Discussions...

On Monday, part of the morning meeting was spent reviewing photos from last week, when the kids watched the crane lift large beams.  We used the discussion to elicit ideas about how the crane works and what Ronnie (the crane operator) does to maneuver it.
Melanie:  When Ronnie drives the crane, does he have a button to make it go?
Brooke:  Or does it have a steering wheel?
Lane:  A driver!
Emilia:  Maybe he has buttons to switch the battery on, to move the crane.
Grace:  Maybe he presses with his key.

Today, we showed the same photos and shared the ideas that had been generated Monday.  Palmer was confident that the crane does not have a battery. But unlike Monday, today's group didn't offer many theories about the crane and how it operates.  
Palmer : It spins!
Oliver: Moving round it goes.  It goes down and gets the construction stuff. They just spin it around it goes, “tweal”.

Despite not offering much during the discussion, the kids are still very interested in the crane. While we were outside we could hear it beeping (which we heard when we were watching it last week) and Oliver noted, "The crane is beeping." Even when it's not visible, they are aware of its presence. We will continue to nurture their curiosity and develop understanding around this topic.

Here is another discussion from today, Halloween logistics:
At snack, Melanie asked the children who was going trick or treating. 
Ada: I’m going on the prowl.
Brooke: What is that?
Ada: You knock on somebody’s door and you say trick or treat and they give you some candy and if they don’t give you some candy you play a trick on them.
Ada (to Grace who is sitting beside her): You knock on somebody’s door and say trick or treat and they open the door and give you some candy and if they don’t give you candy you play a trick on them.
Grace: No, if you don’t get candy you go home.
Ada: No, that is not what you do. You knock on the door and say trick or treat and (if) they don’t give you candy, play a trick on them.
Grace : No, you knock the door, you open the door and then you get candy!
Ada: And if they don’t give you candy, you play a trick on them.
Grace: Yeah.

At snack, we also showed the kids the Halloween gifts from Ada. Thanks Ada!
​(Friends who don't come to school on Wednesday will get their's tomorrow)

This morning, Melanie and Jen took a small group of children to explore light, shadow and color:

In the classroom there was collage and crane play:

Have fun trick-o-treating!