Friday, 13 September 2013

Tea Tasters @ Glamorgan

It is amazing where the Nursery Rhyme interest has taken us.....

One of the songs that has delighted the children is
I'm a little teapot,
Short and stout
Here is my handle, here is my spout
When I get all steamed up
Hear me shout
Just tip me over pour me out.
 
I'm a little teapot
Short and stout
Here is my handle, here is my handle
Ha, Ha! tricked ya!
I'm a sugar bowl.
 
 
Some of the children didn't seem to understand what a teapot was, so that lead to a whole new discovery - how to make a cup of tea and what tea is.
Many of us know how to make a cup of tea with a tea bag, but is that how a cup of tea was made when this rhyme was written?
 

 
The children held in one palm dry tea leaves and in the other hand some wet tea leaves that had been sitting for a while.  The discovery was "the wet ones smell more" and "the dry one's hard".
 
We talked about where tea came from, how it grew and became the tea leaves we drink. We looked at photo's that helped us understand the process. 
This is a woman picking leaves and collecting them in a basket on her back. ready for the next.
 
We looked at some leaves that had been 'brewing' for a short time.
 
 
Next, came the smell test......we tried Japanese Lime, Sweet Fennel, Sunday fruit and black tea.
Isabella and Toby

Ciara - "it smells like raisins"

Finlay and Kane
 
 Checking our a tea bag and what is inside it.


(Daniel wasn't so keen on the smell of the Fennel in the tea bag.)
 
Now for the pouring....

 
We used a tea strainer to catch the loose leaves
 
 
 
And now for the taste test...
 


 
Daniel didn't like the taste of tea!
 

Ciara quite liked it.
 
 

 Amani had several sips, "that's delicious"
"My Grandpa and Nana put sugar in their tea"
 
Hmm, we have discovered the journey of a tea leaf - I wonder if sugar could be another story.
 
Question:  "What is this?"
 
Daniel's idea...."it's a tea hat"
Yes, it's a tea cosy to keep the tea warm.
 
Documented by Karen
 
 

 
 
 
 


Thursday, 12 September 2013

Puppets continue to be enchanting at Kindergarten

Children have been returning each day to the art table where it is set up to create puppets as this development has come from the finger and stick puppets we are using during our Nursery Rhyme interest.....
 

 


These are some of the children's bag puppets created on Monday the 9th September.
The children used a variety of materials - feathers, moving eyes, felt pens, fabric, cellophane - the possibilities are endless!
 
 
Tuesday the 10th found many new children and several of the same children returning to produce yet another 1,2 or more puppets...
 
Liam has made a few puppets, his latest creation is a Brontosaurus puppet.
 
Francesca had designed a couple of elaborate "Princess" puppets, this is Thursday's one.

 

 

Ciara has returned to make more stick puppets

Eli - "I'm making a Vampire Zombie one"





"I made a tiger one" said Daniel.  Just look at those stripes.





Annabel just loves making puppets

 

Kane made a one-eyed monster puppet - and a couple of stick puppets too.


Amani is a talented puppet creator
 


and so is Reece.
 

Even the new children are involved.  Skills are developed - using a sellotape dispenser, glue and then placing that teeny weeny eye in the right place!
 
 
 
One of Toby's finished puppets.
 

 
Tiana at work
 
 
 
 
Finley masters wrapping the tape around his fabric and straw and is very pleased with himself and his puppet.
 
Such wonderful ideas ....Now what to do with the puppets.
Many children take them home on the day and parents report that puppets are shared or a puppet show put on for whanau.
 
And some leave them at Kindergarten
 
 
 
Lace and Tayla introduce their puppets
 
 

 

A puppet show with Seriah, Lace and Tayla.
 

Daniel, Baron, Lucas and Sadie.
 


Amani and Lucas engage
 
 
 
I wonder what other puppets we can create.....
 
 
 
 
 
Documented by Karen