Reflection #3: Learning stations!
For reflection #3, we were able to do various experiments that would be great for children, and have fun with getting messy. My favorite activity was the baking soda and conditioner station, as it ended up creating what seemed to be fake snow! Below you can see the little snowman we created with it.
This experience would be great for kindergarten children, as it helps them develop an understanding of the natural world, allows them to pretend to be little scientists and makes them use their senses (touch) to learn and feel out their creation. It allows them to realize, through mathematical thinking, that adding two substances together can create this white substance that can feel like powder chalk, fake snow, whatever they feel it resembles the most!
Being able to go to multiple stations supports children’s learning in several ways, through building and creating, evaluating, encouraging their exploration, and having several stations allows children to explore in an open-ended manner and provides variety for them. By experimenting, children’s natural curiosity is sparked. They are able to experiment with the plasticene to create shapes and dish soap and water to create bubbles, see if the plasticene can float, or what shape would float (if they have to turn it around for it to float or not).
It allows them to test theories, modify, brainstorm, invent, create, test, evaluate, and share what they have created with their classmates. It sparks children’s scientific inquiry, as it “invites them to conduct investigations, encourages them to solve problems (…) and encourages them to ask questions” (Faires, T. 2023, p.4).
I loved learning about the different activities you could make into learning stations, and I cannot wait to bring the baking soda and conditioner activity to the daycare I work at.
References
Faires, T. (2023). Math and Science [FAM 1249 course website]. Retrieved from: https://brightspace.algonquincollege.com/d2l/le/content/514836/viewContent/8049113/View
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2016). The Kindergarten Program. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario: https://files.ontario.ca/books/edu_the_kindergarten_program_english_aoda_web_oct7.pdf.
