February 25th, 2020

Tracing with Pen and Watercolor
We are building our skills of tracing around the outline of an image using tracing paper.  We are hopeful this skill will come in handy within our hopscotch project.  Brooke printed out images that she knew children would be interested in - particularly, a gorilla for Cannon.  At meeting, Cannon smiled and said, "I always don't know how to try a gorilla!"  But he gave it his best effort and it turned out beautifully.  It's great to try new things, even if you're not sure it will work!

A Hopscotch Surprise
Today we began solving the problem: How do we send our hopscotch to the children at Hyde-Addison?
We realized we might need to reach out to them and let them know a surprise gift is coming.  At morning meeting the children dictated this letter:

Dear children across the street,
This is a letter from Grace, Palmer, Wolf M, Lane, Evelyn, Ellie, Wolf B, Cannon, Olivia, Oliver, Emilia, Maren, Gigi, Fletcher, (and Alexandra and Ada).  What are  your names? How many kids are in your class?
We have something to give to you.  It's a secret.
Love,
The Rainey Room, St. John's, DC

Children brainstormed ideas of getting this hopscotch game out of our studio and delivering it to the other children.  Wolf B said, "How do we take the whole thing off?"  Lane said, "The problem is the teachers don't have carseats."  She thought we could drive it over.  Palmer said, "The school is close to us!"  Meaning we don't need to drive.    Maren suggested, "Probably just put it in their mailbox."  Wolf B had the idea, "It has to be a secret."

Then, in small groups, we discussed more logistics.  Palmer said the first step is to "Un-tape it."  Lane recommended that "100 people can help."  Grace agreed saying, "Molly, Jessica, the other Jessica...." 

Palmer understood how long the hopscotch has become, going all the way to 20, and said, "We need a big door to do this.  Bigger door.  If we want it to go through the door, then we have to turn it sideways."   Lane responded, "We could just fold it in half like a taco."
Ellie:  "We lift the hopscotch up and then we'll take the tape off the ground and then we'll tape it onto the street.  ...But where will we park if we put the hopscotch on the street?  ....We'll just do it on the sidewalk!"

We began trying out our idea of using cardboard as a way to carry the numbers.  Ellie and Fletcher helped to fetch the cardboard from the closet, and put the boards in a long line to measure if it was enough.  Ellie could visualize the next part of the process in her mind...
Ellie: We have to put a line with the boards and then put it on.  And then we tape the boards to the hopscotch.

Another hopscotch note from today:
Grace, Evelyn, and Gigi created a beanbag to give to the children at Hyde-Addison so they can play hopscotch!  They used the sewing machine, then carefully put the rocks and beans inside!

​Hopscotch Instructions:

• You have to hop like one, both, one, both.  You have to hop on both feet, one, both feet, one.  (Maren)
• And then you can go backwards if you want.  (Palmer)
• You throw the beanbag and you have to pick it up and hop all the way to the finish line.  (Maren)
• Wherever the beanbag goes, you have to jump to it.  (Lane)
• You just have to follow the numbers. (Palmer)