Exhaustion Kicking In!

[Guest]

Wow, can't believe it's only the fourth week back. Am trying to pace myself, but that never works!

 

Am REALLY loving my job for a change! Things are going from strength to strength at the minute for me - in my little bubble called a classroom anyway! What in past years has taken me weeks to do topic wise (due to double classroom setup and organisation of 'group work' and 'lessons') I've managed to do in a week with my lot - and the best thing is, the buzz is keeping them going, them active, them keen, them receptive and me just downright happy!

 

I've been doing senses this week and have enjoyed cross curricular links in literacy for KU and have managed to do smelly playdough (which went down like a blast!), cornflour (which kept them mesmerised for absolutely ages!), and bubble paintings. All kids getting a turn - and having a decent time at it too! I've never managed to do this before - and it's all at the kids instigation as well. They are a good bunch who are happy to give ideas as to what to do and I'm quite happy coming up with new things too! We're not cramming - we're investigating!!

 

We all had to take turns before and it meant that some kids had to wait all week for one activity. Then there was the thing that because activities were all soon structured, there was never much opportunity for going with the children's ideas.

 

I'm never going to go back to that way of working if I can help it! In fact, if my exhaustion holds at bay, it may continue like this for a while because I'll get bored otherwise!

 

Point of post - (sorry to babble!) - is that I'm doing a week on Health and Hygiene next week. There are plans to set up a role play surgery with them (the kids planning it first of course!) and I want to do stuff on germs and cleaning teeth. Have water play sorted for this subject, but was wondering if yo had any creative ideas?? Anything goes at the minute, so I would be very happy if you could give me some pointers!!

 

I think my posts recently have been the most perky I've ever posted since joining this merry band of forums over a year ago!!!! Let's hope it keeps up like this!

 

xx

[mundia]

great stuff, gater, its alwasy good tp hear what a greta time peole are having after the trials and tribulations of the past.

It does remind us that its such a wonderful job we do isnt it.

[Beau]

So glad you're having a fun time.

 

Painting with toothbrushes. Fruit and veg printing. Another idea that I got from this site was handprinting - you then get the children to wash their hands and print again whilst still wet to see how clean their hands are. Will put on my thinking cap for more ideas.

[Guest]

Thanks guys - they are great. As far as this being a great job - yes it is. I had unfortunately forgotten that and even though this is only my third year of being a qualified teacher, I was really questioning why I was doing the job at the end of last year. I was ready for re-evaluating my life choice - coz it sure wasn't working for me the way things were going.

 

I'm on cloud nine. It's hard work - but worth it. I'm glad I didn't do anything stupid!

 

Look forward to more great weeks like this one - and lots of ideas to keep me quirky!!

 

xx

[Susan]

great news gater

[Guest]

Hi Gater,

I'm doing health and hygiene too next week - great minds think alike I've asked our school nurse to come in and do a hands washing session with the class. She came in last year and brought an ultra violet box in - she squerted some 'stuff' on their hands which was invisible but when they put their hands under the light it showed as a purpley colour - she explained that this was like germs (although they couldn't see them - they were there and needed to be washed off). She talked to the children about how to wash their hands making sure they used soap, and washed inbetween their fingers etc. They all went off to wash their hands and then came back and put them into the box again - those who hadn't washed properly could still see the 'germs'. I thought it was brill - we had the cleanest hands in the school for - a good few days after . She also had a video called 'Bubble dee bub(?)' which should a couple of children going about their days - playing in the mud, playing with a dog etc. and not washing their hands - then missing a party because they were sick - I would imagine this is something that your school nurse/local health authority would be able to lend you.

 

Whoops - Gater - just re-read your post and realised your asking for creative ideas - brain fatigue!!!!

 

We've done hand prints and used them to make Hand washing posters to put in the toilets (not terribly creative).

 

Can I ask what you've planned for your water play?

Harricroft

[Guest]

Wow Harricroft - the ultraviolet thing sounds way cool !!! CSI in the classroom! I've not got the technology to do that - but have used glitter in the past and plan to do that next week too. If you put glitter on the children's hands and tell them that we need to pretend that they are germs, they need to go and wash them off. It's very hard too coz they stick in water - which makes it equally a brilliant way of getting the children to REALLY clean their hands. It also highlights how easily the germs can spread - as the germs stick to the soap and sinks. Cleaners not overly enthused about this bit, but it sure gets the point across in a very visual way. I love doing it - and the kids really get the point. They do really good drawings after too of a clean hand and a 'germy' hand.

 

As far as water play, I've had babies bathtime in there for a while. They've been independently washing the babies - but I thought it would be nice to have an adult hanging around to introduce language and encourage best way to clean. Get the babies dressed in dirty clothes and encourage the undressing and washing of the clothes too. Add your bubble bath to add to the bath scene. It's also great coz this week I've done senses and it's nice when the kids comment on the nice smells at the water tray!

