Fairfax Futures Annual Symposium April 29, 2017

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1 Fairfax Futures Annual Symposium April 29, 2017

2 } Definition of Mindfulness } Importance of Mindfulness for Young Children } Incorporating Mindfulness in the Curriculum } Children s Literature Criteria/ Examples and activities } Nature Criteria/Examples and activities } Summary and Questions

3 focusing on the present moment with a calm acceptance of all the thoughts, feelings and sensations that arise ability to Ø pay attention } stay calm } make better decisions } focus } self-regulate (control) behavior & thoughts } be persistent

4 } Brain development & executive function } Working memory & self-control } Tool for calming central nervous system (Carnegie Mellon) } Increased mental, emotional, & physical health (Carnegie Mellon) } Better attention, awareness, & happiness (UNC Wilmington).

5 } Focus: Ability to pay attention } Self-Control: Ability to stick with a task intentionally by controlling attention & inhibiting distraction (Galinsky) } Emotional Intelligence: Ability to understand emotions, monitor feelings & use information to guide thinking & action (Goleman)

6 Children s Literature } clear writing } beautiful illustrations } fit with children s interests and content } encourage children to stop, look, & read again to support mindfulness. } introduce vocabulary for expressing emotions

7 READ the book GREEN by Laura Vaccaro Seeger } What did you notice? } What did you like? } What was your favorite green painting and why?

8 } Watch YouTube video of GREEN. Look again. What were you thinking about? } What about the natural world did you notice & see differently or the same? } What concepts do you want to teach? } Which is your favorite painting at the end of the book? Why?

9 } HOW MANY NAMES do you know for the color green? (Math, LA) } HOW MANY GREEN things do you see in this room? (Math, LA)

10 What Children Learn sorting classifying language focus

11 Materials } shaving cream } washable paint (blue, yellow, green, white) } aluminum pan } paper plate } paint brush

12 Materials } cotton swabs & watercolor paint What Children Learn } color naming } color mixing } color relationships } language, focus

13 First the egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. Caldecott Book What Children Learn Ø science Ø vocabulary Ø creativity v=pxcclshs_zc

14 Lemons are not red by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. What Children Learn color, math, relationships, focus watch?v=ekxybcxxakk

15 } Materials salt paint glitter spices } Adding color and scent to salt lasts for many uses.

16 Good morning, yoga by Mariam Gates What Children Learn } Focus & relaxation } Self-regulation } Literacy, Physical education & Health

17 Volcano Pose: Lift up on tiptoes & reach your fingers high Sun Breath: As you breathe in & then out, reach your arms out to the sides, lift up to the sky, & relax back down Visualization/Guided Imagery: How you want to feel.

18 Good night, yoga by Mariam Gates. What Children Learn } Confidence, calmness, self-awareness & self regulation } Read story aloud without movement description. Focus on book s illustrations. } Practice slow, deep breaths. Demonstrate each yoga pose & talk about the name of each pose.

19 } Start with the breath } Greet the moon } Squeeze it in } Visualize } Sit and talk

20 Peaceful piggy meditation by Kerry MacLean. What children learn Ø feelings Ø collecting thoughts Ø self-regulation & self-confidence Ø calmness & well-being Video:

21 Calming Jar } Shake jar. Watch glitter swirl & fall gently to the bottom. Count to 5 to calm child down enough to name the problem. Materials } A screw top jar } 1-2 tablespoons of glitter glue } 3-4 teaspoons of glitter } Fairly warm water } Optional: Food coloring

23 Materials Fill a jar with water. Add some sand. Close jar, shake, & swirl around. Let sand settle to the bottom. What Children Learn } Understanding & managing anger } Positive self-talk, calming down, & developing selfregulation. } Learn & practice Peaceful Piggy Meditation (back of book)

24 Materials } plastic bottles, rice, } small objects, such as buttons)

Materials } Assorted items of various sizes, textures, and smells } Notebooks and markers } Small bin of Legos } Discovery (calming) bottle } Playdough } Assorted

25 Materials } Assorted items of various sizes, textures, and smells } Notebooks and markers } Small bin of Legos } Discovery (calming) bottle } Playdough } Assorted foam/texture/squeeze balls, } Pipe cleansers; pinwheel; bubbles } Small selection of books, stuffed animals, cards with Yoga poses, or stretches What children learn } self-control, managing emotions

27 You are a Lion and Other Fun Yoga Poses by Taeeun Yoo. } Video: v=lulxug0dune I am yoga by Susan Verde. } Video: v=_qfvf_bimru

28 Criteria Ø Simple & present focused Ø Sensory repetition Ø Gather Ø Observe Ø Create What Children Learn Ø Focus, concentration, attention

29 } Naturalistic Intelligence } Self-Regulation } Concentration & Focus } Problem-Solving } Social & Physical Development } Creativity & Curiosity } Reduced Mental Health Issues

30 } Large Assortment of Tools & Equipment Ø Children s Literature Read Aloud Repertoire

31 The Listening Walk by Paul Showers.

32 Activities } Take a listening walk } Make a book with drawings or photographs of sounds heard from your listening walk } Use a paper plate or clipboard to record sounds.

33 Leaf Man by Lois Ehlhart. Video:

Follow up with a pretend photo walk using Popsicle stick

38 } Create a naturalistic learning center } -Start a nature collection } Take a walk to look for & collect nature. Follow up with a pretend photo walk using Popsicle stick frames to focus on items } Use technology } Make leaf prints } Identify things

39 } Go on a nature scavenger hunt } Identify things

40 } Create nature observation journals:

41 } Play Detectives in the Garden } Explore Cloud Patterns } Make Natural Collages

42 } Plant a garden

43 } Make art projects } Make nature bracelets

44 } Questions and Comments

Pumpkins, Pumpkins. Bonus Activities for October Gee Whiz Education, LLC 1

Pumpkins, Pumpkins. Bonus Activities for October Gee Whiz Education, LLC 1 Bonus Activities for October 2017 TM 2017 Gee Whiz Education, LLC 1 www.geewhizeducation.com Enjoy the following activities with your children as desired. In most cases, you can substitute jack-o-lanterns