Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Finding Light

As the Classroom Stories presentations ended last week, there was an invitation for parents to "find light" and send us the images.  We were interested in how children would approach this task as well.   After lunch today, Maren and Louise set out to take photos of the kinds of light they could find around the school.   Even before they set out, they had an encounter with light and shadow in the classroom.  
    Louise - (Noticing the shadow on the wall)  The light makes your shadow move.  When the light is off, you don't see the shadow.  (She turns the light off)
     Maren - Look!  You can still see my shadow!
  Louise - But when it's dark, dark, dark, your shadow goes away.  
     Jessica - What's making Maren's shadow?
   Louise - (Looks around)  Maybe some of that over there (pointing to the window) is making the shadow.

As they began their walk around the school, they first noticed windows.  Gradually they moved onto lamps and other light sources.  A bit later, they started paying attention to reflections.  

   Louise - Let's sit down here and see if we see any light. (Sitting at the table in Brown Room.

Photo of jars on table taken by Louise.

Photos of jars on table taken by Maren.

Louise - I think there's light in the book. ((Hymnal in the church.)

Photo by Maren.

Photo by Louise.

As you can see, although Louise and Maren were making discoveries together, they each offer a different perspective and capture a unique image. Here's a just a small sample of the other photos they took.

During Chapel, Ginny read a book about light and Kurt demonstrated how the new lights in the church work.   Before lunch, children shared  some of their reflections about light:
    Jill - I noticed that chapel was about light today.  What did you notice?
    Grace M. -The light was very cool.  I like the light.  Our friend (Kurt) can turn on the lights with his phone.
    Lou Lou - I said the moon rises when you sleep.  I noticed that chapel was fun.  I liked lighting the candle snd putting it out.
    Joslin - I noticed what's different about chapel was the lights on the ceiling.  The new ones are there because it was dark and hard to read.  
     Jill - So, what is light?  (The question we started our conversation with yesterday.)
    Lou Lou - Light is what you can see, you can see what you're scared of.  Light is so you can see what you're scared of.
    Grace - Light is like a candle light and like a flashlight and like a sun and like car lights.
    Joslin - Light is electricity and electricity helps lights shine on.
    Leigh - The sun is light and the sun helps people see.
    Maren - I have a nightlight .  It's Paw Patrol.  It helps with sleeping.
    Louise - I had an Elsa and Anna nightlight but it doesn't work anymore.
    Maren - The nightlight has a little light (indicating that the light is not so bright that it keeps you awake).
                                                                                                                            .........To be continued.............

Clay Collaborations

Last week, when the children were glazing clay, a few classmates admired Joslin's clay heart and wondered how she made it.  Today, Joslin lead a clay group, "teaching" others how to make a heart.  As they worked, children built upon each other's knowledge in various ways. It went something like this....
    Joslin - You have to make a ball to loosen it up.  (The clay was very hard!)  You make a ball and flatten it.
    Lou Lou - I'm making this for my mom, because her birthday's coming up.  
    Leigh - (to Joslin)  How did you make it that flat?
   Joslin - I just pounded it.  (To Grace)  You can start poking it and pulling it to the shape (Indicating that Graces' clay was flat enough).  And guys, if you want the sides to be really smooth and straight, you can cut the heart shape.
    Lou Lou - (While pounding her clay) Standing up is easier to do this.
   Joslin - You can also add details to your clay.
   Lou Lou - Like these details (working with tools to create impressions).
   Grace - My heart is a baby heart.
   Joslin  - When I was doing a heart at home, I had to start, and do it over, and try again, and I fixed it.  That's how I learned.  
     
   

Today Elyse and Melanie Olson had lunch with us!  We talked about favorite colors, siblings and blue cheese.... among other things!  Thank you, Elyse and Melanie!