Space trip

Friday, March 11, 2016

Space keeps its secrets to it self. What is it above us? Does the sky ends? Is someone living in there? Those questions come naturally in the human´s mind.

Since the firsts days of practice, I noticed the special curiosity from the group about the universe. To introduce my culture and country I decided to organize a space trip. I wanted to take the children up in the sky and, together, observe Portugal and Sweden from the space.

For this activity I made a helmet, a rocket and a video about the Earth. In a cardboard I had a picture of the Portuguese and Swedish territory. I had some pictures about each country to compare the differences and similarities between cultures.

We could talk about the images and what was represented in there and try to match them with the right country. Every time a child was going to space, with the helmet on the head and holding tight the rocket, the movie started.  Once in the sky, the child placed the two images in the corresponding country. 

After our spatial journey I offered the helmet and the rocket to the group.

It was possible to see the excitement on their faces. The picture of the world seeing it from the sky is absolutely fascinated and exerts a special effect on us.

When we were all back on Earth, one of the little girls said to the educator “We went to space, we went to space!” And she was not lying! We actually did!

Vasaloppet

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Vasaloppet is a ski-cross running that happens in Sweden and Norway around this time of the year. This event is in honor of Gustav Vasa, the king that finished with the Kalmar Union (a political unification between Denmark, Norway and Sweden). History tells that while the Danish king was occupying Swedish territory, Vasa was in the northern part of the country, organizing a resistance movement. With the refusal of help from his companions, Vasa decided go to Norway, looking for some support. His incredible journey was made by ski. In 1523 Gustav Vasa became king of Sweden. Today he is remembered and very loved for his people. Thousands of athletes participate in this incredible ski-cross running between the Norwegian and Swedish lands.

The children had also the opportunity to participate in a ski-cross running around pre-school. Each child had two wood´s sticks and an identification number on its backs. They were so excited about it.  At the end of the route, they received a gold medal and warm cup of blueberry soup as a reward.

Sounds from Portugal

Monday, February 15, 2016

Since I don’t have the language I must try to find new ways of communication. Through sounds and melodies we can reach the others. The group really appreciates music. My country has a very wealthy musical culture. Sharing the musical heritage it is a way of knowing a country in a deeper way.Today I shared with the children a song about the sea (we have a lot of songs about it because we are a sea nation). While I was singing I was playing a musical shaker with a pepper bottle (I don´t live in here, I haven´t got my instruments with me, so I had to create some).  After listening the song for the first the children could participate, playing eggs shakers and following me over the music.For the next time I will play some songs in my violin. They asked me to play Bamse and Pipi Longstocking songs. I will have to learn it!I want to bring more kinds of sonorities.Music is very familiar to me. By doing this I´m sharing one of the best parts of my culture and giving a big part of me. 

Behind the walls

Friday, February 12, 2016

A child learns everywhere. Their apprenticeship goes much behind than the classroom´s walls.
In Sweden, children spend a lot of time playing outdoors. It does not matter if it´s raining or snowing. The outdoors are part of the kindergarten´s daily life. North of Europe can be really cold, so all of the children need properly clothes to face the bad weather. I always liked being out, getting some pure and fresh air while playing with the children. 
It is good when a little bit of sun appeared in the middle of the clowns.  Definitely! But when it snows, you can paint in the ice. You can build a snowman or an igloo house. You can make snow angels, taste big snowflakes and slide in your pulka. When it rains you can play with the wet sand. Splashing in puddles. Drinking the raindrops. 
A very large pinewood surrounds the school. Once per week the group goes to the forest. In the middle of the trees the group listen the Mother´s Nature sounds, plays with each other and enjoy what the forest has to offer.