Construction Journals

Sometimes in education what is called a "teachable moment" happens.  This is when something that is not in the lesson plan happens and you jump on it!  This happened one day when construction workers had to come and tear up part of the parking lot to fix a water main break.  The workers came and the bull dozers came and the kids were totally involved, interested and full of questions.  Ms. Sarah and Ms. Nancy were ready to take the kids and their writing journals down to the big glass doors and let the kids document the experience.  This was a Thursday morning so not all of the kids were there that day, so if you didn't get to hear about the experience it was a one day only deal.  We hope these pictures help show you how to take advantage of a teachable moment.  Always keep a notebook and some markers or crayons in the car (we pick up spiral bound notebooks and washable markers when back to school items go on clearance).  Keep them in a back pack so you can grab them.  We also have had the kids decorate their journals.  The teachers have their journals too.  We all write in them together almost everyday.  Grab them when you go to the park, when you go to McDonalds, or anyplace!  You will be very suprised to see how much they observe and record.  This is great practice for science skills (observation, recording data), art (drawing, line, perspective) and writing (documentation, scribbling, dictation, writing letters and words).