Introducing preschoolers to inanimate nature (Nikolaev)

From birth, children are surrounded by various phenomena of inanimate nature: on a summer day they see the sun and feel the warm wind.

On a winter evening they look with surprise at the moon, the dark sky filled with stars, feel the frost pinching their cheeks... They collect stones, draw on the asphalt with chalk, play with sand and water - objects and phenomena of inanimate nature are part of their life activity, are objects of observation and play.

This circumstance makes it possible to systematically and purposefully familiarize preschoolers with the phenomena of inanimate nature. Moreover, this is simply necessary, especially if the preschool institution is engaged in environmental education.

In nature, everything is interconnected: plants, animals, soil, rivers, air, etc. are in inextricable unity - living nature

cannot do without
lifeless things
.

The plant exists only because it penetrates the ground with its roots and absorbs moisture and nutrients from it, stretches its stem upward, and turns its leaves toward the sun, absorbing its light and heat. The plant needs air, moisture and warmth - in such favorable conditions it feels good: it grows, blooms, bears fruit and pleases the human eye.

The same can be said about animals: they, like plants, have vital needs, many of which can be satisfied only with the help of inanimate nature. All animals breathe air, need water, and a comfortable temperature. Animals are adapted to live in a certain external environment: some were born in water and remain in the river, sea, ocean all their lives - they swim perfectly. Others managed to master two spaces, for example, all land-air animals (birds, bats, flying insects) have wings for flight and legs for movement on a solid substrate; amphibians have mastered aquatic and terrestrial space (for example, a frog). There are also especially “capable” ones: they can move in three different environments - in water, on land and in the air. An example is a goose: it walks and runs on the ground, swims and dives in a pond, and flies quite well (wild geese are migratory birds). Thus, animals, as part of living nature, have their own special relationships with inanimate nature.

Humans have an even stronger connection with inanimate nature than plants and animals. People need fresh air, for life and farming they need water, but not any water, only clean water - natural or specially purified. Humanity has reached such heights in the development of civilization because it has learned to use natural resources: extract coal, oil, ore, use clay and sand in construction, making household items...

Thus, all phenomena and objects of inanimate nature that surround a preschooler are the subject of a unified system of environmental education.

In the program “Young Ecologist” (see the book: Nikolaeva S.N. Young Ecologist: the program and conditions for its implementation in kindergarten, - M.: Mozaika-Sintez, 1999) the first section is called “Inanimate nature - living environment plants, animals, humans." It includes the following subsections: “The Universe (Universe)”, “Water”, “Air”, “Soil and Stones”, “Seasons”. Each of them presents two tasks: to introduce preschoolers to the phenomena themselves, their features, properties, characteristic features (first task); show their connection with living nature, demonstrate their significance in the life of plants, animals and humans (the second - environmental - task). The solution to the first problem in most cases is traditional (for example, children have always been introduced to the properties of snow, water, etc.), and the interconnected solution of the two problems is a new, purely ecological approach.

Of particular note is the first subsection, which presents basic information about the universe, about the Earth and its place in the solar system - this is new information for preschoolers, it is included in the program for the first time. An experimental test in kindergartens of the technology presented below showed: modern preschoolers aged 5-7 years are ready to master this knowledge, they perceive it with great interest and emotional response. This should not surprise adults: our reality is saturated with cosmic phenomena, and humanity, as it seems to us, is reaching the level of cosmic consciousness.

The proposed material is a methodological system (technology) for preschool institutions

, engaged in environmental and pedagogical work.

It is an addition to those technologies for environmental education of children of different ages that implement the “Young Ecologist” and which were published in the magazine in previous years. Like all others, this technology is broken down by month, and in some cases by week; its peculiarity is to make the most effective use of the favorable periods of each season when working with children to familiarize themselves with the phenomena of inanimate nature.

For example, learning about the properties of snow occurs in the winter, and learning about sand occurs in the warm months; you can play with it; It is advisable to organize acquaintance with the Moon, stars, and the night sky in November, December, January - at this time the shortest day, and therefore observations on a walk, etc. are possible.

Natural phenomena in autumn

Inanimate nature

The following changes occur in inanimate nature at this time of year: after the summer heat, coolness comes, and towards the end of autumn, frosts begin, and the first snow often falls. Daylight hours are becoming noticeably shorter, and cloudy and rainy weather is becoming more common.

Live nature

Representatives of wildlife perceive autumn as a time to prepare for winter. Trees change the color of their foliage and then completely shed it. Some animals are looking for shelter where they can survive the winter cold, many of them are actively preparing food supplies for future use. Migratory birds gather in flocks and go to warmer climes. Many forest animals, including hares, foxes and squirrels, molt and exchange their skins for warmer ones.

October

First week

Teachers of the middle, senior and preparatory school groups invite children to collect a collection of stones, for which they bring any stones (river, sea) to the group. He examines stones with preschoolers of the middle group - they compare them by shape, size, color, roundness, smoothness, heaviness. Together they come up with a fairy tale, for example, “How did a stone from the sea end up in a kindergarten,” or “What did the river stone tell the fish in the aquarium?” (The teacher himself comes up with a simple plot of a fairy tale in advance, includes the children’s suggestions and statements in it.) Offers to come up with a game with stones themselves.

For older preschoolers, a lesson is held on the topic “Simple and valuable stones in nature.”

Program content.