 

Hope that helps! I'm also going to do stuff with teeth - I had a great tooth display last year for numeracy. I'd done a large mouth with white teeth. We stuck numbered teeth in the right order in the mouth and then I had a 'decaying' tooth that I covered numbers up with and the kids had to guess which numbers I'd covered. Just a numeracy link - but a visual one nonetheless. The decaying tooth was good coz a lot of my children have damaged teeth and they began to realise that the decay wasn't good - we had a lot of kids last year who were asking mums and dads to take them to the dentist to sort them out! I also laminated 30 numbered teeth so it was something each child could have. That was done at the end of last year when some of them could order numbers up to 20 and to 30 with support. This time I may just get them out for the laugh!

 

Thanks for your comments - keep them coming!

 

xx

[Guest]

Dear Gater

 

Great to hear that you are really enjoying working with the children. so much more fun when you can actually sit and talk to individual children and get to know them - that I think is the luxury of working in a pre school with different ratios - I have a really good fun timi with the kids doing all those things you have done whenever and however I like and I know they still learn.

Re health - not my idea I am afraid but one that sticks in my memory - so thank you whoever it was -

cleaning teeth - egg boxes - children to paint white and then show them how to clean their teeth properly - small circular motion around the gums with toothbrushes.

 

Free magazines supermarkets with loadsa pictures of food - make collages - talk about likes and dislikes - could divide up page into likes and dislikes and why. Explain what is good for them and what is not and why

 

Spaghetti dip - cold spaghetti goo - children to enjoy playing with and finding little creatures etc in it. Introduction to types of food and why it needs to be stored carefully - could actually colour the spaghetti black or green and say that it has been left out of the refrigerator

 

make fruit salad with exotic fruits - and fruit from your five a day scheme

 

vision - use magnifying glasses and blindfolds - make comparisons with children who need glasses to help them see - perhaps introduce a feely bag - inclusion/health

 

Cops and Robbers book - print finger prints from stamp pads and look through magnifying glass - everyone different - why skin is important

 

Funnybones - song and book - bones and why it is important to feed them

 

Apple and potato printing

 

I really like the idea of the funny liquid that lights up - I want some..

 

Not much more brain gone now

Nikki

[Guest]

Hi Gater, I'm also having a great time with my class. It's the smallest I've ever had - only 23 instead of 30! And I only have 10 in the afternoons at present. But this time I'm going with my own gut feelings, experience and intuition rather than trying to fit into some acceptable mould! It's given me freedom and therefore I love it again. There's still the ever present data and paperwork, but I deal with that when I need to and not let it steal my joy of actually teaching.

Onto your topic - try www.welltown.gov.uk for a great handwashing game - you have to "rub the hands with soap" until all the bugs are zapped! It's good fun and my Reception class love it. There's lots of other good things on the site but most need a lot ofguidance and support from an older child or an adult.

Have fun

Heyjude

[Guest]

Hi Gator,

I'm so glad you are enjoying yourself.

 

Creative-music.

 

5 white Teeth song

 

Children stand in a circle, 5 Children (as teeth) in the middle.

 

sing:

5 White teeth sitting in a mouth, sitting in a mouth, sitting in a mouth,

there are 5 white teeth sitting in a mouth, (slower) sitt-ing in a mouth.

( signalong-children tap the rhythm of the song on their lap, hands flat, one on top of the other...on the "mouth" word raise hands to the mouth)

 

Along came a sticky sticky sweet, a sticky sticky sweet, a sticky sticky sweet,

Along came a sticky sticky sweet.....( children put finger on teeth and wiggle the finger - like sticking to the teeth)...... then shout...AND MADE THE TOOTH GO BAD- (the children in the circle jump toward the teeth in the middle- signalong hand in fist with little finger, curved outward indicates "bad")

 

Then the adult say's "So the dentist had to take the tooth out", holds a child's hand and gently pulls him/her out of the centre of the circle saying, "He/she pulled and pulled and pulled." ( or another child can do the pulling, acting as the dentist)

 

There are 4 white teeth sitting in a mouth.................

 

Get to 1 white teeth , along came a sweet, pull out and finish with then there were none, or the children love it when I sing the whole verse, no white teeth sitting in a mouth, with my lips over my teeth and a very "gummy" version of the words.

 

It would be so much easier if we had a video gallery to "show" how songs are sung and acted out, hope this all makes sense enough to try it, the children do love it.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

More science than creative, however...

 

In a reception class I've seen a carousel of washing; the idea being to find out what's best to use to wash different things. We had feet washing with a bar of soap, flannel & nail brush etc. - loads of great sensory language (slippy soap, ticklish brush, soap smells nice, look at the bubbles...) One table was washing clothes (using washing detergent), one was washing plates etc. (using washing-up liquid). I'm sure there were one or two more, but can't just remember what they were, but it was all very hands on and the children loved it.

 

How about bubble printing?

 

That liquid sounds so cool!!! We had the nurse in last term to talk about hand-washing, and whilst she was very good, she didn't have any magic liquid!

 

Someone was on about Crazy Soap(?) last week I think (from Tesco) which sounds like a good tactile activity. I still haven't got myself to a big enough store to get some, but I really want some! Actually, I wonder if you can get it on line? I might look.