This week we delved right into our Fall unit. Sometimes it's hard to 'find Fall' in the city, but lucky for us, we had our pumpkin picking field trip to look forward to. We spent the week introducing some new practical life activities, as well as some fall activities and pumpkin related activities...

Here Morah Rivka models an activity - placing the pumpkins in size order from smallest to largest.

The activity went on our Fall discovery table, and now the children can choose to do it on their own.

In this activity below, the children discriminate between three pumpkins - small, medium and large.

And here, they help strengthen their fine motor muscles while tweezing leaves from one box to the next.

Our practical life area in the classroom is beginning to explode. Make sure to join us for Curriculum night this Thursday night to find out why the skills gained from these activities are so important for the children as the continue to develop and grow!

Another fine motor strengthening activity, and a huge hit in the classroom -- Placing clothespins on the edge of the basket.  It's a hard one, but the ones who mastered it were really proud of themselves. 

We also introduced the first step of learning how to pour. This practical life activity teaches the children to use two hands to pour from one pitcher to another. Here, they are pouring dry materials. Once this is mastered, we will introduce pouring liquids.

While spooning acorns from one bowl to the next, Sarah discovered that if she peels one, she will find a nut! =)

An activity with the 'super cool gems' had the children learning about spacing and lines without even knowing it. Their concentration while doing this activity was incredible. 

The entire week was obviously spent gearing up for our field trip! And what a trip it was! Thanks to all the chaperones who joined us. The children were thrilled and excited as you will see in the pictures below. 

In continuing with the theme of fall and the pumpkin farm, we thought it would be appropriate to introduce a corn related activity. some children worked alone with this activity for 20 minutes at a time!

Aside from what you just read in this post, we also read a book called "The Leaf Man" -- stay tuned for details as we continue to explore this book next week. 

We'd love to make fall a school/home experience for the children, so over the weekend and over the next few weeks, feel free to collect fall like items with your child, and have them bring them into the classroom. Things such as colorful leaves, pine cones, acorns etc. !

Shabbat Shalom!