Preschools The Marigold School of Early Learning (Marigold)

Drawing and Writing at a young age!

March 3, 2016March 4, 2016 marigold40

101_0778 This child is three and a half and found that after examining her face she needed to trace the mirror she had been using. She has been exploring the shape of a circle and the concept of “round”. This is another extension to her first inquiry. Every time this child explores the concept of “round” she does so in a way that is tactile and concrete. Building her understanding by using her senses. Next her hand is traced. And I did not inspire these learning experiences. This child wanted to paint so we set it up and away she went with her own ideas.

This child is in between the early literacy stage of scribbles to symbolic representation of objects, thoughts and ideas. Literacy development takes years and is not a process to be rushed or forced. As a Teacher it is my job to create and set up an environment that allows children to naturally engage in ways to express themselves. Allowing the developmental process of learning to happen through “play”. I can add, extend and dialogue with each child to find where he/ she is on the literacy and artistic journey.

Going back and forth between the scribble stage and symbolic representation is normal development and is a process we do not need to rush. I love to observe, listen and question to find out how to add more challenging materials and curriculum that supports the early literacy and artistic development emerging before my eyes. The letter “K” and “I” are represented above. This did not happen due to my influence though, it happened out of pure chance. And this child took time to really examine what she had created. I did not comment for fear she was not ready for these symbols to have meaning. If by chance she wasn’t ready, they would soon be covered up with more paint. So be careful about commenting on a child’s work. We want to respect their free expression without our bias.

101_0890 Play-dough is a staple in most early learning programs due to the fact that is is a wonderful open-ended way for young children to develop eye-hand coordination, strengthen fine motor skills and be as creative as they want! You don’t have to provide cookie cutters for perfect pictures in the dough. Allow children to form their own expectations with objects you may not normally think of to use. Incorporate colors so children continue to explore and discover not only real world shapes, but real world colors. We don’t always have to add traditional boxed curriculum ideas. Break down barriers on how to learn and allow the natural scientist to emerge! :)

101_0805 By only placing primary colors on the table at first, this child created green and purple was next! The look of pure joy and discovery on this child’s face made me so happy! Her art work is so creative, and again is showing the transition from scribble to symbolic representation.

Scribble writing can be a fascinating process of literacy development to observe and be a part of . The attention to detail this child gives is a sign of internal interest. Exploring writing in a way that she interprets at a young age, then exploring shapes through her scribbles and even taking time to feel the rolling motion of colored pencils all support and extend this child’s beginning writing and artistic talents. And along the way she is gaining understanding of shapes and colors too. Learning does not stop at one content area. Learning is fluid and interacts to enable children to tap into a world of knowledge as they grow and discover.

Support your child’s need to learn by enrolling them in a quality preschool program. And do some research to find out what theories are being implemented in the programs you are looking at. Do not just go by a worksheet and primary colors. Really take the time to learn about early learning theories and the ones that resonate most with your outlook on life.

101_0287 Heidi Scott, BA & MIT

The Marigold School of Early Learning! :)

Preschools The Marigold School of Early Learning (Marigold)

A Window into Early Literacy Development

February 10, 2016February 10, 2016 marigold40

Take a moment to peer into our window of early learning here at The Marigold School of Early Learning!

Drawing is early writing. Every time a young child of three, four and five picks up a crayon or pen they begin to draw their thoughts, ideas and feelings. The “scribbles” we often see, and many have dismissed, is really a very important stage of early literacy development for all young children. Support young minds by allowing them to have access to crayons, oil pastels, pens, markers, colored pencils, chalk and much more! Allow art to be the medium in which a young mind can express feelings, understandings and curiosity.

100_8642 100_8277 The first two pictures you see are of a three year old child using crayons and oil pastels to express thoughts, ideas and feelings. Joy is the one emotion that for sure comes to mind.

100_9593 100_8807 The next two pictures show not only vibrant color, but two hands in motion as “scribbles” are being created with excitement! The one on the far left is more controlled with large round circles where the oil pastel did not leave the page until a color change was desired. Large and fine motor skills are used along with hand and eye coordination skills.
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Experimentation with drawing occurs every time a child picks up a crayon and expresses his/ her feelings and thoughts. Using two different art mediums helped this young child return to a project which caused the child to be more thoughtful about what she wanted to draw and the colors she wished to use. Each drawing/ writing is unique to this child and unique in itself. These early literacy works are examples of the varying thoughts and emotions running through the child’s mind as she was drawing/ writing.

