Lou Lou: "I don't want these because you can't see the light."
Jessica: "You mean it doesn't reflect?"
Lou Lou: "Yes."
Jack (holding up a sifter): "Look, it's reflecting! Inside!" (Jack turns the handle showing the moving reflective light inside.)
Sam: "I want to get some wire and put beads on it."
Lane: "Me too."
Sam and Lane talk about "copying" one another's ideas. They begin looking through and selecting materials to bead with.
Sam: "It's boingy! I want to put beads on it."
Lane: (Picking up some leftover wire) "This could be the right amount. If this is the right amount, I can put the beads on here." 
Lane (discovering a shiny gold thread): "This thread is shiny. Maybe too shiny." 
Jessica reminded the children of the challenge to make the light as reflective as possible. Lane decided to stick with the shiny thread.
Lane (after completing her beaded thread and tying it on the frame): "Now I want to make another one, but out of wire."
Jack (sitting down to make a pattern with beads): "Are you going to do a same pattern? A three and three pattern like three gold and three silver."

Lou Lou decided she wanted to sew something for the light. She tried a few different approaches using first copper foil paper and then tin foil. She ran into challenges with the fragile foils, such as the thread pulling larger holes than she intended through the material. She adjusted her approach, pulling the thread through very gently. 

Sam ran into a different problem attempting to attach a metal handle to the frame: "It's too heavy." 
Jessica encouraged Sam to continue and think about what could work instead. Sam tried a few approaches, ultimately deciding to start with the handle away from the frame, wrap the wire around it several times and then wrap the wire round the frame. He also hung the handle over the frame so it is supported by both the frame and wire. 

We began a new project today that will become a gift for Gini this holiday season. Children used oversized pushpins to poke designs through tin we'll later wrap around candles.. Jack noticed his hand would get tired doing this precise work so he took some breaks. Later he tried a new strategy, "It's better when I go faster." The children used a light to check out their designs. How joyful to see the light shine through the holes in the tin! Jack observed, "It's cool. It looks like a 'W'."

We returned to the Middle Room to get to work. We reviewed what was previously done and the sketches some children had done before they began working. The children were invited to draw, look through the trays of materials, and test out the reflectiveness of materials first. Austin wanted to review the meaning of reflection and Grace M. asked, "Can I make notes first?" Grace M. began sketching while Grace D. and Austin set to work testing the reflectiveness of materials and thinking about how to attach items they were interested in. Grace M. sketched an idea for a rocket ship she could create out of reflective materials and attach it to the light's frame.

 "This is hard." -Grace D.
Children realized and reflected on the challenge of discovering and implementing the best methods for attaching the reflective elements to the light's frame. We have decided that it will take some time and we will need everyone's help to eventually complete it! 

Along with these challenges children are confronted with many opportunities for problem solving and collaboration. For example, Grace David tried to cut some thick wire, "I can't cut it. It won't work." She tried a couple of wire cutters. Austin observed this and offered his help, "I can help." He cut the wire for Grace, " I cut it for you." Grace D. replied. "Thanks!" Austin and Grace continued to work together. When Grace D. came across another challenge of attaching the wire to the frame, Austin showed Grace tricks along the way and let her accomplish the steps, eventually twisting the wire enough around the frame to attach a brass menorah to the light structure. Austin's patience and willingness to support a friend through their process and Grace's persistence to overcome challenges is a great example of the scaffolding and collaboration we observe and encourage between children on a daily basis. 

All week children applied another problem-solving strategy of  trial and error to their work, as was true today when Grace D. tried a few options for adhesives before landing on one she was satisfied with. 

Enjoy the slideshow with more of the children's efforts today!

...there was an option for open clay, children added color to the shadow-tracing work Sam and Austin had done previously, a group worked on a puzzle together,  some children built with light, and Molly joined us for lunch!