, InvestigationsJanelle McArdlemaths, kindergarten, preschool, shapes, geometry, play based, play based learning, hands-on, hands-on learning, 2D shapes, 3D shapes, early childhood math, early years, math activities, math provocationsComment
A Guide to Play Schemas in Early Childhood Education
A Guide to Play Schemas in Early Childhood Education

If you would like to create an engaging and effective learning environment and confidently plan learning experiences that perfectly match the cognitive development of each child in your class, this blog post on play schemas is for you. Understanding play schemas and being able to pinpoint the ones your students are developing is critical to the success of your early childhood classroom.

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Investigations, Explicit Teaching, Classroom EnvironmentJanelle McArdleplay based learning, play based classroom, play schema, schemas, play based, developmental play, kindergarten, preschool, early childhood, early years, child development, piaget, age appropriate, child led, curriculum planning, teaching, learning invitation, handmade, provocations for learning Comments
9 Fun Hands-on Measurement Activities for Kindergarten
9 Fun Hands-on Measurement Activities for Kindergarten

How do you teach measurement in kindergarten? It isn’t the easiest math skill to teach that’s for sure but these fun and engaging measurement activities for kindergarten and preschool children will help you.

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InvestigationsJanelle McArdlemath provocations, early years math, kindergarten, preschool, maths, math activities, measurement, hands-on, hands-on learning, Australian curriculum, foundation stage, learning invitation, play based learning, provocations for learning Comment
How to Write a Statement of Intent for Your Play Based Learning Classroom
How to Write a Statement of Intent for Your Play Based Learning Classroom

If you are familiar with the Walker Learning Approach, then you are no doubt also familiar with writing a Statement of Intent. This fortnightly planning document is vital to the success of your play-based learning program. Check out this blog post to see how we write ours.

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Explicit Teaching, InvestigationsJanelle McArdleplay based learning, planning, curriculum planning, investigations, investigative play, statement of intent, walker learning, kindergarten, play based classroom, developmental play, play based, Reggio teacher, teacher planningComment
How to Write a Play Based Learning Term Overview
How to Write a Play Based Learning Term Overview

If you think curriculum planning and mapping out your term is hard work and you find it a dreaded task that seems to take you forever, you are going to love this blog post on how to write a play-based learning term overview. I’ll show you my quick and easy process.

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Explicit Teaching, InvestigationsJanelle McArdleplay based learning, play based classroom, planning, play based, developmental play, kindergarten, teaching, teacher planning, term planning, term menu, term overview, walker learning Comment
How to Write Learning Intentions for Kindergarten and Preschool
How to Write Learning Intentions for Kindergarten and Preschool

Are you wondering how to write effective and age-appropriate learning intentions for your preschool or kindergarten classroom? In this blog post you will discover some practical strategies to help you write curriculum aligned learning intentions your kindergarten and preschool children can relate to and use.

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Explicit Teaching, InvestigationsJanelle McArdlelearning intentions, kindergarten, preschool, prep, foundation stage, play based learning, planning, teaching, integrated curriculum, investigations, early childhood, early years, curriculum planning, Australian curriculumComment
Natural Loose Parts
Natural Loose Parts

Find out what natural loose parts are and the benefits of using them in your classroom. In this blog post you will discover how to easily source loose parts from nature and get started with Reggio inspired natural loose parts play in your classroom. today.

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InvestigationsJanelle McArdleloose parts, loose parts play, natural loose parts, nature play, kindergarten, preschool, primary school, learning intentions, provocations for learning, learning invitation, play based learning, reggio Comment
Science Provocations – Properties of Materials
Science Provocations – Properties of Materials

Teaching the early years chemistry strand and looking for some engaging and educational science provocations? This blog post has 5 hands-on learning invitations to help you teach about Materials and their Properties. There are also tips and ideas to help you set up your very own purposeful early childhood science learning provocations.

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InvestigationsJanelle McArdlematerials, properties of materials, material world, kindergarten science, kindergarten, preschool, preschool science, grade 1 science, grade one, first grade science, first grade, learning invitation, provocations for learning, science provocations, chemistry, play based learning, walker learning, teaching science, grade one science, hands-on learning, science, early years science, early childhood science Comment
Do You Need Learning Intentions and Success Criteria in an Early Years Classroom?
Do You Need Learning Intentions and Success Criteria in an Early Years Classroom?

Do you really need to display your learning intentions in a kindergarten or preschool classroom? In this blog post you will discover exactly what learning intentions are and learn some practical teacher tips and ideas for you to have success using or displaying classroom learning intentions in the early years learning environment.

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Explicit Teaching, Classroom Environment, InvestigationsJanelle McArdlelearning intentions, kindergarten, preschool, prep, WALT goals, foundation stage, ACARA, Australian curriculum, learning objectives, curriculum planning, early years, early childhoodComment
Reggio Emilia Provocations
Reggio Emilia Provocations

Are you interested in how Reggio Emilia provocations could enhance the teaching and learning in your play-based classroom? Many play-based teachers are aware of the highly regarded early childhood programs from Reggio Emilia in Italy. Discover how you can design learning provocations influenced and inspired by those in Reggio classrooms.

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Investigations, Classroom EnvironmentJanelle McArdlereggio inspired, reggio, Reggio Emilia, Reggio kids, Reggio classroom, Reggio teacher, provocations, provocations for learning, kindergarten, prep, preschool, playbased, play based learning, play based, play based classroom, investigations, learning invitation Comment
Loose Parts Invitation to Play - How to Set up an Inspiring Loose Parts Invitation to Play
Loose Parts Invitation to Play - How to Set up an Inspiring Loose Parts Invitation to Play

Are you interested in setting up some engaging invitations to play using loose parts? In this blog post you will discover how to use open-ended loose parts in your learning invitations. Learn how to set up those inspiring loose parts provocations and be on your way to fostering engagement and higher order thinking skills in your classroom.

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InvestigationsJanelle McArdleloose parts play, loose parts, kindergarten, preschool, prep, provocations, provocations for learning, open ended, learning invitation, play based learning, investigations, inquiry skills, reggio inspiredComment