march 2024
It was March 5th, during our after school program we went out for outdoor play and watching P making a volcano with sand was really cool! She used her imagination to make something that looks like a real volcano. She was thinking about how volcanoes work, like when they erupt and what they look like. By playing with the sand, she was learning about how things feel and how they can change shape. P was using sand to sculpt the shape of the volcano, demonstrating her fine motor skills and spatial awareness. By manipulating the sand, she was exploring textures and learning about the properties of different materials. When she talked about what she was doing, she was sharing her ideas with educators and she was so excited to share this while her parents came to pick her up, which is great for learning and a moment of pride for parents too. This moment is special because P is being creative and learning about science at the same time. It was definitely an "A-HA" moment, it means as she figured out something important, like how volcanoes work in real life. It was exciting to see her learn and explore like this! As an educator, I wonder if she was considering the cause and effect relationship between the buildup of pressure inside a volcano and its eruption, or if she was incorporating any personal experiences or stories she heard about volcanoes into her play.
Poonam Arora BEd BA MA MPhil , Marlene Salmonson RECE
