Forest (3-Year-Old Kindergarten) Curriculum
Hello! What a busy term we have had. We have had so much fun learning and being involved in so many activities and experiences.
Take a look 😊
Literacy:
This term, we kicked off our literacy curriculum. Each week the letters will either change or stay the same depending on the children's knowledge, interest and capabilities. In the Forest Room, we implement letters differently rather than following the traditional A–Z sequence. Beginning with S, A, and T allows the children to start blending sounds and guessing simple words right away (with consistency and repetition). These letters are also easier for the children to articulate and recognise in everyday words, helping to build confidence and early reading skills from the start.
Every week, our group times change. One week there was a letter box, next a bag, and then a puppet named 'Letter Bird'. Each time the children are involved in the process. They stand in front of their peers and try to identify the letter and sounds. If needed they ask a friend for help! After the guesses, we reveal the letter to the group and practice saying the sound together. Each group time is a fun and an interactive way to build excitement around letter recognition and phonics!
Forest Room Library Bag:
The Forest Room children LOVE our story time group time, and what a better way to involve their voice and interest than reading one of their favourite stories from home!
What happens you ask? Well....
1. Each child will have the opportunity to take home the Forest Room library show and share bag and place ONE favourite book inside.
2. They will then bring the bag back to Forest Room, where we will read it at our story time group time.
3. Then they will put the book back inside their bag and take it back home.
4. The Forest Room library show and share bag goes to another child.
This will repeat until everyone has a turn!
We have learnt, read, and discovered so many different book from this amazing experience. We still have many children who still need a turn but we have been loving this!
Fun with Sun Room:
Each month since July, we have come together to have fun with Sun Room. We have danced and went to the park together, moved our bodies in Forest Room using the interactive whiteboard, and lastly celebratin footy week at the park.
I can't wait to see what else we get up to with Sun Room!
Group times with River Room:
We have loved heading over to River Room for their group times every week. The Forest Room children are eager to walk over, sit with their younger peers and engage in some learning with them.
Everyday a new activity!
Every day, a teacher in Forest Room implements a fun and exciting intentional teaching activit based on room goals, children's interests, and children's voices.
Here are some of our favourites:
Bowling fun:
Daffodil painting:
Red nose day:
Painting on glad wrap:
Making our own magic sand:
Creating our own popsicle sticks:
Forest Room Puppet Show:
We were so lucky Jane, our Sun Room educator gave us her hand made puppet theatre. What a better way than to create our very own puppet!
First the Forest Room children drew their own character (if they wanted), next I helped them cut out their puppet. They then chose a green or a red stick! We put the stick on and TA-DA, A PUPPET!
Next, they helped decorate the “Forest Room Puppet Show” sign. Some of the Forest Room children even helped write the letters.
At 1pm, Aarjav announced to everyone, it was puppet show time!
We all sat down and each child had the opportunity to use their puppet to tell us a story.
All the Forest Room children were so brave!🤩🥇
Spring time:
We have been learning all about Spring through play, song, dances and art! The Forest Room children have been busy playing with our Spring sensory tub. This sensory tub is full of beautiful bright coloured rice, flowers, measuring cups which the children turn it into anything they can think of!
We have been busy painting and gaining inspiration from our beautiful blossom tree.
Lastly, we learnt two new songs.
We celebrated the start of our second group time by dancing to a new spring song. Not only does this song get us moving, it also teaches us all about Spring! We have watched the children shiver away winter, jump like bunnies, and dance like a flower.
Take a listen: https://youtu.be/tWgoYgaxQ0E?si=OFxakEbH1cb6_5yr
Thanks to our Holly Bees incursion on Monday, we learnt a new song!
This wonderful bee song does so much more than just teach children about nature's little helpers! It introduces early math skills, builds fine motor control, and boosts their language and listening. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to spark their imagination and develop social skills.
Take a listen: https://youtu.be/V5Bs9xydba0?si=vGp1TG66GYkszKtl
We have had an absolute blast this term! It has been so much fun, and we are already looking forward to Term 4. We cannot wait to see all the wonderful things the children will achieve and discover in the weeks ahead! 🌟
From the Forest Room team, Lauren, Ash, Sikha, Shivi, Makayla, Ruby and Laura.