100_9508 100_9189 Writing on small, medium, large and even shapes of paper or different textures of paper can help to stimulate internal motivation to draw/ write. Different textures of writing surfaces give the child a chance to observe, feel and sense how to adjust his/ her fine motor movements in order for the drawing/ writing to come out the way they would like or close to it. Many times there is no clear idea of what the drawing is, or if it is of an object, person, animal or place. Only when the child has a clear idea of those things or if we, the adults have asked or suggested, does the child give thought to the concept of their drawing/ writing being something specific.

100_9849 100_9850 The two pictures to the left are clearly flowers. This was a wonderful day in which I set up a provocation of a yellow rose along with paper and oil pastels. The child decided on her own to compare the colors she wanted to use with the flower and the stem before she began to draw the actual flower. From scribbles, to a clear and specific object! This did not happen over night, but the right circumstances presented themselves to this child and she felt the need to create two lovely representations of the yellow rose. The picture to the far left shows how she followed the path way the petals of a rose follow, and that is in a circular pattern. The attention to detail came directly from a three year old child with no prompting from me, her Teacher.

100_8627 101_0108 As children develop through the early literacy stage, which takes years, not months, days, or weeks to accomplish, scribbles become recognizable objects, and more interest is shown for actual writing and understanding letter symbols. This child chose to explore the sand letters after I had put them away, thinking she was not interested. Sand letters are a great tactile sensory experience and support the child’s journey to understanding what a letter symbol is and how it functions in the process of writing and reading. Having multiple mediums for children to express the desire to scribble/ write is important. I’m not a super fan of these little magnet sketch boards, yet they are the very thing this child loves to write on! So providing things that children choose and enjoy using while learning is important to pay attention to.

101_0113 100_9774 Do not be afraid to allow young three, four and five year old children to use pens. Young hands do very well with thin writing tools. Leave the chubby markers and fat crayons for the youngest people who are still grasping and pinching. Preschool aged children do not need direct instruction that is meant for k-12 school aged children. So over use of the underdeveloped muscles in the wrists do not have a chance to happen when children can choose when to use these tools and how to use them. As a Teacher, facilitator, mentor and support, my job is to model how I write properly, not force a child to do as I do. Model how to write during “teachable moments”. Teachable moments are times when you notice the child is interested in what you are doing and saying. I don’t go over board with modeling or suggesting. I observe the child as I model and suggest to gauge how interested or not interested he/ she is. So always be aware that as a Teacher, you are not on stage addressing empty minds and simply filling them with your words and actions. As a Teacher you are reading the behaviors, body language, and words of your students. How much information and when to offer it to a child depends on how much interest that child has. As a Teacher I am there for the child, to help him/ her learn at their own speed through the developmental journey.

I invite you to prepare your child for kindergarten readiness and for life long learning. When you are ready to take the step into preschool life, please feel free to email or call me. I would be happy to give you a tour of my small school and answer any questions you have on your mind about your child’s first school experiences.

The Marigold School of Early Learning is a morning preschool designed specifically for young children ages three to five. There are only eight spaces available each day because a small class size enables me to give your child the best early education possible. A play-based emergent curriculum inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach to Education allows me to dive deeper into developing a curriculum tailored to your child’s specific needs. So rest assured, your child’s educations is very important to me as well as you.

Please share!

Heidi Scott, BA & MIT The Marigold School of Early Learning! :)

Green Apple Cinnamon Play dough

February 1, 2016 marigold40

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Apple cinnamon play dough not only smells good, but this batch turned out super smooth and very malleable! Notice the above picture is of a young child starting with a medium sized flat circle of dough and then following it are three small ones with the last being super large. This child started each piece by rolling each into a ball and then using both elbows, flat hands and her stomach to smash the dough flat. Comparing the size difference between circles was not a Teacher directed provocation. This child chose on her own to compare the sizes of the five circles she made herself. Each time a child creates or constructs he/ she is cognitively and physically forming knowledge about that object and shape. The young mind takes into account the smell, color, texture and how this medium changes and in what ways. What better way to really understand shapes than to actually create them from a material designed just for young hands and minds.
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The next day apple cinnamon play dough was of great interest again, but more use was made with the adjoining craft sticks. This time following a similar theme as above, this child chose to line up the sticks side by side. Comparing the same size and shape of each stick was the purpose. And it was entirely the child’s idea. Compare and contrast is also a concept that neatly fits into shape building. Children explore the world around them by using tactile senses, eyesight, hearing, and movement as well as oral and sign language. The whole child is engaged and the whole mind constructs the building blocks necessary for further academic learning.

