Wind Day

We started our morning talking about wind.  We read this great book which eased us into a discussion about the wind.

Can you see the wind?  Can you taste it, feel it, hear it, smell it? If so, what does it look like, sound like, taste like, smell like?

The children all agreed we can hear the wind, and to prove their point I played Nature Sounds~Wind.

You can't listen to the wind and not want to blow about as if you were the wind, and so we did.  Moving our arms and swirling our bodies as if we were leaves on the wind.

To help the children better relate to wind, I gave each a straw and a feather.  

The goal was not to allow our feathers to touch the ground but to, instead, use our wind to keep them afloat.

I am proud to report, Ms. P won the feather on the wind game.  Must be all that hot air.  Ha, ha, ha.

With our bodies well exercised it was time to settle into some art.

We talked about how birds and flying insects use the wind to help them fly.  

How can you talk about flying and not make wings?  You can't so,

Wonderful wind-bound wings

So far we had learned first hand how we can feel the wind, and hear the wind, now it was time to see the wind.

Why is the paint moving?  What is making the paint move?  

What a fun way to find out the answers to these questions.

I had two other activities planned for this morning, but with children it is all about the process, not the product, so I allowed the children to take the time they needed to process and explore, even though it meant leaving a few things on the self.

After a windy day, it was time for lunch and a nap.

Corn dogs, watermelon, and bread-coated green beans, with ranch dressing for dipping, and, of course, milk.  The children really loved the green beans and I ended up cooking more, which is WONDERFUL!  Even E, my most picky eater, gobbled them right up.

We woke rested and raring to go.

I made ice boats the  night before by taking a bendy straw, and placing them, bendy-side-down into a cup, one-fourth filled with water and freezing.

Once the boats are frozen solid, remove from the freezer and the cup, then put paper sails on the straw, place in water, give each child a straw and watch the wind do it's thing!

Using our wind to move our boats.

Using our wind to bother our friends and make them laugh.

Using our wind to move our water.

Using our wind to create bubbles.

Just like yesterday, the children were reluctant to leave their water tubs.  I did manage to pull them away long enough to practice writing their names and complete a Ww practice sheet.

I also threw in one more art~wind wheels.

We colored a square, cut it out, folded over the corners, pinned it to the eraser of a pencil, and there you have it,

wind wheels.

See you tomorrow,

Ms. P