Develop interest in stones, sensory sensations, the ability to examine stones, name their properties and features (strong, hard, uneven, smooth, heavy, shiny, beautiful, etc.).
To give an idea that stones
naturally exist in the earth, in rivers and seas, which is why they are called river and sea. They are easy to recognize: river stones are uneven, of different shapes, sometimes with sharp corners; sea ​​stones are always round and smooth - that’s how the sea waves made them. Stones are heavy, very hard and durable, therefore they are used in the construction of buildings, roads, bridges and other structures.

Give a first idea about valuable stones that are used to decorate buildings, in the manufacture of monuments, souvenirs (granite, marble), show products made from precious stones

(women's jewelry, brooches, bracelets, etc.).

Material.

A set of sea and river stones (handout); pieces of marble and granite (preferably); illustrations depicting buildings, bridges, metro stations, monuments, in which marble and granite details are clearly visible; several souvenirs or women's jewelry made of precious or semi-precious stones; a piece of wood, nails, a hammer, a large jar of water.

Approximate course of the lesson

Part 1.

Each child looks at the stones

compares them. The teacher asks the children to stroke, squeeze, and weigh the stones in their hands, asks questions, and suggests looking for the correct and different words to define properties. Then he demonstrates experiments with stones: he puts them in a jar of water - the children watch them fall to the bottom; tries to hammer a nail into a stone - shows how the nail is bent (stone is harder than wood).

2
.
Children look at a mini-exhibition of postcards and illustrations depicting architectural structures made of marble and granite, the teacher draws attention to their beauty, shows these stones, and talks about the fact that they are necessary for construction.

3rd part.

The teacher shows souvenirs, women's jewelry, talks about the beauty of stones and their special processing. Gives the task to look at her home with her mother at home, her decorations, artistic products made from stones, find out what they are called, admire them, and ask how they were made. (The next day, during a walk, the teacher discusses their impressions with the children.)

Before the weekend, he invites parents to take their children to an exhibition, an art salon, a souvenir shop and show them stone products, name some of them (malachite, jasper, lapis lazuli, etc.); show children on the street granite and marble details of architectural structures, a monument made of granite.

Second week

Teachers of all groups introduce children to ordinary clay

.
Starting from the middle group, they find out from children how clay
differs from sand (it does not crumble, is dense, can be wet and dry; wet clay is sticky, viscous, soft - you can sculpt various objects from it; dry clay is hard, like stone, but not so durable - when hit or dropped, it breaks into pieces).

With older preschoolers, teachers discuss the following property of clay: unlike sand, it does not allow water to pass through, absorbs it and becomes soft. During a walk, the teacher and the children walk around the territory of the kindergarten, find places with a predominance of sand and clay in the soil, ask them to think and say why in the first case there are no puddles from the autumn rains, and in the second, the water stagnates.

In all groups, children practically learn the properties of soft clay

- sculpt various products. With younger preschoolers, the teacher creates a collective work “Vase with apples” or “Dish with tomatoes (potatoes)”: each child crushes clay and rolls a ball out of it, and the teacher sculpts a dish or vase in front of the children. With middle preschoolers, the work may be similar, but everyone sculpts different fruits and vegetables, creating compositions “Vase with Fruits” and “Dish with Vegetables.” The teacher dries the molded objects, allows the children to touch them, hold them, and discover the hardness of the clay. Then he paints fruits and vegetables himself or with their help, paints a vase and a dish, and plays with these objects with the children in simple story games.

With older preschoolers, teachers sculpt more complex figures - animals, for example, “Rabbits in the Meadow.” Children of the preparatory group for school can sculpt according to the models of the Dymkovo toy. If there is a lot of clay, you can do a group work on one tray, for example, according to the fairy tale “Teremok”: the teacher sculpts a tower, and the children make different animals. You can create a “Barnyard”, “Zoo”. In any case, during sculpting, the teacher reminds how clay differs from sand, together with the children, he dries the work and paints it, and then plays with it.

In older groups, the teacher discusses the question of who needs clay for life: he recalls the bank swallows that make burrow nests in the steep clay banks of rivers.

Third week

Teachers monitor weather and atmospheric phenomena with children and keep a daily nature calendar. On sunny days, they pay attention to light and shadow, support any initiative in conducting experiments, games, and conversations.

Particular attention is paid to observations

and discussing with children the signs of a shortening day. During a walk, the teacher has approximately the following conversations with the elders: “Which of you has noticed what is happening now (in the fall) with the light part of the day? Is the day getting longer or shorter? Is the night increasing or decreasing? I don’t understand something, I feel that everything is changing, but how is it changing? Tell us who noticed what.”

The teacher listens carefully to the children’s statements, supports correct messages, and praises them for their observation and ability to tell a good story. Gives each child the task of observing what they do now in the mornings and evenings in the dark, but before (in September, in the summer) they did the same thing in bright daylight. After 1-2 days, the teacher resumes the conversation with the children, who share their observations of changes in day and night. Everyone comes to the same conclusion: there is less light and more darkness, the day is shortening and the night is lengthening. With the children of the school preparatory group, the teacher finds out whether the decrease in daylight hours affects the life of plants and animals, whether the plants on the site, birds and other animals are getting better or worse because the days have become shorter and the nights have become longer.

