Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Pussy Willows in Preschool!

PUSSY WILLOWS
  
Close your eyes and do not peek
And I'll rub spring across your cheek.
Smooth as satin, soft and sleek.
Close your eyes and do not peek.  Aileen Fisher
If you venture into the woods hunting for signs of spring, effortlessly one can find fury catkins dotting the tips of willow branches. Catkins resemble bunny tails and are known to be spring's earliest harbinger. As weeks pass, the soft buds transform into bright green leaves, which reside on branches of a willow plant throughout the summer months.
                                    
Last week a bouquet, of pussy willow branches greeted preschoolers as they returned to school from spring recess. After observing and touching the soft buds, students predicted how many days it will take for soft catkins to transform into green leaves?
Students were also involved in the following sensory activities:
          
Station 1 - Students altered catkins by applying pastel chalk dust to buds with a dry paintbrush. They resulted in bright and beautiful bouquets.
Students also created coil vases to be used as vessels for the bouquets.
Station 3 – Students painted lines to represent branches and then attached catkins using their fingerprint and grey paint.