Prek fine motor with model magic

 

Pumpkins

           Kids in prek created pumpkin using red and yellow model magic. I began the class by acting all upset that I had not ordered orange to make pumpkins but instead got red and yellow. Kids quietly watched as I 'accidentally' mixed the two colors and magically made.....ta da.....orange!! we then rolled into a ball and added up and down lines. This class I teach in Spanish. All kids, except two have Spanish as their home language. The classroom assistant helped me glue these on cardboard with their names. 

Kids for a chance to mix, mix and mix their colors. Model magic is just the right toughness for pre-k, took each child between 6-8 minutes to fully mix the two colors. If you choose to do this lesson the ratio is 3:1 Yellow to red. Red is too strong and if you use them in equal quantities the result will not be orange....it will still be red. 

Working with plaster of Paris-2nd

Children created their own molds using modeling clay that have been imprinted with tools. The results were these interesting castings that looked a lot like sandcastles. Children are painting them and taking them home this week.

This week, children are making a group mold and here are the kids waiting for the Plaster of Paris to harden. They were very excited to see how fast this process happened. The plaster also warms up as past of the process and that too was a huge hit with the kids.
We talked about molds such as cupcake molds, cake molds, and we also discussed fossils and how they are made. Here is a mold waiting for the plaster of Paris to be poured on top. Children used various small hard toys and made impressions of these items onto the modeling clay.

2nd Grade Learn About Molds and explored uses of Plaster of Paris

The children in 2nd grade are going to create molds of basic doll faces and individualize them. This week children are first creating very basic molds using plaster of Paris. See the molds drying below.

Children used modeling clay in cups, used tools to create imprints on the clay. We then mixed plaster of paris and poured them onto the cups. Next week will be the BIG REVEAL and children will discuss what they learned about the working of molds and come up with creative ways to use this new medium.