Our New Unit of Study is "Light”
Children move from exploring various modes and aspects of transportation to inquiring and thinking critically about light, darkness, and shadows. This unit, like all Pre-K for All units, provides opportunities for children to observe objects and phenomena in their environment with increasing complexity. In this unit, children have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of natural and man-made sources of light. Activities throughout the unit prompt children to explore light, darkness and shadows with hands-on materials as well as provide opportunities for children to make predictions and think about their world in increasingly abstract ways.
Here are some ways to further your child's understanding:
- Note how dark or light it is at pick up and/or drop off and compare what they see to various points throughout the year. For example, if it is light when you pick up your child consider if it is always light at drop/off pickup as well as why or why not.
- How many lights did you turn on this morning? Invite children to pick one morning to count how many lights your family turned on as they got ready for the day.
- What do we see when the lights are off? Turn off the lights at night for a few minutes and discuss what you can see without the lights.
- Create finger shadow puppets together at home by putting your hands in various positions in front of a light source (i.e. flashlight, lamp or a sunny window) and looking at the shadows produced. Try to make different types of animals or make one puppet and use it to tell a story together.
- Help your child to explore how they might use household objects and a flashlight to create shadow letters. How can they build structures that will produce a letter shadow?
- Look at the moon at night to see how it appears different as days go by. Discuss how the moon doesn't change shape but the part of it that is in shadow changes.