100_9527 — Small hands formed the letter “O”. This “O” is for now a representation of my name. Yes, it is not a letter in my name, but it is a start! Emergent curriculum happens when young minds show internal interest and motivation to understand. My job is to make sure to support and draw out the knowledge from within and add to it as we go through our preschool journey.

Heidi Scott, The Marigold School of Early Learning

Preschools in Vancouver, Preschools in Vancouver, WA, Preschools The Marigold School of Early Learning

Following the Interest of a Child

December 30, 2015December 30, 2015 marigold40

Before we went on winter break I captured these pictures from the morning preschool sessions. :)

2015-12-08 08.08.34 Using puzzle pieces and a small wooden bowl I set up a provocation for the morning. :)

2015-12-08 08.08.50 Here is a small example of emergent curriculum. I based this provocation off of what I saw happening in class. The week before a three year old child used dominoes and cars to create pictures, so I thought why not try the same idea using puzzle pieces. Again, I do not expect and am not crushed if a child does not take interest in a provocation, it is a learning process for both myself and the students.

2008-01-07 13.12.45 What ended up happening is the puzzle pieces were moved to a piece of fabric in the Reading Corner and buttons were added to the bowl. And that is when a child’s imagination took over! :) The puzzle pieces and buttons became cat food! And as I was documenting this emergent process I also observed a strong interest in cats. This particular child has a pet cat, so no surprise with the interest. This is leading me to adding a few more cat books to our Reading Corner and non-fiction ones as well.

school pics 023 Here is an example of little bear and a cat book. Since interest in cat behavior is showing up in play so strongly, I am going to incorporate facts about cats and see what types of provocations I can set up to entice young children’s interests in cats or other animals. The content areas that will be covered will include literacy, art, and science. How interested the children are in the topic will determine how deep we go into the content areas, but I can tell you from years of experience that when young children are interested in a topic, deep and meaningful learning experiences are the result. And the wonderful thing about it is that is all stems from the children and is not topics forced onto them by the Teacher. :)

Heidi Scott, BA & MIT

The Marigold School of Early Learning

Preschools in Vancouver, Preschools in Vancouver, WA, Preschools The Marigold School of Early Learning

Provocation and a Child’s Interest

December 29, 2015 marigold40

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I’ve talked before about how young children sometimes will be curious about a provocation or not. I’ve also talked about how using the materials you have is a great way to incorporate recycling into your curriculum. Above I had set up a small provocation using boxes, blocks and wooden dolls, our fairies. And I used a piece of fabric to place them all onto. I had no idea if this would be an interest or not, but I tried anyway.

It turned out that one of my students chose to remove the blocks from the table and take them to the construction/ block interest area to build with. The boxes, dolls and fabric were all left behind. So I decided to follow this child and put the boxes and dolls in the construction/ block area too. At first block building dominated and no interaction with the dolls took place. However, just as I was about to give up on my provocation entirely, this student decided the dolls needed furniture. :)

2008-01-01 12.27.51 It turns out that the provocation wasn’t a fail as I thought it was. This child made it her own and took it in the direction she wanted. She moved the blocks to an area she could build, then she used the blocks to make furniture for the dolls. She explored, constructed and planned using her own timing and ideas. I mentioned the word “planned” second because often times young minds construct first and formulate ideas and plans as they go. Constructing knowledge as they engage in hands-on projects enables their young minds to experiment with the many ideas running through their heads.

Sometimes it can be very difficult as a Teacher to sit back and wait. Sometimes it is important to follow the child’s lead and then step back again. Waiting, watching and listening are all part of the documentation process and of being a Teacher, Mentor and Facilitator.

100_8294 As this child started to story tell about the dolls/ fairies she used our wooden tool bench, tools, and alphabet puzzle pieces and incorporated them into her story. This child was also integrating the content areas such as mathematics when building, for example, measuring, comparing sizes, shapes and balancing each block. She also entered into literacy development when she started story telling. Allowing young children to express their individual ideas and creative thoughts is all a part of a strong learning foundation. This simple example is what enables children to take risks with their learning as they grow older. We want children to have confidence and the ability to make difficult decisions as they grow into adulthood and become responsible citizens. It all starts in the early years of development.

