In our classroom, we show our children fascinating real-life objects. These may be things that we see in our backyards, in a park or from a recent trip that we got as a souvenir. We provide clear and precise vocabulary to identify and describe these objects. Stories can be read or personal experiences shared about these objects. For example, Mrs. Paseltiner gave us a real cotton that she found in a Christmas shop as. She got a long branch with cotton buds and gave us a bud to share in our classroom. The children were extra interested because they use cotton balls in their polishing work. Ms. Grogan even remembered how she saw a great deal of cotton plants in the southern states.
We also encourage the children to bring interesting objects from home, things that are meaningful to them. They are always excited to show these objects through Show and Tell, and they welcome questions from their classmates. We strongly recommend, however, for parents to be mindful of what their child/ren bring. Although they are undeniably meaningful, we ask for you to place some thought on what are considered real objects and what are not (i.e. cartoon characters). In our classroom, we believe real objects hold more merit and are actually more memorable for the children.
