Whenever my preschool curriculum is focused on a country, it always explodes in the best of ways. Children are captivated as soon as we open our Big Book Atlas and view our satellite map. We sing the ‘Days of the Week’ song in the native language. We learn about food, customs, art, animals… it is always an endless list.
January was learning about India, and it was exciting. Here are photos of what happened:
Our hallway display includes making tigers by cutting and gluing stripes, painting elephants and adding jewels, watercoloring the map of India, real peacock feathers, and writing words to label the art.
The Taj Mahal.
Children carefully cut and placed tin foil onto the structure.
Dressing up like a tiger.
Reading to Gloria about tigers.
Balancing a peacock feather.
This works on the palm of the hand or on the fingertip.
Rolling modeling clay into balls
and pressing them onto the map of India.
The book we read, “Look What Came From India”,
had a picture of the same elephant we have.
We made an authentic Indian snack, Cucumber Raita. Yum!
Our favorite book is a classic,”The Story of Little Babaji” by Helen Bannerman.
The Story of Little Babaji
Helen Bannerman wrote this story in 1899. When I was a child, I loved “Little Black Sambo”, which was an adaptation of this book. That book was banned, and the original, based in India, was reborn. Thank goodness. Not only is it a great story, it is so beloved in my classroom that we hosted a play performance. When a children’s book has a repeating phrase that encourages children to join the reader and say aloud; “Little Babaji, I’m going to eat you up”, it cements their love for the book.
Children love this book! We read it over and over again in January. Our play performance was spontaneous and so much fun. After all, when a book is popular (and good), I need to do more for the children. In teacher language we call that ’emergent curriculum’, which means paying attention to what children love, and turning that into more learning.
And a play performance based on the book was just the thing!
First, we picked parts, writing everything out on the whiteboard. We had two Babaji’s, one Mamaji, one Papaji, and the tigers picked who wanted the blue trousers, green umbrella, etc. Next, we staged Babaji’s house, the bazaar, and the jungle. Excitement was building!
Here’s the thing- I let children take control, which can be scary for some teachers. If I planned everything, then where is the learning and the fun? Where is the opportunity for children to try something new, be brave, and be creative?
Never underestimate children, as they always rise to the occasion when they are given an opportunity. And they did! When I tried to ‘help’ Harry with the words to say, he glared at me and said, “I know!” Of course he did. I knew better than to help, when help wasn’t needed. I owned up and apologized.
For a teacher, stepping back and watching is often surprising. Children who are quiet or are followers can become leaders in a play performance. It happens often. Had I given the quiet child a low key part in the play, their chance to shine and grow would never have happened. Thank goodness I pay attention!
Jennie
A Teacher's Reflections 
Reblogged this on NEW BLOG HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
Thank you, Michael!
You really make the lessons to a virtual journey. I have this never seen before, and its fantastic. It is teaching multiculturality in its best sense. These are also great tipps for teachers, Jennie. Thank you! Have a nice weekend! xx Michael
I just love this kind of teaching and learning! Thank you, Michael.
🙂 Thats great, Jennie! Thanks for the information, and enjoy your weekend! xx Michael
Best to you, Michael!
I love it and it’s sparked their interest!
Yes!! Thank you, Ritu! You should have heard me sing the days of the week in Hindi. 🙂
I bet you gave it your all!
I did! We have a child in our class who is from India and speaks some Hindi, so I would always look to him and ask, “Kiansh, how did I do?” He would give me a thumbs up. Also, it makes children feel proud and special if they help out their teacher. Of course you know that! 🙂
That is just precious, Jennie!
🥰
Very nice.
Thank you.
A great combination of culture, nature, and geography. If you decide to do England, please feature some castles! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
I always do. 🙂 Remember when you helped me by getting the address of Her Majesty the Queen? And, we got a reply! Best to you, Pete.
