You Say Play-dough, I Say Pluto

Last week, our film makers created a backdrop for our movie about the life of Pluto. They also made a practice stop-motion video to better understand the techniques we’ll use for creating the movie. Today, we began making the star of the show: Pluto. We decided to use a flour-and-salt play-dough like material instead of clay because it doesn’t dry as quickly as clay. The pliability of dough will allow us to work and re-work the figures over a longer period of time. It's also less messy than clay and less likely to leave residue on our other props and backdrop. Another benefit of dough: it’s really fun to make! Today we went down to the kitchen with our recipe and supplies. We measured, poured, and mixed. Tomorrow we’ll add color and begin molding it into a planet. ​

Color, it turns out, is a big decision. When the children started working today, the first thing they discussed was the color they should use for Pluto. The choices were pink, magenta, blue, and neon yellow. Some children wanted to use them all, some only one. Joslin suggested that Pluto could be one color and his mom could be another. Rowan liked that idea, noting, “If they’re different colors they won’t get mixed up.” Elle suggested that Pluto could change colors as he got older. When others were dubious, she argued, “When we’re grandmas and grandpas our hair will get white. It’s not gonna be this color anymore.” 

Later the conversation continued in the kitchen. Sally suggested that we use all of the colors to make Pluto. Someone noted that this may result in Pluto being brown instead of rainbow. 
Louise: But maybe he is brown.
Elle: No, he’s blue.
Lisa: Should we look it up? 
All: Yes!
Sally: Please, be rainbow!

"That doesn't look like Pluto." -Elle