Natural phenomena in winter

Inanimate nature

With the arrival of the coldest time of the year, the phenomena of inanimate nature make themselves felt very noticeably. The air temperature drops significantly and the number of frosty days increases. Snow covers the ground and continues to fall throughout the season. Snow storms, blizzards and blizzards often occur. A continuous ice cover is established on reservoirs. Ice and icy conditions are becoming more common, and dangerous icicles are forming on many buildings. Frost appears on the ground, trees and various outdoor objects, and unusual patterns can be seen on windows.

Live nature

The living world also changes during winter. Plants go into a dormant state, resting to gain strength for the next growing season. In shrubs and trees, metabolism slows down and visible growth stops. Some animals hibernate, for example, bears and hedgehogs, while others continue to lead an active lifestyle, but it becomes more and more difficult for them to get food. Many sedentary birds that do not fly away to warm countries for the winter temporarily move to cities in search of food, including magpies, bullfinches and tits.

Organization of observations in nature

Bibliographic description:

Chikatkova, A. A. Organization of observations in nature / A. A. Chikatkova, T. A. Kolegova. — Text: direct // Questions of preschool pedagogy. - 2022. - No. 7 (17). — P. 19-21. — URL: https://moluch.ru/th/1/archive/109/3736/ (access date: 02/05/2022).


Adults are sometimes so interested in watching the weather change, watching how the sky changes before rain or snowfall, how a rainbow appears after rain, feeling how the wind blows, how the first snowflake falls. Now imagine how little children enjoy these natural phenomena. Preschoolers are very inquisitive, eager for new knowledge, they are interested in everything around them. Observation gives children all sorts of positive emotions and vivid impressions, allows them to peer into the phenomena of the surrounding world, highlight the essential, the main in them, notice the changes that occur, establish their causes, and draw conclusions.

One of the tasks of the teacher when introducing children to living and inanimate nature is to organize observations of natural phenomena and objects. Throughout the year, we conduct observations on the territory of the kindergarten, in the group’s area during a walk. Children observe changes in nature, weather, sun, clouds, trees, birds, plants, etc. During observations, we help the child see the beauty of nature , learn to enjoy it, cherish and protect it. Depending on what we are observing, observations can be short-term, lasting several minutes, for example: of a bird at a feeder, of a butterfly sitting on a flower, and long-term, which last for many days and sometimes weeks. The preparatory groups of our kindergarten mainly use long-term observations, where children monitor the growth of plants from seeds, the ripening of fruits, seasonal changes in nature, etc. Observation of plant growth begins in the group where seedlings are planted. And thanks to the “Vegetable Garden on the Window”, watching the growth of planted plants becomes much more interesting and exciting, since children take care of and watch them every day. We plant vegetable seedlings in the garden plot of the kindergarten, where children continue their observations of plant growth, fruit ripening, and participate in harvesting.

Starting from the younger group, children watch with interest how a sprout emerges from the seeds and how the first leaves bloom. Children are introduced to the necessary conditions for plant growth - light, heat, earth, water. In the spring, together with the children, we plant flower seedlings in flower beds on the territory of the kindergarten. Flowerbeds with a variety of flowers are used for long-term observations - a flower grows, a bud appears, a bud blooms and turns into a flower, etc.

An example of another long-term observation is observing seasonal changes in nature. While walking, children observe what changes are happening in nature and note seasonal signs. In every observation of objects of living and inanimate nature, we use riddles, literary words, proverbs and sayings, signs that help to activate the attention of children and are educational in nature.

In order to ensure that children’s activity does not decrease during observations, and interest in them increases, it is necessary to follow some rules.

1. The spatial organization of observations should be such that any natural object is as accessible as possible to everyone. In each specific case, the teacher considers how many children can simultaneously participate in the observation, and how to arrange them so that everyone is in the same row.
2. The perception of any objects should be short-lived, since observation is a mental, intellectual activity that requires concentrated attention, volitional effort, and mental effort. During observations, you cannot talk, play, or manipulate objects. The optimal time for intensive mental activity in children is 3–10 minutes, and observation is limited to this time.
3. The observation follows a certain pattern: beginning, main part and end. First you need to gather the children and concentrate their attention. It is better to use the following techniques that evoke light positive emotions and a willingness to listen to the teacher: • An invitation to watch something interesting together; • Affectionate, intriguing intonation; • Riddle - description, riddle - action about the subject of observation. The second part is the main one, ensuring independent receipt of sensory information. The teacher offers to look at the object and asks questions with pauses of 2-3 seconds. These seconds allow children to focus on finding answers to questions. The main part cannot be interrupted by stories, explanations, poems, games, riddles. You can use logically selected actions and movements. For example, after two seconds of observation, invite the children to show gusts of wind, how the wind fills a wind sleeve, the sound of light and heavy rain, etc. At the end of the observations, the teacher reads poetry, sings songs, plays, and makes riddles about the observed object.
4. Special preparation for observation is required: inspection of the site, checking the serviceability of the equipment. In some cases, tasks are given for independent observation or homework: observe with adults (mom, dad, grandmother).

