SMART START budding environmentalists have been learning about our wonderful planet Earth and all that it has to offer. Added curriculum has focused on caring for the planet and how to be an eco- friendly citizen. Our young learners love
"Being Green" here at school and are excited to celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd!
We are fortunate to have Memorial Hall Library located here in downtown Andover as a valuable resource for books, music and much more. MHL generously donated reusable bags to help inspire our students- the future generation! SMART START artists put on smocks and gathered around the table to decorate the bags. Each used puff paint, glue, foam shapes and letters to spell their name.
Once the bags dried, SMART START shoppers headed off to the "supermarket". Fun was had by all while grocers selected, purchased and placed items in their bags during this dramatic play activity. The children are anticipating using their reusable bags to aid in the elimination of paper and plastic while going on an errand.
Although SMART START has always recycled, this process now has new meaning as pupils are playing a major role. We gathered and separated boxes, plastic containers, fruit peels and aluminum cans brought in from sharing snack. Teachers taught about these different recyclables and how they can be reused. Items were identified, sorted and placed into bags in preparation for pickup at the end of the week. Our mini DPW crew was given the privilege to deposit their bag of items into Andover's recycling truck! All were thrilled to share about Earth Day with Andover's DPW staff and how they are working hard to help the environment!
Pre-readers look forward to circle time and are always attentive listeners and active participants. As educators, we are pleased when our pupils are engaged and passionate about the subject matter at hand. All have been engrossed in our Earth Day literature and book displays and have been providing unique commentary and suggestions.
Miss Francesca read several books about Earth in our outdoor classroom and explained the different layers that comprise earth. Open discussion consisted of insightful ideas and curiosity filled questions. It was refreshing to witness connections being made about littering, reducing waste and pollution. All learned and joyfully sang, "The Pollution" song in unison.
Recycling and garbage trucks and many other toys were used to facilitate learning through free and collaborative play!
SMART START ecologists applied attained information as they labeled and stickered four bins to assist with our recycling distribution here at school: compost, aluminum, plastic and cardboard. Lessons were reinforced through this additional hands-on unit as pupils collected and placed recyclables in corresponding bins.
Miss Francesca led an interactive, fine motor game for our young learners to utilize their eco-motivated abilities. Each were given a sheet of stickers including: compost, aluminum, plastic and cardboard/paper materials. Our students are "green" and proud! Miss Francesca led an interactive, fine motor game for our young learners to utilize their eco-motivated abilities.
Earth Day is a perfect time to appreciate nature and discovery. Happy to be outdoors and in spring climate, SMART START naturalists set out with magnifying glasses, containers and nets to search for rocks, leaves, sticks and more. Containers were filled to the brim with a variety of treasures. Classmates were overjoyed to share their findings. Some even came across plastic pieces and other littered objects that they later recycled. Actions speak louder than words and we were very impressed!
Preschoolers have been using their green thumbs to tend to our "Growing What We Eat" garden. They have learned that growing vegetables is good for the environment! We have recently replanted our sprouting vegetables to a larger space indoors and are looking forward to replanting them outside late spring. Students feel most accomplished as they maintain and watch their plants grow each week. All are anxiously awaiting the initial crop of green beans, peas, peppers and lettuce! In addition to our edible items and in honor of Earth Day, we designed our own compost bin to fill our garden with nutrients. Hard work, dedication and responsibility is the recipe for success!
SMART START engineers were ready to put forth their best effort and build creations out of recycling materials collected from sharing snack and school supplies. All drizzled glue, wrapped colored tape around and decorated with markers and bonkers. Imaginations and fine crafting formed a compilation of houses, towers, castles, fire engines and boats. Using recyclables in and around your home is a wonderful way to "go green" by not creating any further waste while providing your child with endless hours of fun and learning!
Earth enthusiasts used their eagle eyes to search and discover places and objects throughout the world by using maps, books, puzzles and flashcards.
Each student diligently completed pages in their science workbooks that focused on caring for our world. The activities included matching, coloring and sorting. Nice work!
Geography studies were most enjoyable while playing a game similar to that of musical chairs. The children gathered in a circle and passed the globe ball around while music played. When the song stopped, the child with the ball in hand pointed to something of interest on the globe such as, a lake or continent. In addition, we used our larger globe to continue learning about our world as we are now teaching the seven continents and major bodies of water.
Click below to check out more Earth Day Fun at SMART START!
We are very proud of our promising environmentalists! It was our pleasure to teach them about Earth Day. Your children hold the future in their hands to help make the world a better place.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!
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