Hello Branch Families!
It’s hard to believe October has already ended. The Branch classroom had so much fun enjoying all things autumn this month. Happy Harvest was a beautiful weekend, and it was so nice to see our families outside the classroom! This month, we had a truly ‘hands-on’ time exploring our FIVE SENSES: taste, touch, sound, smell, and sight.
Though our 5 senses were the hot topic of the month, all things ‘pumpkin’ were on our to-do list as well! From stories, songs, circle time activities, pumpkin mathematics, and jack-o’-lantern shape recognition, pumpkin seed taste testing was the biggest hit among our Branchers! As a class, we carved the pumpkins and separated the seeds. We then worked together to season the seeds, with one batch sweet and the other savory. Savory ingredients included: butter, salt, pepper, and garlic. For the sweet batch, we used butter, cinnamon, and a dash of sugar. The Branchers then had the opportunity to use their sense of taste to decide which flavor they preferred. Using tally marks for each vote, the Branchers counted and compared the number of likes for each flavor.
We focused on the sense of touch by researching different textures. One way we did this was to have each Brancher create textured hand-print art using different mediums to change the paint’s texture, including rainbow rice (bumpy), glitter (rough), and feathers (soft). To further explore our sense of touch at circle time, we introduced a ‘Mystery Grab Bag’ full of items gathered from around our classroom. Each Brancher was invited to grab one item without looking and try to guess what it was based on their sense of touch. The Branchers did an amazing job identifying each of the classroom objects in the bag! Discussing temperature was a perfect way to incorporate learning about the sense of touch. A hot-and-cold temperature test was next on our bucket list! The Branchers were able to feel the difference between a sealed Mason jar filled with hot water and a jar filled with ice-cold water. Their favorite part was adding corresponding food coloring to the bottles… red/hot and blue/cold. We believe the Branchers had a ton of fun learning about their sense of touch through all these hands-on activities!
We also talked about our sense of hearing. One of the books we introduced at circle time was The Listening Walk, which helped us identify and think about all the sounds we can hear while simply being quiet outside. Afterward, the Branchers had their own opportunity to listen to our classroom and share what sounds they could hear. They did an excellent job listening and identifying the sounds they heard!
As we continued to explore our senses, the Branchers had the opportunity to use their sense of smell during a mystery-scent game. Make sure you ask your Brancher what their favorite sweet smell was!
Learning about our sense of sight was fun as we introduced and incorporated new circle time games. ‘Eye Spy’ was just one of the many games we played throughout the month. Each Brancher took turns guessing what each friend had spotted using their sense of sight. Our Branchers also used their sense of sight as they drew another monthly self-portrait. Looking into a mirror, each Brancher was asked to draw what they saw. From circular faces to long eyelashes, each ‘self-portrait’ was uniquely their own! It is amazing to watch their focus and attention to detail as they draw themselves. It will be exciting to watch as they continue to progress with their self-portraits each month throughout the year!
October has been a wonderful month in the Branch classroom. Inside and outside the classroom, we have learned to love, care for, and nurture one another, which has made us stronger and more unified! We appreciate you and your Brancher. With that said, November will be filled with Friends, Family, and Thankfulness! It will be a month of joy, love, and gratitude!
- Ms. Heather
- Ms. Maci
- Ms. Gracen
