Mini versions of "WILD"

The children began preparing mini versions of "WILD." A big thanks to Carter's dad for cutting the wood for us- we appreciate it. First, we needed to sand the wood using sandpaper. 

After the wood was sanded, the children added nails using real hammers. 

"This is so heavy." -CF


The children will be adding different connectives next week including rubberbands, yarn, paperclips, pipecleaners, etc. Stay tuned as this project moves forward.

Language of clay

Ms. Katie came to work with a small group to represent our ideas of lines using another language to create tools to be used with the clay. She talked with the children about manipulating the clay in order for us to do what we needed. 

First, we start with a rope. 

                                     

"I'm making a heart. That makes a heart." -CI

                               Ms. Katie said, "Move your hand from side to side and press down."

The children persisted using the clay and practiced the motion. We talked about the clay going into the kiln and how it will change. We will then begin to paint on the glaze after they are fired. 

"I made a loopty loop."- LC

Look at all those lines including a hook, a track, and a loopty loop.

Roller Coaster

The children used blocks today to recreate a roller coaster from the words that they have given to lines.  They made the coaster with lines that went up and down.  They added curves, high jumps. The children discovered that lines can make many things, especially roller coasters.

Forest Monday

Riding the roller coaster

We began interacting with a roller coaster projected on the wall and shared it with other friends 

during small capers today. Observations and conversation are seen below:

                  "How about we put our hands up till we get there?" 

                               "Enjoy the ride." 

                         "We're going so fast." 

               "You don't need to scream until there are big bumps." 

                          "This one was scary." 

 

Children drew the track design as they rode it. 

     "Up, upside down, and then down." 

      "We're going up a big hill." 

                  One child asked, "Are there loopty loops in this one?" 

            "This is so high." 

       "It's getting ready to go down." 

                    "This is so fun." 

              "We're riding on the floating air." 

                    "WOOAAHH!" 

Formulas

The children have been mixing colors together to create some new and different colors.  As they were talking about what they were doing, I shared with them that it sounded like they were creating "formulas."  When I asked had they heard of the word formula, one student said yes and stated "It is something that we follow, like a recipe.  It tells what to do to make something." 

Here are some of the formulas that were created:

JB created black by mixing red, blue, and yellow.

RJ created grey by mixing blue, red, and orange.

"WILD" outdoors

A small group worked outdoors to create a smaller version of "WILD" 

for the friendship party tonight. We will be on the grassy hill so be sure 

to check it out if you are coming tonight. 

How does WILD inspire us?

Hopefully, you have been following the story of "WILD" and the different encounters that have taken place. While some children have enjoyed moving throughout "WILD," others have looked at it in different ways. A few weeks back in small groups, children talked about what they noticed as they looked at "WILD." Children represented their ideas through drawing. 

Children are tracing their drawings. 

One child saw a bridge

One child saw a rainbow

Another child saw a rainforest.
Stay tuned for this story of the rainforest. 

                                             
                                                     

Spring day outside for small capers

Observation on "beauty"

I do a lot of watching how children learn.  I am always amazed at how they see the world in which they live.  I also noticed that I don't always understand what joy they see and get from the things that they do.  So, I decided to push myself and try to see what the children see and feel when it comes to the mud kitchen.
Well today, I planned to take on the mud kitchen and see what is it about that space.  When I look at it, it's just mud and more mud.  My first step was to take a small group and maybe clean it up a little.  The more I said "let's pull this table out and clean it, or "should we sweep this floor" I noticed again that the children were very unaware of all of my hang-ups about the mud kitchen.  They just wanted to play.
So, I threw in the towel and just watched them as they shared with me a bucket of dirt and a shovel and when they came to me with a bowl full of dirt, grass and weed flowers and called it a Strawberry cake.
I began to see the beauty  and thought that I would like to be a part of that joy.  I discovered that "beauty is all around us, sometimes it takes the most simplest things like mud and children to see how beautiful things can truly be."   Ms. Juanita