An important component in organizing observations was the equipment of a weather station on the territory of the kindergarten. The project is supported within the framework of the “Home Towns” social investment program. A children's weather station is a complex of various instruments that measure weather conditions. To study the state of the weather and observe natural phenomena, as well as to be able to predict its changes, we use equipment at the weather station, which allows preschool children to broaden their horizons, learn to be attentive, analyze the processes taking place in nature, draw appropriate conclusions and have fun. The following instruments are used at the weather station: thermometer, barometer, wind hose, weather vane, sundial, precipitation gauge. Every day, while walking at the weather site, we observe the weather: we observe the sky and cloud cover, give a relative assessment of the wind strength using a wind hose, determine the wind direction using a weather vane, measure the amount of precipitation using a precipitation gauge, determine the air temperature using a thermometer, using Using a barometer, we make an expected weather forecast and measure atmospheric pressure. We enter the data into a specially designed observation calendar using conventional signs. At the end of the month or season, we analyze the results and draw conclusions: what the weather was like during the month or season; how it changed, how many days were clear, cloudy, rainy or snowy, windy, frosty.

The systematic use of observation in getting to know nature teaches children to look closely, notice its features and leads to the development of observation, and therefore, the solution of one of the most important tasks of mental education.

Key terms
(automatically generated)
: kindergarten, observation, child, plant growth, wind sleeve, observation time, walk time, inanimate nature, organization of observations, the main part.

Natural phenomena in spring

Inanimate nature

With the arrival of spring, everything changes, even the inanimate world. The day is becoming much longer, the sun is getting hotter. The long-awaited warming is coming, the atmospheric temperature is rising to positive values. This phenomenon is called a thaw. The snow begins to actively melt, becomes loose, and by the end of spring not a trace remains of it. Ice drift begins on the rivers, causing floods. In some settlements located on the banks of rivers, a strong increase in water levels can lead to floods. Also in the spring it starts to rain and the first thunderstorms appear.

Live nature

The phenomena of living nature that occur in the spring can be described in one word - revival. Everything around begins to wake up and fill with life. In trees and shrubs, the movement of juices resumes, the buds swell, a little later active flowering occurs and the first leaves appear. Coltsfoot is blooming everywhere, and other perennial herbaceous plants are blooming in the forests. Flying insects appear, birds return, and those who hibernated are awakened. Furry animals shed again, changing their winter fur to summer. Many animals give birth to offspring at this time of year.

The importance of observations of animals and plants in the environmental education of preschool children

Definition 1
Environmental education is activities aimed at developing environmental awareness, including skills of interaction with the natural environment, as well as respect for the natural world and its operating characteristics.

Environmental education is not a separate process. It is closely related to the development of environmental responsibility in the child, the formation of the foundations of creative thinking, knowledge and beliefs in the field of ecology.

Ecological awareness and a culture of behavior in the natural environment must be formed in a child from preschool age. If they become established as personality traits, they will become guidelines for the social behavior of an adult.

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Ecological awareness is important in the life of a preschooler. It manifests itself in the following:

1. Showing the child’s interest in the natural world and the laws of its functioning.
2. Consideration of nature as an aesthetic environment, aesthetic perfection. On this basis, the child’s aesthetic ideas are formed, the aesthetic perception of the world, the sense of beauty, etc. develop.
3. Obtaining environmental knowledge that allows the child to consciously treat nature and not harm it.
4. Development of a moral attitude towards the natural environment. A sense of duty and responsibility to nature and its inhabitants is formed, and good nature, compassion, and a conscious need to help “lesser brothers” are developed.
5. Ecological consciousness forms the skills of anticipating the consequences of performing a particular action in nature.

Environmental education of preschool children is based on the use of the observation method. This method promotes a better perception of nature, its objects and processes. Vivid ideas are laid down in the mind of a preschooler as images that emerge in specific circumstances.

Finished works on a similar topic

Course work The role of cycles of observations of animals and plants in the environmental education of preschool children 440 ₽ Abstract The role of cycles of observations of animals and plants in the environmental education of preschoolers 280 ₽ Test work The role of cycles of observations of animals and plants in the environmental education of preschoolers 250 ₽

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The use of this method has the following significance in the ecological development of a preschooler:

1. Observation is relevant to use in the cognitive process of preschoolers, since it corresponds to the age stage of development of their mental processes. Information is best absorbed when actually seeing it.
2. Observation develops concentration and increases the mental activity of a preschooler.
3. Observation is a fascinating method of getting to know nature, so it motivates further study of its structure and processes.
4. Observations of nature develop an understanding of its processes, form the skills of seeing nature and the fundamentals of its structure.
5. Observation is the basis for various types of activities aimed at studying and transforming nature, activating labor skills in the natural environment.
6. Observations of natural processes help in the development of speech in preschool children. The teacher comments on what they see and helps children correctly name natural objects and processes that preschoolers observe.

Natural phenomena in summer

Inanimate nature

Inanimate nature at this time of year enjoys hot, dry weather. The sun is heating up strongly, the air temperature rises to maximum values. Rain and thunderstorms also occur, sometimes causing hail. After precipitation, you can often see a rainbow in the sky. Towards the morning, in calm weather, dew forms on the ground, plants and various objects located outside.

Live nature

Changes also occur in wildlife in the summer. The plants begin to actively flower and bear fruit. At the end of summer, the time for mushrooms and berries comes, and nuts ripen in the forests. Animals at this time of year raise their offspring, teach their cubs to get food for themselves and defend themselves in case of danger. Insects are very active in summer, some of them (mosquitoes, flies, midges and others) begin to annoy people. Dangerous arachnids, including poisonous spiders and encephalitis mites, are also activated.

Cyclic observations and methodological development on the topic

Cyclic observations.

In addition to the content, it is extremely important to determine the organizational and methodological form of conducting observations with children of those natural objects that are constantly located near them. Observations are best done in the form of cycles.