I do remember, Jennie. You can write to Boris Johnson too, though I cannot imagine why anyone would want to. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
Hahaha! You can count me out. I do miss Margaret Thatcher. Best to you, Pete.
I never missed Thatcher. She was a wicked, vindictive woman!
Ah ha! Americans never saw that side of her. The news is always so slanted. Thanks, Pete.
What a wonderful way to learn about a country at an early age.
Thank you, Dan. Making learning fun and meaningful is the way to go.
This looks like such a fun way to learn!! (I’m actually feeling a little envious. 🙂 )
Thank you, Liz. It really is. You would love balancing a peacock feather.
I have a vase of peacock feathers in my living room, so I just tried it. I was able to balance the feather on my palm but not on my finger.
Isn’t it fun to do? For the palm or the finger, keep a flat hand. Don’t bend or curl up your finger. Now you have the next party activity! 😀
It worked! When I kept my finger straight, I could balance the feather!!
Hooray!! Just wait till you impress all your friends! 😀
This is truly a wow! Kids will remember this forever. 🥰
Thank you.
Their art projects look wonderful, and the play sounds fun and a lovely way for the lessons and fasciation with India to stick with them forever.
What a great imersion, Jennie.
Thank you, John.
Lovely post
Thank you.
Children are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. They may not understand but they are intuitive and incredibly resilient. Yes they need guidance but if we have the courage to sit back and watch we may learn something.
Yes, yes, YES!!
What fun!
It really was, Cindy. I just wish every teacher could make learning fun. Thank you.
Tigers and Taj Mahalls – what’s not to like?
I think so, too! 🙂
The perfect way to teach kids about another country. My Miss Roll would be so pleased to see you do this. I only wish I was a child in your class!
You know how much I love Miss Roll, so that’s as nice as it gets! Thank you, Darlene!!
❤
Namaste, Jennie.
I always liked Little Black Sambo, too.
Namaste, Don. It really is a great book. Everyone remembers the tigers running around the tree and turning into butter.
Another brilliant lesson. I know an experienced teacher like you gets it. It’s one of the things that so many not in education fail to understand. I recently read about a district that wanted the teachers to write out their lesson plans for the whole year in advance. That’s the kind of thing that makes me crazy!!! Kids drive much of the curriculum, and you are wise enough to understand that. When we see those light bulb moments and eyes aglow, we run with it. Good teachers don’t suddenly stop because it’s not in their lesson plan!
Yes, yes, YES! Thank you, Pete. I can’t imagine writing out the curriculum for the entire year. By the time October rolls around, it would all change. Two years ago we had a group of artists, last year it was a group of builders, and this year it is a group of puzzlers. There’s no way to know that in September. Here’s to emergent curriculum and putting children first! I dearly wish I had been in your class…
I think I would have learned more about India in one month in your classroom than I have learned in my 64 years of living! By the way, is that the same child who was reading to Gloria in a previous post?
You would have had a lot of fun, too! Thank you, Jim. Yes, that is the same child. He wanted to make sure Gloria knew about tiger. 🙂
if only Gloria could talk – the stories she would have to tell!
Oh, yes!! 😀
The two books I think of first when I think of India, Jennie, are The Secret Garden and A Passage to India. I have a number of blogging friends who live in India and there posts and travels are very interesting.
Yes!! They are both wonderful books. I enjoy my India blogging friends’ posts a great deal, too.
So lovely to see how you explore a country with the children in your class. I enjoyed this post.
Thank you. I’m so glad you enjoyed this.
Have a good day with the children Jennie.😊
Will do!
This is amazing! I wish my son had a teacher like you
Thank you!
Lovely post! I have always liked your way of teaching.
Thank you!
Lovely to see and be in the class. And very happy to know aptly various colours coming to table with my country 🙂
Narayan x
Thank you.
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Thank you.
Wow.. this is a great way to learn!
Thank you.
You are a fantastic teacher ! Lucky kids and lucky parents !
Thank you.