Heidi Scott, BA & MIT :)

The Marigold School of Early Learning

Preschools in Vancouver, WA, Preschools The Marigold School of Early Learning

Oak Trees

October 19, 2015 marigold40

Oak trees are so pretty, but sometimes they will react to bees trying to infest the branches to make their nests. The infestation causes the tree to form galls. In the picture to your right are two oak leaves and one example of a gall. For those of you who have oak trees galls are something you may want to get rid of, but for the purposes of education I wanted to explore this as a provocation for young minds.

Here is a close up of a gall from an oak tree. Notice the cream color with darker brown spots. Galls are a great way to teach children about how not all plant life is meant for insects and how insects can hurt a tree. For young children I would start out with stories about the specific tree or plant life I want the children to explore. This may not be an interest to the children yet, but once we visit the topic in very well may become a huge interest. To learn more about the tree I would encourage discussions around the topic. Next I would set up a project approach with the children. This way the children are partners with me, the Teacher, and will be engaged in the whole process of learning about galls without this being a Teacher driven and directed project. The children will plan each step of the project with the Teacher; we are partners in learning.

For a project approach, like other first steps in provocations there are many questions. So the children and I will ask questions about what a gall is and how it is formed and why does it grow? I will write down all of the children’s questions and all of my questions. Next I want the children to not only be exposed to the books that tell us all about oak trees, but I want pictures of healthy and unhealthy oak trees. Oak tree pictures with no galls and ones with galls. Having a real gall and leaves for the children to touch and feel and examine is always my preferences for young concrete minds. From our initial discussion the children and I will go back and forth with more inquiries, explorations and ideas to express understanding in different ways. In other words we will use all of our materials and interest areas to explore this scientific topic.

One way in which the children will construct knowledge about this subject is by drawing their own version of a gall. So I’ve set up one provocation allowing for only one child at a time to examine and draw the gall if she/ he chooses to. For a project approach other areas of interest are set up with more information about oat trees, so the rest of the class is engaged in different investigations of oak trees and the formation of galls. With projects their are aspects that children will engage in together as a whole group, in two’s as a team or as individuals. All aspects will come together as a whole in the end. Depending on how in depth the children wish to go with this scientific inquiry, we may end up doing a culminating event in which we not only show the process from start to finish and all of the in between, but all of our reflections as well. We may be able to display our findings and put together an event for families to come and learn about galls too! :)

One thing to always remember is that no matter what content is explored and used throughout the project, the children are the ones leading the way with their interests. As the Teacher I am a support, facilitator and partner in this project. I am not giving direct instruction and telling the students what they need to know about oak trees and galls. I am the one providing rich scientific literature and a variety of resources for the children to explore this subject thoroughly. I don’t want children to skim the surface of subjects, I want them to dig deep and actually learn about the world we all live in by constructing knowledge together. I want to prepare and strengthen the foundation for all future learning. Young minds are capable of deep understanding if only given the chance and faith from the adults around them. :)

Investigate the formation of galls on your own and see what information you find! Share the types of plant explorations you’ve investigated with your young minds! I would love to read all about your experiences too! :)

Heidi Scott, BA & MIT The Marigold School of Early Learning!

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Clay, Buttons and Oil Pastels

October 14, 2015 marigold40

Using clay and buttons as a simple number provocation is another way to incorporate mathematical experiences into your classroom. Some children will come over and use the oil pastel to try and trace the number and the buttons. Other children will copy the number and buttons free hand. And still others may squish the clay and use the buttons to create something entirely different. Children not so comfortable with textures like clay will push the clay aside and use the oil pastel to draw instead. These are all things I have seen many children do each time I’ve done this provocation or a similar one.

Provocations like these are meant to get the children thinking. When asked, “what number is this?” “Zero!” is always the reply. Zero is also a circle shape, head, eyes, balls etc. Children will take this as a number symbol or use any of the other forms it takes to create a unique picture. Sometimes a child will have a lot to say about his/her creation and other times just the moments spent working with clay and allowing themselves to relax before engaging in other areas that require social interaction will be enough. What each child gains from a provocation is not always up to the Teacher. Children will stick to the surface or dive deep with their inquiries, explorations and creations. As a Teacher I am close by to push the child’s thinking a bit further when I can.

I chose an autumn theme for the colors of clay, buttons and oil pastels, but you could always choose the colors you see and hear your children wearing, choosing and telling you they like. This was my way of incorporating a seasonal color theme without all the “cookie cutter” close-ended units and lessons. I find it fascinating to be able to set up a provocation and wait to see how the children interpret the meaning for themselves. And I love being able to scaffold with each child, building onto and opening doorways in their minds for deeper understanding. The button alone could spark a brief discussion on the buttons a child has on his/ her shirt or coat. The child may remember a family member like a Grandfather or Grandmother having buttons to play with when they visit. Children have rich memories and experiences each brings to the classroom and I never know what provocations will spark special memories. Memories are worth writing down and appreciating.

