Building Relationships & Community

Pod A

The Memory Boxes are a wonderful way to make connections and build community. Today Maren shared her box with the group. (For the new families: Maren's family spent the first part of stay at home in Florida. Later, they went to Jackson Hole and spent time there.) Here's what Maren told us about her box:
Explaining the beaded flamingo,"When I was in Jackson we got these beads at camp and then my mom bought them for our home."
"This is a gondola ticket. A gondola is...you use it to get to the top of the mountain."
Reflecting on her time in Florida she included, "A water balloon. I have sea shells from Florida. This is a puppet I made in Florida."
Maren also told the group about Hamilton, "Hamilton is a movie I like to watch. It's on Disney Plus. It's a song movie. I like the wedding song."

Hamilton was something that the children connected on. Palmer said, "I like Hamilton!" And Cannon, even though he wasn't familiar with it, was able to make a connection by adding, "The Lion King is a song movie." 

Building Together
Cannon, Wolf and Palmer built some large structures in the construction area today. Later, Maren, Gigi and Lane joined them and helped add to the work. It wasn't always smooth sailing, though, especially in the beginning. With some coaching from Jill, the initial group was able to overcome some challenges and effectively cooperate.

During second meeting, the children reflected on the experience of working collaboratively to build a large project.
Jill: At first it seems like there were problems.
Palmer: Yes, there were totally problems. I wanted to keep my building separate from Cannon's, but then I changed my mind. 
Jill: What did you like about working together?
Palmer: I like Wolf's building because it's super cool. I like that we used so many blocks.
Lane: Almost like we're out of blocks.
Palmer: And I liked that so many friends worked on it. I think almost all the friends helped.
Cannon: I liked when we worked together and I didn't like it when we didn't.
Gigi: I liked it. The whole place was a home (for the animals). There's even a little dog.
Of the whole creation Lane reflected: My eyes were amazed!

---

Pod B

Aida and Olivia deepened their friendship while working with clay today.  Olivia helped Aida press down on her rolling pin. Later, Aida was inspired by Olivia to try and lift the large, heavy rolling pin over her head. 

Even when creating individual pieces, the children strengthened their relationships through compliments and offers to help one another:
Grace: how did you do that Fletcher?  Good work! I like your design!
Fletcher: I made the body of the rocket, but now I need the roof.  Like a triangle.
Grace:  Here you go Fletch.  (Hands him a piece of clay) What else does a rocket need?
Fletcher:  I need two triangles.
Olivia:  Okay, I know how to make triangles.  You’re lucky.

Fletcher's work in progress.

Grace's work in progress.

Today Melanie set up a digital landscape in Blake Hall to enhance the dramatic play narratives. 

Group #1
Oliver: Do you want me to scan it down?  I don’t think I can scan it with all this fog.
Andy: Oh my gosh!
Oliver: Don’t worry, I blew it away.  Psssssh.  We’re going through that cloud and it will turn us into daytime space.  More magic shooting stars!  Andy do you want to catch one? 
Andy: I caught all of them.
Oliver: We’re in spooky space.
Andy: Oliver watch out!
Oliver: See? It made magic.

Group #2
Olivia:  I’ve got our money in here.  So we can pay the moon! Heehee.
Fletcher: Miss Melanie I think I just saw a Saturn.
Grace: Five, four, three, two, one, blast off!
Olivia:  Grace, you’re the sister now.
​Fletcher:  (on the phone) Hello?  Is anyone there?  Nobody’s calling me.
Olivia:  One, two, three, speed up. (Driving the rocketship)
(The picture of the moon changed - we see a crater)
Olivia:  We’re in the hole! We’re in the crater.  Now we have to jump around on the moon.  (She stands up and beckons to her friends)
Fletcher:  Okay I’ll stay on the ship.


The digital landscape piqued Grace's curiosity and she had many wonderings:
At night, when it’s a crescent, how do they walk on it?  Did the moon move?  Is there only one moon, or two moons?  What if the moon goes away on a trip?  Where will it go?  Does space ever go faster or slow?
Does the moon go to the bathroom like us?  Does the moon have a home?  Is it soft or rough?  Does it ever snow on the moon?  Is it ever sunny on the moon?  Is there clouds on the moon?  
Is there holes in moons?  Is there a playground in moons?
Will a space astronaut ever come to St. John’s?