Inside the Classroom

Pamplemousse helps us humanize the learning environment by offering comfort, attention without judgement, class camaraderie, practicing empathy and paying attention to non-verbal cues, helping to maintain healthy friendships. We also learn a great deal of responsibility with gusto, supporting leadership qualities. Pampy also grabs our interest in every domain: science, art, ELA, and math! We do not simply learn about animals, but how to address all these domains using child-directed inquiry!

With one math group tossing numbered balls into basketball hoop hats and adding, we yave our second group doing addition ring toss with a partner.

Before our day starts

It all begins with an cultivating a sense of belonging. Sometime within the first few minutes of arrival, I endeavor to make a meaningful, personal connection with each child.

Sample Daily Schedule

  • 8-8:15 Arrival Time

  • 8:15-8:30 Socio-emotional group activity

  • 8:30-8:40 Wiggle Break 

  • 8:40-9:15 Circle Time (Belonging, SEL, and

    literacy emphasis)

  • 9:15-9:35 Cooking Club

  • 9:40-10:15 Snack/outdoor recess

  • 10:20-10:40 math games in small groups

  • 10:45-11:10 Science and/or maker/engineering 3-5 years, art for nappers

  • 11:15-11:35 Choice Time

  • 11:40-12 phonemic and alphabetic awareness (building blocks to writing and reading)

  • 12:05-12:30 lunch and outdoor recess

  • 12:30-1:15 Indoor play, art, engineering, and STEM work with an socio-emotional emphasis (science journals in small groups)

  • 1:20-1:25 guided meditation and sound bath

  • 1:25-1:40 Read aloud (nap option 1:20-2+ flexible)

  • 1:40-145 Wiggle break

  • 1:45-2:05 Response to Read aloud

  • 2:05-2:15/20 exercise/yoga/obstacle course, group games

  • 2:25-3:00 Art/indoor play

  • 3:10-3:20 music: dance party, match the beat, move to changing beats, collaborative response to music etc.

  • 3:20-3:50 Choice Time (learning materials available for play (ie measuring tape, string, measuring blocks during measurement)

  • 4-4:15 Read aloud

  • 4:20-4:45 Small Group pre-reading/Reading Time with listening station, library/interactive books and flannel storytelling station, pre-writing/writing station using a variety of materials such as a light box, stamps, stickers, phonetic word or letter collage/art, legos, white boards, playdough/cloud dough etc.

  • 4:50-5 Question of the Day closure (ie. What made you smile today?)

Being slime experts, we are testing the stretch, viscosity, weight and weight bearing traits of a variety of slimes to determine THE MOST POWERFUL Non-Neutonian Fluid aka SLIME!

Student designed their own “Alien Appearance” during our space unit. I used non-toxic, sensitive skin children’s face paint to help create their vision!