The inhabitants of this corner of nature live next to preschoolers throughout the school year - this circumstance leaves a special imprint on the pedagogical process: it is impossible for children to become indifferently accustomed to them over this long period. The pedagogical process should be structured in such a way that children’s interest in living beings constantly increases, so that they constantly expand their understanding of them, increase the volume of specific knowledge, so that by the end of the school year any child of senior preschool age could become a guide to a corner of nature - smartly and it’s interesting to talk about its inhabitants. These requirements are met primarily by such a form of pedagogical work as observation cycles, which are carried out not in the classroom, but at various routine moments in everyday life.

A cycle is a series of interconnected observations of a specific object in a corner of nature or a site in a kindergarten. Each of the observations in the cycle has its own content, its own purpose, does not repeat other observations, but is interconnected with them. In total, all observations of one cycle form in children specific and distinct ideas about a given object - its structure, functioning (various manifestations, behavior), living conditions. The cycle of observations allows the child to sensory and independently acquire a system of specific knowledge about the animals or plants that live in his neighborhood.

The cycle of observations as an organizational and methodological form of the pedagogical process has a number of advantages. In the cycle, the entire volume of knowledge is distributed into “portions”, which ensures their gradual and more reliable assimilation. Each subsequent observation allows children to demonstrate new aspects and features of an already familiar natural object, while simultaneously clarifying and expanding existing ideas.

The advantage of the cycle is its length in time - the distribution of observations, following one after another, for a sufficiently long period. Repeated (but with different content) reference to the same object for 1-3 months forms in children a stable cognitive interest in it. And as a result, preschoolers have a need for new observations, which they carry out independently (which is especially valuable), without the encouragement and guidance of the teacher. And, finally, conducting a series of observations in everyday life at different scheduled moments saves time for classes and makes work with children varied.

The cycle is carried out over a long period of time - one or two observations are planned per week. Thus, the presented cycle of 8 observations can be implemented in practice with children of older groups in 1.5-2 months. Such rather long-term communication between preschoolers and the inhabitants of the aquarium contributes to the development of their interest in this natural object.

A separate series of observations is compiled for each animal in a corner of nature in all age groups - children should know and love those pets who are their permanent neighbors. Special observation cycles are devoted to representatives of the plant world - indoor plants, spruce and birch (rowan, chestnut, apple, etc.) on the preschool site, primroses, as well as wintering birds, and frequently encountered insects. Everything that is constantly near the child must be noticed by him, must attract his attention, and arouse interest.

Hamster observation cycle

1. Hello, I'm a hamster!

Target. Induce an emotional positive attitude towards the hamster, a desire to watch him.

Progress of observation: Look. Who is this? Is the hamster big or small? Is this an adult animal or a baby? What color is a hamster? What is his body covered with? What kind of fur does he have? Pet him. Does a hamster look like a mouse? How is it similar? What is the difference? Let's call him Peak, like the mouse we read about from Vitaly Bianchi. Do you agree? What is the hamster doing? How is he behaving? Is he afraid of us? Where is he going? What helps him? Look and remember where the Peak is. Close your eyes, now open them. Where is he now? What is he doing? Is a hamster a calm animal or an active one? Is it easy to catch him?

Self-observation task. The hamster is a very interesting and funny animal. Watch him. If you see something interesting in his behavior, tell us all.

2. Let's make a good home for the hamster.

Target. Show that good conditions for a hamster, under which he will feel normal and not get sick, are a spacious cage (or aquarium), bedding made of sand or sawdust, a house or hole in which the hamster will build a nest, a ladder, a running wheel, a device for the toilet. Learn to provide assistance in equipment (apartment) for the animal.

Progress of observation: Let's see where Peak lives? What kind of house is it convenient for him to live in - spacious or cramped? What's at the bottom of the house? Is the sand clean? What needs to be done to keep it clean? Sveta, help me collect sand from the cage and sift it. Why do you need sand in a cage at all? Where did Peak make his nest? That's right, in the house. This house is like a mink. He likes to hide and sleep in it. He stores his supplies in it. What else is there in a hamster cage? Does he use stairs? What kind of jar is this? That's right, toilet. A hamster is a very clean animal, and we must help it and maintain cleanliness. Is it good for Piku to live in his house if all the conditions have been created so that he does not need anything? So that Peak doesn't get bored, let's put a wheel in the house and see what he will do with it?

3.Is the hamster okay in its new environment?

Target. Learn to notice how the hamster behaves in a new environment (the teacher moves the hamster to a new house in advance), what actions it performs, and evaluate them correctly. Determine the hamster’s well-being, teach him to draw conclusions by answering the questions: Is his home well organized? What is missing and what can be improved?

Progress of observation: Where does Peak live? What is a hamster cage? Does he have a good house? How can you determine this? (observe his behavior). Let's watch the hamster. What is he doing? What are you doing? (He walks around the walls, sniffs, moves his nose and antennae. He examines everything, climbs everywhere. He gets acquainted with the situation. He found out everything, he has nothing to fear. He is not afraid.) What do you see at the bottom of the cage? Why did we put sand there? What kind of jar is in a hamster cage? (Toilet). Can he be called clean? What is a house for him? (Mink). Why does a hamster need a mink? who else lives in the same place as Peak, that is, in a hole? (Mouse). What is Peak doing in the hole? What actions does it perform with the wheel? Isn't Peak afraid? Is he sick? How to determine this? When is it more common to see a hamster, during the day or in the evening? What is this connected with?

