As adults it is our role in this world to model behaviors which we think are important to teach the next generation that compassion and empathy are desired attributes. Words alone will not suffice, only through action will the young child think beyond themselves and realize that creating and giving to those less fortunate, is a worthwhile activity. It was a simple craft, inspired by a poem "The Christmas Angel" by our good friend magi, the magical poet. Though simple in nature, it created a forum that generated much conversation among my wee ones. Why feed the birds? What will happen if others (squirrels, raccoons, deer) should stop and feed from that which we intended for birds? Should not we think of all living things and not just one species? Are we not all travelers on this earth requiring food and shelter? Come with me and share in the lesson...perhaps, you too can think of ways that you can contribute as adults, to making this world, your world, a better place.
I would like to thank Julia's Mom for providing all the materials for this activity and modeling compassion for my class.
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Would you consider sending me, or publishing needed materials etc? I would love to do this with my granddaughter, or perhaps share with her kindergarten teacher.
This is delightful, Bob.
The minds of children are amazing. How many among the adult population would put out a deer feeder along with their bird feeders? (Well, we feed the squirrels, too. If we had deer in our yard, we'd surely try to feed them also.)
With your granddaughter find a stick from a fallen tree. With yarn attach two pine cones...for variation we used two different types. Then all you need is peanut butter and bird seed.
The funny thing is that this week we were on the letter Pp in our reading series and though I didn't think of it till we were in the midst of pine cones and peanut butter....actually that's really not true...I didn't think of it at all...I overheard one little girl say, "We're doing this because peanut better begins with the /p/ sound" as she popped the /p/ sound out. In my mind I thought, "Yes, should any one come in and wonder why we are using valuable teaching time to spread peanut butter on pine cones I now have the answer!"
imagine that that particular activity would be a no go in an awful lot of classrooms though.... seems like every where I go I run into no nuts and the like... peanut butter seems to be becoming a banned substance in so many places - and especially schools.
"Television is the direct opposite of reading. In breaking its program into eight-minute commercial segments (shorter for shows like Sesame Street), it requires and fosters a short attention span. Reading, on the other hand, requires and encourages longer attention spans in children. Good children's books are written to hold a child's attention, not interrupt it. Because of the need to hold viewers until the next commercial message, the content of television shows is almost constant action. Reading also offers action but not nearly as much. and reading fills the considerable space between action scenes with subtle character development. Television is relentless; no time is allowed to ponder characters' thoughts or to recall their words because the dialogue and film move too quickly. Books, however, encourage a critical reaction; the reader moves at his own pace as opposed to that of the director or sponsor."
For me though, I think television deprives children of a most important learning tool: questioning. Children learn the most by questioning. For thirty-three hours a week (that is now the amount of time the average preschool child spends in front of a television) he can neither ask a question or receive an answer.
I love you comment Tonia...I had not thought of that...but how true your words are.
flit...we have four kindergarten classrooms....two are peanut free and no peanuts are allowed. Although my classroom is "open" to peanuts...after this activity, we did have scrub up in the bathroom before going outside for recess where we would come in contact with other children.
What a darned interesting group of the future! Teach on. Looks like a fun day.
Wilka
valuable content you are presenting here,Bob....
cheers,gayle
Thank you for sharing these ideas with us as well as with the little angels in your class.
They all look so adorable :)
Fine work, all ways, Bob.
Just keep checkin' in Bundy... more articles will follow as we journey throughout the year.
the children are all so wonderfully excited at
what they are doing... i love the looks on their faces...
thanks for sharing...
God bless you for what you are doing...
Loved it
I love nature, I love crafts and I love doing projects with small children. This reminds me of when my children were young and I did a couple of nature crafts with their class, much like this mother did.What a gift you are giving these children, Bob. I can only hope my grandchildren will have a wise teacher or two like you. The oldest starts kindergarten next year.
I hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving, my friend.