March 09th, 2021

Pod B

Continuing with Creatures
We have begun to think about a collection of our interesting and imaginary creatures.  One possibility that we are exploring is putting the creatures into a mix-and-match flip book.  One of the challenges presented by this possibility is thinking about proportion.  Each segment of each body should be similar to make the book work.  Today we worked on creatures of a similar size and the results were remarkable!  Gigi reflected on her alien as she worked:
   Gigi - Perfection!   His name is Margaret.  He has an antennae.  His antennae has lights.  He came in a rocket ship and he landed on Mars.

Meteorological  Spring!
Last week Nora informed the class that it was meteorological spring!  Spring was definitely in the air as we spent an hour outside on this beautiful day.  Children engaged in all of their favorite activities: building, swinging, checking on plants, invented games, and animal play. 

Pajama Collaboration
One of the key aspects of the pajama project is collaboration.  Yesterday, that collaboration extended to another classroom.  The Brown Room has been thinking of drawing the stairs for the pajamas, since the stairs are a big part of their day.  However, they found drawing the stairs, especially the curving stairs in the entry to be challenging.   Lane went down to offer some words of advice and encouragement.  
    Lane - "Like you pop the paper out (explaining how to represent the curvy staircase).  Up and down is like drawing the stairs, but doing them around is more trickier so you can glue the shape of the paper on the other paper.  The stairs are going to be popping out from the paper.  (Lane then suggested paper folding) Like an accordion.  That’s the best way to do it.”

Pod B also discussed the drawings that might be part of our contribution to the pajama project.  With some modifications, the class has agreed that we can be represented by an animal and construction area combo.  We are looking forward to sharing more with you in the coming week(s).

Pod A

Sabzeh!
Aida's family will be leading us in celebrating Persian New Year next week, and we're so excited to begin our preparations.  We'll be making our own tribute to Haft-seen, an arrangement of seven symbolic items.  One of the items is "Sabzeh": a collection of wheat and lentil sprouts growing in a bowl, representing new life.  Negar has helped us begin the sprouting process by soaking the lentils, and Aida gave the class some important tips.

Aida:  "It's lentils to grow Sabzeh on Persian New Year.  Sabzeh is like a little plant.  And the way to grow it is you put some lentils in a bowl, then wet the lentils, then put a paper towel on the lentils, then put your hand flat on the lentils and pour the water out.  They grow into Sabzeh that's really green.  There's seven things that starts with S.  I think it's from Iran."

Travel Play

Dakota and Aida begin to pack for a trip to the beach.
Aida: I’ve got the sunscreen.
Dakota: We definitely need some beach toys.
Aida: Here’s some water bottles and binoculars.
Dakota: I will fold the towels.
Aida: We need a map, right? I’m gonna bring purses for us.
(Dakota and Aida get in the car and drive to the beach)
Dakota: We’re here at the beach!  Here’s the towel. I’m gonna let it out because we’re at the beach. Umbrellas to cover the shade.
Aida: Should we play with these toys?
Dakota: Those are sand toys. I’m gonna build a sand castle.
Aida: I’m gonna get out more sand toys.
(Dakota stretches out on the towel)
Dakota: This is a great day at the beach.
(Grace joins)
Aida: Grace before we play we need sunscreen.
Dakota: Put your hands out. (She gives each friend a squirt of sunscreen.)

The Progression of the Small World
Each day, children have been working hard to glue, paint, assemble and label the many pieces of our little tiny neighborhood.  Every Tucker A child has been a participant in some way.
"It's starting to look like a huge city," said Fletcher today.  He began to play with the little cars and towers.  He said, "I saw a cut-down tree near Andy's house," pointing to a tree made by Dakota next to a tower made by Andy.  It's been amazing to see how children become invested in their own buildings, but are also aware of each other's work.

Soon, our plan is to put the neighborhood out on the lawn for parents to see, so please keep an eye out for an email about that :)

Pajama Update - Still Discussing!

Yesterday at morning meeting we reviewed all the ideas we have had for our pajama design contribution.  We didn't come to a conclusion of which design to choose, but we had some great examples of empathy when children complimented each other's work.
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Olivia:  I think Aida’s in the smartest.  (The solar system mobile) That’s the only thing we made.
Grace:  Basically Aida’s is the smartest, I agree with Olivia, ‘cause we actually worked hard to make it.
(Can anyone else look at the drawings of your friends and say which one you like or compliment one?)
Andy:  Oliver’s.  I like Oliver’s.  Because Oliver’s my friend.
Aida:  I like Dakota’s because she likes giraffes.
Maren: I like Olivia’s because it has the sun and some mushrooms. (from our playground)
Grace: I like Dakota’s too because she made a giraffe and I like giraffes too.  She put the dots that really match with dots on giraffes.
Olivia: I like Maren’s because I love the message center.  
(How are we going to decide what goes on the pajamas if we have eight ideas?)
Aida:  Planets.  Because they’re my favorite thing.
Andy:  Planets, because I want to go to space.
Oliver:  Planets, because I want to go to space too.
Grace:  We could vote, but it might not be fair.
Olivia:  I think Grace’s (of the boat) idea is good.  Because we get to rock in it and we can use brushes outside and we can pretend it’s water and we’re actually rowing.
(Someone suggests combining all the drawings into one.  How would we fit all of this onto one paper?)
Andy:  We need to shrink it. 
(Well, that might be too “busy”…)
Grace:  And they wouldn’t really go together.  And it wouldn’t be fair.  And all these ideas don’t really go together.
(Do any of these ideas actually go together?)
Grace:  I guess so.  I guess these two go together, because they’re both outside or something.
Fletcher:  This is from outside!
Olivia:  These both have trees so you could put these together! And these are both yellow. (The sun and the giraffe).... We should all deal with Maren’s ‘cause it’s kind to messages for people and you can make it for your mom and dad.
(after some continued back-and-forth)
Olivia: How are we gonna ever ever choose?!?!?!

Above: (clockwise) Oliver's tree swing, Dakota's giraffe, Grace's boat from the playground, Fletcher's tree swing.

Below: (clockwise) Maren's message center, Aida's solar system mobile, Andy's compass, Olivia's mushrooms from the playground.