At the end of the observation, you can invite the children to draw Peak in his house.

4. What and how a hamster eats.

Target. Find out what and how a hamster eats? What food does he prefer? (Do not feed the hamster until observation).

Progress of observation: Guess the riddle:

- Gray animal, lives in a group,

He's friends with the guys

Carrots, grain nibbles.

What is our hamster's name?

What is he doing? What do you think he's looking for? (I'm eating.) Yes, we haven't fed him yet, and he's hungry. What can we offer him? What should I treat you with? Let's give him some bread. Sasha, put some bread in Pika’s house. What does he eat?

Let's give Peak the oats. Will he eat it? How is he behaving? Where does he take it? For what? (Makes supplies.) Let's treat him with carrots. Did he like her? How does he eat carrots? What is he doing with her? What kind of teeth does he have?

What do you think he liked most about the food? Why?

At the end of the observation, give the task to observe what food Peak likes the most.

5. How a hamster stores supplies

Target. Show that the hamster has cheek pouches in which he can carry food to his nest - store it.

Progress of observation: What food does Peak like most? Let's check. Sveta, put different food on his plate. What is he doing? Which food did you take first? Does he love him? What is he doing now? (We collect food.) Look what’s happening to him (He’s inflating like a balloon). Where did he go? How did you return from the house? (Thinner). What did Peak do again? What did he become again? What do you think the hamster is doing in the house? (Leaves food, makes supplies). What helps him carry food (cheek pouches.) What do they look like? what do we use to carry food? (In the bag). Is a hamster thrifty? Who else, like the hamster, makes supplies? (Mice). What kind of teeth does he have? That's right, sharp ones - he should definitely be given tree branches so that he can sharpen his teeth. At the end of the observation, invite the children to put a twig in the hamster's cage.

6. A hamster is a clean animal.

Target. Learn to notice how Peak eats dinner, washes himself, brushes his fur, carefully uses the toilet, and what actions he performs.

Progress of observation: Let's give Peak a treat. Tell me how he eats. (Wipe with a napkin). So Peak ate, let's see what he did? (Wash.) Show me how. How does he clean his fur? Pet the hamster. What kind of fur does he have? (White, soft, short). What kind of jar is this? (Toilet.) Does Peak use it? Who saw it? Does he use the toilet carefully? What one word can be used to describe Pika, who takes care of himself, washes himself, brushes his fur, and goes to the toilet carefully? (Clean). Is he feeling well? (The peak is cheerful, active, the fur is smooth and shiny.) Invite the children to sketch how the hamster takes care of itself.

7. How does a hamster rest?

Target. Find out the animal's resting and waking patterns during the day. Observe where.

Progress of observation: During what part of the day do we most often see Peak? How is he behaving? What is he doing? Conclusion. During the day the hamster sleeps more, he becomes more active in the evening, but at night he is awake. This means that the hamster is nocturnal.

8. How is a hamster different from a mouse?

Target. To consolidate ideas about the external appearance of the animal (the body is round, plump, the head is large, there is almost no neck, there are small ears on the head, eyes like beads, a movable nose, around which there are many whiskers. The legs are short, the fingers are small with sharp claws. The body is covered with soft fluffy hair reddish in color.) The hamster differs from the mouse (and from other animals) in that it does not have a tail.

Progress of observation: Where does our Peak live? Tell us what he is like. What kind of fur does he have? Pet him. What is he doing now? What helps him run? What kind of legs does a hamster have? What do you see on his paws? What helps him run without bumping into objects? What are his eyes like? What is the hamster doing now? (Sniffs everything.) What does he use to do this? What's his nose like?

What else helps him learn about danger? What kind of ears does he have? How does he listen? In what position are his ears? Whole body? Does he have a neck? Who does Peak look like? How is he different from a mouse? What animals also do not have a tail, like Pika?

9. How does a hamster move?

Target. Clarify how the hamster moves (walks, runs, jumps, runs nimbly in a wheel; can climb. Doesn’t run very fast: legs are short). A young hamster moves a lot, an adult sleeps more (especially during the day).

Progress of observation: What does Peak do? (Runs around the cage) Let's look at his paws, what kind of paws are they, long or short? Which paws do you think are more comfortable and faster to run on, short or long? What's on a hamster's paws? (Claws) What are they? (Curled.) What do they let the hamster do? (It’s good to climb, hold tightly to the bars of the cage.) Which of you can name the most movements that a hamster makes? (Walks, runs, climbs, jumps, runs in a wheel). Can a hamster be called a nimble, agile animal? Is our Peak an adult or a young hamster? How do young animals behave? What about small children? (They move a lot and play.) How do adult hamsters behave? (They sleep more.) And our hamster? Invite the children to observe the behavior of the animal and compose the story “Our funny hamster.”

10. When is a hamster hard to spot?

Target. Clarify ideas about the camouflage coloration of a hamster. Develop observation skills and the ability to reflect cause-and-effect relationships in speech.

Organization. There is sand at the bottom. On the sides of the cage are sheets of paper, red, white, brown.

