During this month at RisingOaks Early Learning | Saint John Paul II, the preschoolers had the opportunity to explore light and shadows to brighten up a dreary, dull day. This experiment provided opportunities to compare darkness with brightness and the differences between flashlights and glow sticks. To begin the light experiment, the preschoolers were provided with various colours of glow sticks and brought their own flashlights from home. After turning off the classroom lights, they used the window shades as a canvas to create shadows by shining their flashlights. Some children enjoyed making monster shadows and other shapes, while others had fun shaking the glow sticks and shining their flashlights on the ceiling, walls, floor, and even their own faces as they moved around the classroom. They also demonstrated their creativity by incorporating glow sticks into larger structures built with wooden blocks. The children used their flashlights and glow sticks to illuminate their pictures on the wall, discovering that the flashlights helped them locate their pictures in the dark room. Allie observed that she could make her light dance by shining her flashlight on the ceiling. Nyra noticed that the glow sticks did not illuminate the ceiling as effectively as the flashlights did. Meanwhile, Everly enjoyed creating shapes, rainbows, and houses using glow sticks, while Violet joined her in making shapes like triangles with the glow sticks. Allie, Parker, and Dominic demonstrated kindness and compassion by sharing the flashlights they brought from home with their friends. It was heartwarming to see them taking turns and using their words to ask for a chance with the flashlights. Oliver walked around with a flashlight and explored how the light interacted with different surfaces, such as walls, the ceiling, the sweater, and the floor. Nyra and Brixton spent a significant amount of time at the light table, constructing and designing structures with coloured cups and shapes. Brixton expressed his feelings by saying, "hey, she loves me!" during their playtime. This activity offers valuable learning opportunities for the children, fostering creativity and imagination as they experiment with glow sticks and build structures with blocks and cups. It also enhances their scientific knowledge and curiosity through exploring light in various ways and comparing the differences between glow sticks and flashlights.
