March 11th, 2022

Sing Along

Today Brown room enjoyed sing-along outside on our picnic blanket. We sang and danced along while Rainy Room led us in some favorites like Head, Shoulders Knees and Toes and Sleeping Bunnies (as featured in the photos below!) We’re looking forward to some in person sing alongs after the spring break!

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Clay in the Outdoor Studio 

After sing along, we had a chance to do some outdoor studio work with clay and dinosaurs. Unlike previous clay provocations, there was no precut clay at the table, and instead we encouraged the children to cut and use what they needed for their designs. We also had clay tools on the table (which are not always present) and we observed how the children used (or didn't use) the tools in their designs. 

Once they had gathered the necessary amount of clay, children took different routes with their creations. Ellie, Emma and Louisa pushed the dinosaurs into the clay and made notes of the different imprints the dinos left. Ellie and Emma focused mostly on the dinosaurs and the clay, whereas Louisa gravitated to the tools, using them to flatten, scrape and eventually apply clay onto a dinosaur. 
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Ellie: I made footprints. I take a piece off and put foot down with my hands. 
Emma: That a mommy and that’s a baby (pointing to the different imprints in her clay)
Ellie: Louisa wants tiny dinosaur, Emma 
(Louisa offers the T-rex in exchange for Emma’s small dinosaurs)
Emma: That one is too giant
Ellie: That is too giant Louisa, 
Ellie: Look at this foot prints. I had a baby one. Louisa have baby one?
Louisa: Mmmmm no, I’m using this one (stegosaurus)

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Emma's Dinosaur Footprints preserved in clay 

Ellie's Dinosaur Footprints preserved in clay ​

Other children chose, instead, to cover the dinos in the clay to shape the body of their own creations. ​

Ragnar: Can we put the dinos in the clay?
Ford: I need this, is this a knife?
Ragnar: Remember when we were at home and my dad had to get clay from school? That was fun 
Louisa: I’m putting clay on the T-Rex 
Charlton (after building a substantial pile of clay on top of the triceratops) Woohoo! I’m carrying a mountain.

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Charlton shows Ramsey how to use the loop to scrape clay out of tricky places on the stegosaurus' back. 

Ragnar carefully covered the back of this  Parasaurolophus, paying particular attention to the face. Unfortunately, when the clay dried, it fell off of the face, but while working on it Ragnar had added a small stone detail to the eye to make his creation come alive. 

Ramsey used one of the larger loops to make "cookies", making them until his pile got too tall and toppled over. 

Seon observed Ragnar's work as she prepared to work with the clay herself. 

Isabelle tears small pieces of clay from the large slab while Seon, Ramsey and Charlton all work n the background. 

when they weren't in the studio, Brown Room enjoyed trying out an obstacle course that Brigitte helped them to build!

Mystery Reader 

We also want to say a big thank you to Jessi Sterchi for joining us as our mystery reader today! She shared Isabelle's favorite book Marisol Doesn't Match by Monica Brown. As Jessi read it, Isabelle echoed almost every word and was delighted her friends had a chance to share in her favorite story.