Progress of observation: Children observe and note when the hamster is clearly visible and when - not so much. Let's see what the hamster does? Do we see him well? Let's see when the Peak will be invisible, against what background? Which paper is closest in color to the color of a hamster? Here Peak stands on a white background. Do we see him well? Here he comes to another wall and stands against a red background. How do we see it? Against what background is Peak invisible? Why? Tell me, what is the name of the coloring that makes the animal invisible? And when is the animal invisible—when is it motionless or when it runs around the cage? Let's get a look. Close your eyes, now open them. Do you see Pika? Where is he located? What is he doing? The sand at the bottom also helps the hamster - it makes it unnoticeable. In the wild, hamsters live in the sand.

Offer to sketch a hamster and what helps him become invisible.

Other amazing natural phenomena

Unusual and sometimes mysterious natural phenomena sometimes occur in the world. Let's give examples of some of them.

Ball lightning

According to eyewitnesses, this rare phenomenon is a kind of luminous ball moving in the air along an unpredictable trajectory. In the scientific world there is still no consensus on what ball lightning is and how it occurs.

Northern lights

This phenomenon is characteristic not only of the Earth; it also occurs on other planets of the solar system that have a magnetosphere. People perceive it as a rapidly changing multi-colored glow in the sky at night. It is formed as a result of the interaction of the upper layers of the atmosphere with charged particles of the solar wind.

Snow storm

This unusual phenomenon occurs during the cold season. It is more often observed near the sea coast or over a large lake, and occasionally occurs in the city. It is characterized by precipitation in the form of heavy snow or freezing rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning.

Tornado

This destructive natural phenomenon occurs in a thundercloud. A column of air, making vortex movements and forming a funnel, descends to the ground. Its diameter can be tens and even hundreds of meters. At the bottom of a tornado there is always a cloud of dust, dirt and objects raised from the ground, or water splashes if the tornado formed over water.

A cycle of bird observations in the second junior, middle, senior, preparatory groups

Author: Natalya Aleksandrovna Grigorova, teacher of the highest qualification category at MDOU combined kindergarten No. 27 (Lipetsk).

Second junior group

Observation 1. Getting to know the bird.

Goal: introduce children to a bird living in a corner of nature, tell it its name, give it a nickname. Pay attention to the fact that she is beautiful, cheerful, lives in a cage, briskly jumps and chirps.

Observation 2. What does the bird eat?

Purpose: to show children that the bird is fed with a grain mixture (the grains are small, of different colors), grated carrots, crumbs of cottage cheese, eggs, and given water. The food is placed in the feeder and water is poured into the drinking bowl. The bird has a beak, which it uses to peck food and drink water.

Observation 3. The bird is fed every day.

Goal: For several (five) days, demonstrate to children that the bird is alive, it must be fed every day in the morning.

Observation 4. What the bird does in the cage (task for children).

Goal: to encourage preschoolers to make independent observations, teach them to notice the different actions of a bird, and name them with words.

Observation 5. Who cares for the bird.

Purpose: to draw children's attention to the fact that the bird cannot feed itself. The teacher and children take care of her - they give her food, pour clean water, and clean the cage. In a clean cage with food and water, the bird feels good, sings, and makes everyone happy.

Observation 6. What does the bird have?

Purpose: To clarify the features of the bird’s appearance. She has a head, torso, legs, tail, wings. There are eyes on the head and a beak with which it pecks food and drinks water. Using its legs, it jumps around the cage and sits on a perch; flaps its wings.

Observation 7. How a bird bathes.

Purpose: to show children how a bird can swim in water if it is given a bathing suit. She climbs into the water with her feet, crouches, and beats her wings. She likes to swim.

Middle group

Observation 1. Getting to know the bird.

Goal: to introduce children to a bird that will live in a corner of nature. Identify how it differs from the bird that children observed in the past (size, color, etc.) Establish similarities in the appearance of birds - there is a head, body, tail, wings, legs; on the head there are eyes and a beak.

Observation 2. In what conditions does the bird live?

Goal: to familiarize children with the conditions of keeping a bird: it lives in a spacious cage, in which there are perches, sand for small stones, a feeder with food and a drinking bowl with water. Show children the need for such conditions; in a large cage a bird can fly and flutter; she sits on perches and jumps on them; the sand pecks and swallows it; eats food; drinks water and bathes in it.

Observation 3. Who cares for the bird and how.

Goal: to show preschoolers that the life of a plitz depends on the person (the teacher and the children). In order for her to feel good, healthy and cheerful, she must be constantly looked after: clean the cage, sift the sand, wash the feeders, and do not leave the bird without food and water. Everything must be done carefully so as not to frighten it - all birds are shy.

Observation 4. How the bird behaves after cleaning (task for independent observation).

Goal: to teach children to take the initiative in observations, to teach them to notice the peculiarities of a bird’s behavior, to associate them with the good conditions that are created for it by the efforts of the people caring for it. Encourage children to speak about what they see.

Observation 5. How a bird sings.

Goal: to teach children to independently listen to the sounds made by a bird, listen to singing, and feel its beauty. Explain: a bird’s penis is its joyful state, which occurs with good care.

Observation 6. How much of what does the bird have?

Purpose: to clarify with children their ideas about her appearance. She has one head, one tail and beak, two wings, two legs, two eyes, many feathers that cover the entire body except the beak and legs. The feathers are of different colors, they are soft and light.

Observation 7. How a bird bathes (task for children).

Goal: to encourage children to independently observe and speak about what they see. Learn to notice the bird's actions during and after bathing. Pay attention to how, sitting on a perch, she arranges feathers with her beak and dries them. Preening.

