Back In Action!

It's been great getting back into the swing of things in the Brown Room. We can't wait to welcome the Wednesday/Thursday/Friday friends tomorrow.

An idea comes to life...

Yesterday we read Harold and the Purple Crayon during snack. The children had some very clever questions about the book. Lane asked, "Is he a baby or a kid?" This question prompted Grace to wonder, "Where are his parents?"  So the idea of creating our own Harold book was born. 

Today during morning meeting we revisited the questions from yesterday.
First we asked what the children thought, is Harold a baby or a kid?
Emilia: I think he's a kid because he's little.
Grace: A baby.
Cannon: A kid.
Grace: Because kids are little.
Fletcher: A kid.
Alexandra: A baby.
Grace: He's drawing houses and he doesn't know how because he's a baby. My baby can't do that.
Lane: Babies can't draw.
Grace: My baby does it [draws] on her face.
Cannon: He draws a bed.  (possibly an argument for why he's a kid and not a baby)

Where are the parents?
Lane: Maybe they're at work and they left him alone.
Do your parents leave you at home alone?
Lane: The kids have a nanny and the moms and dads go to work.

Next we shared ideas of what could happen in our book about Harold.
Cannon: A dragon will eat him!
Lane: The dragon will be silly and funny. The mouth will closed and taped up.
Grace: Put him in jail and tie him up, he never come back.

It was an exciting activity and a number of friends chose to participate as their first plan. Others contributed later.
While making the pages...
Grace: How we draw the mommy?
Lane: I draw the monster. I put 3 tapes on him.
Grace: We're drawing mommies and daddies and nannies for Harold. I did a mommy.
When thinking about assembling the book...
Emilia: I know how to make a book: you draw the letters and fold it up.
Maren: I'm really good at tape. Can someone give me some scissors? 
Emilia: I can get you some.
Maren: The purple ones. Thank you.

Alexandra made the cover art. When she told the class about it at snack she said: That's Harold. That's papa. That's mama. (pointing right to left at the 3 figures she drew)

Emilia: That's the mama. That's a waterfall.

Lane: A monster! But down low is the baby (Harold) and then all that is the mom and dad and grandpa. (note the blue tape she drew on the mouth)

Grace: That's the mommy, daddy, Harold, that's the brother.

Olivia: This one....the sister like me.  A big sister

Meanwhile, in dramatic play....

Cannon: It's heavy! My suitcase is heavy! See, that's all for my trip. 

Next, Cannon invites Olivia and Lane to join him:

Here is what was said at the beginning of this play sequence:

Olivia: I'm going on a trip with Cannon and Lane!
Grace: Let's go!
Olivia: Wait for me Cannon!
Lane: I got my map.
Grace: I got my ipad.
Olivia (to Cannon): Let's go to the airplane. Bye Brooke!
Grace: Bye! We're going on a trip!
Lane (to Grace at the table): So what would you like to watch? We're not going to watch Frozen. You can't pick Frozen. You can't do it loud, it hurts my ears.

One last conversation...

Fletcher, Cannon, Grace and Maren set-up for snack while the other friends were having a bathroom break. Once everything was ready they sat down to wait for their classmates. Fletcher started a conversation....

Fletcher: It's almost Easter.
Brooke: What happens at Easter?
(everyone starts talking at once!...eventually we realize we need to take turns)
Cannon: The bunny gives me all treats.
Grace: The last time we went to ChaCha and we dance and then the Easter bunny came and put chocolate on the ground and we ate them up.
Maren: We have an Easter Parade.
Soon the other friends returned and we continued the chat while the children served themselves snack.
Alexandra: I am celebrating Easter. My grandma decorate for Easter.
Lane: Get some chocolate eggs from the Easter bunny.
Emilia: Put candy in our Easter eggs.
Evelyn: We already go to Easter and I picked up eggs.
Olivia: I decorate some Easter things with my mom.
Fletcher: I see lots of eggs!