A Peek Inside January Discovery Centers

This January, the invitations offered at our Discovery Centers included many that reflected our science unit on weather and our study of precipitation.

In addition to exploring content, the centers allowed children time and space for being creative, inventive and using their imaginations.

Makerspace Center

The Makerspace Center was a new option for Discovery Workshop and was hugely popular!

The children really enjoyed using various recyclable materials to invent new things.

At sharing time, they described their inventions and I was constantly amazed at the detail in their descriptions (i.e. “I made a wedding rocket that could take the dating couple to the stars” or “This is a box that could keep dinosaur eggs safe”).

Art Center

At the Art Center, they explored collage making and created snowy day and snowmen collages inspired by the book Snowballs by Lois Ehlert.

kindergarten student making a snowy day collage

Modeling Center

Modeling was also a favorite center and snowmen, even melted ones, were created and reshaped.

Science Center

In our Science Center, “small worlds” were built at the sensory table and stories about animals in winter were imagined and told.

sensory table filled with snow, weather, and animals in winter props

Storytelling Center

Visitors to the Storytelling Center retold familiar stories that we read together in December.

kindergartener retelling story of the gingerbread man

I loved listening in as they used their “story voices” and incorporated story language into their retellings.

Block Center

The Block Center, regardless of the fact that I added no new materials, continued to be the favorite center of many of the children.

There they worked together to build structures, negotiate ideas and collaborate.

Many of their structures reflected an interest in balance and symmetry this month.

Loose Parts

Loose parts, like the Makerspace, was newly added. It was less popular than I had anticipated and very few children chose to work here.

That’s it for January!

Many of these invitations will continue to be offered this winter, while new ones will be added as a result of emerging inquiries or intended projects that align with curriculum goals.

Thanks for stopping by!