Observation 8. Why does a bird need legs and wings?

Goal: to clarify with children the functions of the bird’s locomotion organs. Using her legs, she jumps around the cage, sits on a perch, scratches her body; flutters with the help of wings, flies from place to place, and bathes in water.

Senior group

Observation 1. Introducing a new bird.

Goal: to identify the distinctive features of the new bird in its external structure in comparison with the bird of the previous year, to find similarities.

Observation 2. Living conditions of the bird.

Goal: to clarify with the children what is vital for the bird, what objects constitute its living conditions (cage, perches, sand, food, water). Show the meaning of each of the attributes: the bird lives in a cage (this is its home), it rests on perches, jumps on them, eats food, drinks water, pecks sand (with its help the bird digests food). For a bird to be healthy and cheerful, the conditions in which it lives must be good: a large cage, several perches, clean sand and clean water, a variety of food: grain mixture, soft food (cottage cheese, eggs, carrots), greens (bunches of herbs) , mineral supplements (coal, chalk, shells).

Observation 3. The work of those on duty is caring for the birds.

Goal: to show preschoolers that the work of those on duty in the corner of nature creates all the necessary conditions for the birds. Demonstrate the sequence of work actions, their high-quality execution, and careful behavior near the cage.

Observation 4. Which greens are better (task for children).

Goal: continue to teach children to independently observe the behavior of the bird: offer to find out how it will react to boxes with green oats and Tradiscantia cuttings placed in a cage, which of the greens will peck, which will peck first.

Observation 5. What kind of legs does the bird have?

Goal: to clarify the structural features of the bird’s legs, their adaptive significance: the legs are thin, covered with feathers at the top, without feathers at the bottom, covered with scales. There are 4 toes on the feet, they are widely spaced - 3 forward, one back (the parrot has 2 forward, 2 back), so the bird stands stable. The fingers have thin curved claws. The fingers can bend, with them it clasps thick and thin branches. With the help of its claws, the bird can easily be held on branches and perches.

Observation 6. Does the bird have a neck?

Goal: to show children that the short, almost imperceptible neck of a bird can stretch out and then be clearly visible. With the help of its neck, the bird easily turns its head in different directions and notices everything.

Observation 7. Does the bird hear?

Goal: find out with the children how the bird reacts to sounds; report that she hears well, that her ears are located on the sides of her head under the feathers, they are not visible. The bird turns its head to the sound, becomes silent, stops eating, and listens. She is afraid of unexpected loud sounds.

Observation 8. When a bird sings (task for children).

Goal: propose to find out on your own when the bird sings: before eating (bathing), after, in cloudy or sunny weather, what sounds it makes, whether it is pleasant to listen to it, whether its trills are different from the singing of other birds.

Observation 9. How the bird rests and sleeps.

Purpose: to show children that the bird is resting, sitting on a perch, tightly clasping it with your fingers. At the same time, she spreads the feathers on her body and closes her eyes. Falling asleep. The bird hides its head under its wing and holds tightly to the perch in its sleep. She falls asleep at nightfall and wakes up at dawn.

In a similar way, the cycle of observations of birds (a pair of budgerigars) in the preparatory group includes: examination and clarification of the features of the appearance of birds, detailed acquaintance with methods of movement on solid ground and in the air, familiarity with the properties of feathers (flight, down), their location on the body, for various purposes (fly ones - for “swing”, supports in the air, down ones - for heating). Preschoolers of this age are interested in observing the mechanism of takeoff and landing, seeing how the tail and wings open like a fan. Several observations are devoted to communication issues: how parrots relate to each other, how children can communicate with parrots and teach them. A special cycle of observations in this group is associated with the appearance of offspring, nesting, incubation of eggs and feeding of chicks.

Simultaneously with work in the corner of nature, observations of birds in the area are carried out in all age groups. Children get acquainted with their diversity, learn to distinguish by size, color of plumage, cry; They observe behavior in a natural environment: how they move on the ground, how they fly, how they swim in sand and puddles, what they peck, where they sit to rest, how careful and timid they are (quickly react to everything around them), how they build nests in the spring, hatch chicks.

It is easy to see that observation cycles are a unified system of ideas about birds, specified for each age, in which knowledge about their relationship with their environment, the diversity of species, the growth and development of offspring is organically linked. Over the course of 4 years, children become familiar with the external structure, behavior of birds, and their living conditions. At the same time, at each subsequent developmental stage, children expand and deepen their ideas about what is already familiar, establish morphofunctional connections, first at the level of the organism, and then in unity with external conditions. Gradually approaching an understanding of the general fitness of birds and their dependence on vital environmental conditions.

It should be noted that in this case, children consider both the whole and the details. Cycles of observations in each age group begin with a general examination of the bird, followed by familiarization with individual “details” - specific parts of the body. With external organs and, most importantly, their functions. From general, initial (in the 2nd younger group), completely undifferentiated ideas, the child gradually achieves greater detail in the process of observation. At the final stage of the cycle of observations in the preparatory group, he comes again to the general, but less often to a qualitatively different general, saturated with knowledge of specific details, an understanding of their properties and purpose. Such general knowledge provides the opportunity to fully understand the adapted relationship of an animal (particularly birds) with the environment in which it lives (for birds this is adaptation to a land-air lifestyle and a certain climatic zone).