I tried to pick out buttons that were similar in color yet have a different appearance. Each button is of a different size and has specific surface details. The picture above has two yellow buttons, yet each is of a different size and has a different number of holes. The surface textures of both have a different design as well. These are details I noticed and sometimes the children will notice these on their own and be interested in the differences. Other times children will not pay attention to these fine details because they do not consider them to be important details. This is where as a Teacher I can point out and question the children about what they see as being the same and what is different. Pointing them is a direction I would like them to notice sometimes leads to more questions from the children as to why the buttons are not the same. It can also spark memories of experiences with other clothing or toy items that are different and the same. Keep the conversations open and keep them going when you see an opportunity.

Color differences are also noticeable between the clay, oil pastel and buttons. This could lead you to set up more provocations with the color spectrum in mind. Exploring colors and how color is created could lead the children into a great scientific exploration. Discuss with the children things in nature that are green and all the different shades of green. Bring in leaf and grass samples to set up and compare the differences in color. Since it is Autumn you could also use this time to teach the children about how the leaves turn in the fall and why. Nothing too heavy because the children are ages three, four and five, but enough scientific information that keeps them asking more questions and keeps the topic open for further investigations. Let the children lead you in what you add to the curriculum. Rich learning and strong foundations for further learning happen when we, Teachers and Parents respect the interests and knowledge young children inquire and talk about.

Heidi Scott, BA & MIT The Marigold School of Early Learning! :)

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Fabric and Buttons!

October 12, 2015 marigold40

Using textures and small manipulatives like buttons for beginning patterning provocations is another way to introduce mathematic concepts to young minds in a non-intrusive way.

This is an example of how you can display biggest to smallest using buttons. The idea when setting up provocations like this one with fabric and buttons, is to keep in mind this is an open-ended exploration. Watch, listen and observe how one or all four children at the table use the materials or choose not to use them. Revisit this provocation and from the observations and words of the children formulate questions to spark a discussion of possible uses for fabric and buttons. You may be surprised at what non-conventional ways the children will come up with. :)

Using different nature based or Autumn colors is another way to stimulate a child’s young mind in terms of creativity. Here is a cream colored fabric with yellow buttons along with leaf patterns and a star shape. These small details may be noticed by the children and this could inspire one or more to draw or paint a picture of leaves or stars. The children may ask for clay to sculpt a flower. You never know where a young mind will take a provocation.

Now you may be thinking this is too abstract, not enough information for a young mind. However, my expectations are for the young mind’s capacity to question, explore ideas and take risks creating things inspired by a provocation like this one. Conversation and deep discussion can come about from the children for different uses of fabric and buttons. Sizes, shapes, colors, textures are all a part of the natural and artificial world in which all children live and breath. Use what you have to provoke deep thought, questioning, exploring and constructing minds of the young children you teach or care for.

Patters are in real nature and they are in artificial nature. Here is an example of using the colors in the fabric to create with buttons a red and yellow pattern. Again this is a provocation which may lead a young child to extend the pattern, or it may inspire them to draw or sculpt. As a Teacher my ideas and adult expectations have to be put on the back burner. I have to be patient and wait to see how young three, four and five year old minds will interpret and create with exposure to a provocation like this one. The types of questions I ask to further exploration may differ for each age group or I may observe how each child of a different age influences another’s ideas and constructions based on this one provocation.

Give this provocation a try! See what your young preschool children come up with. Let me know how it worked out for you. Let me know if it did not work and how you changed the provocation. How did your discussions on this provocation unfold and what insights did you gain in terms of how each child interpreted the provocation? I want to hear from you! Please like and share!

Thank you!

Heidi Scott, BA & MIT The Marigold School of Early Learning :)

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Colorful Counters

September 1, 2015September 1, 2015 marigold40

My new wooden dolls came in this great divider and I thought it was perfect for my new colorful counters! Reusing items you already have is not only more cost effective but easier on our environment as well. :)

Using colorful counters to incorporate shapes and letters are a couple ways of using this very versatile tool! I roughly drew some common shapes on the perimeter of the paper and then used the counters to outline, then I made a capital letter “S”. This would be an example for children of a more close ended provocation. However, it is only close ended if the children do the same thing with their attempts or if this turns them off to trying. Most young minds will take note of what they see and do exactly what they want, which is what I want, so it is a win, win situation for all. :)

With this provocation I am incorporating both mathematics and literacy. Children can either continue with making shapes, separate the colors for each shape or move on to letter formations. More creative minds will use the counters to create more imaginary pictures and if they are in the mood to share I can scribe their ideas, explanations and stories. One thing to always remember is that when you become a young child’s scribe you are capturing a child’s imagination and showing him/ her your respect for their thoughts. You are also helping that child develop an appreciation and understanding for literacy. Children value their own words more and want to learn about letters and words with more intensity if they are learning literacy through their own creative and purposeful thoughts. Never underestimate a child’s imaginative stories or real life explanations for his/ her thoughts. A child’s own words can be just as powerful if not more so than books at certain points during their young development.

This is also another example of how to use small learning spaces to their maximum. Two provocations are set up for standing work, counters and painting. Just think about how often you see your child standing and engaging in an art or craft project. Think about how often you offer him/ her a chair and they refuse by pushing it away. Sometimes children learn better by standing and allowing their whole being to be involved in the learning process rather than sitting in a more confined and restful pose. We want children to literally be active learners because they are by nature. So why not set up a learning environment that supports how they naturally learn. :)

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Heidi Scott, BA & MIT The Marigold School of Early Learning

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Reggio Inspired Natural Provocation

May 26, 2015 marigold40

I have this tree/ shrub that is very evasive, so I don’t mind clipping off of it now and then. I also have some lemon mint, so I decided to set up an alphabet and number provocation using those two plants. :)

I set up paper, small glue cups, paint brushes, pencils, water and the two greens I discussed above. Now at first you may think the children would immediately just glue or draw what I have set out; well, not so. Usually when I set up a provocation like this it looses it’s open-ended feel for the children, so they change things to the way they would prefer. However, there is always one or two children that become a bit more curious about what and why things are set up the way they are. It doesn’t bother me if the children change the entire provocation. What is important to me is that the children each take interest and go deeper with their curiosity.

By going deeper with their curiosity, I mean that I enjoy watching and listening to children discuss their ideas among each other. I enjoy the fact that they have questions and can share information they know. Children enter the classroom with knowledge and sharing things they know only encourages and opens up the world of education. Learning through play and through the valuable interactions among peers is so very important.

With this particular provocation I took the time to set up both the beginning letters of “mom” and “dad”, yet those letters can also represent the beginning letter in a child’s name. I also set up the numbers one and two. The children can either choose to glue the leaves in the formations they are arranged or they can glue them in a different way. If they want to use the pencils to trace or free draw their own creations based on what they see that is also fine.

Another aspect to this provocation is that the children will notice the tiny vanes (carrying oxygen and nutrients to the plant) in each leaf (lung of a plant). If the children have had prior crayon rubbing experiences, they will know to put a leaf under their paper and use a pencil to color over the top. Most often I have introduced this particular concept to the children, yet once in a while a child will remember the experience and share with others, which in my opinion is the best way. :)

Displaying how letter and number symbols can be created and used with nature gives young minds experience exploring and manipulating two symbols that will become vital skills as they grow older. Seeing a letter can spark a discussion about names and how we spell names. It could also spark a discussion about how old each friend is. There are many directions this provocation can take children’s discussions and interests. As the Teacher it is my responsibility to make sure I find ways to support each child’s curiosity and make it a real experience we all can learn from. Reading and writing early can happen when we are able to see and hear the children’s needs and respond to those academic developmental needs in a concrete and play based way.

Another aspect I wanted to discuss is the texture and scent of both leaves. One leaf is smooth and long, while the other is shorter and rougher. And one leaf has a strong lemon-mint smell. So many discussions and further studies in this one provocation. Science, number and letter recognition, texture, relation to real life experiences and so much more all from this simple provocation using materials we all have access to.

An important reminder to all that introduce scented plants to children. Make sure you’ve discussed eatable plants and no-edible plants with the children prior to their working with those materials. :)

I also wanted to point out that this provocation will become messy and that is great! Children can learn how to forget themselves while in the process because learning is more important than keeping things super neat. Once they have finished is when we practice taking care of our materials and making sure the interest area is ready for another friend to explore. Through a lot of practice children become used to the routines and the environment becomes not only a “third teacher”, but a space in which the children learn how to respect and value. Patience is the most important thing when I set up all the interest areas. Being messy is a part of being a curious child and a part of true learning. :)

Heidi, The Marigold School of Early Learning