Wednesday, March 3rd

Pod A

Pajama Brainstorming: A Design About the School
We are continuing to hone in on a final design for the pajamas that our school is collaborating to create.  Today, we asked Fletcher to share a drawing he had made at home of the swing on the tree.  First he described it:
Fletcher:  This is the tree, this is the leaves, there’s a swing that has a long string and a rope.  It has a tire at the bottom and a knot.
Brooke:  Why did you want to draw this?
Fletcher:  Because I really love school.
(When he said this, the children realized it wasn’t just any swing: It’s our swing here at St. John’s.)
Andy: That’s the swing!
Maren:  Outside on the playground!
Inspired by Fletcher’s work, we asked children to come to the studio to articulate and draw something that they like about St. John’s, in the hopes that we can put the design on our St. John’s pajamas. 

The Travel Area

Like we mentioned yesterday, the travel materials we have borrowed from your homes have created a HUGE influx of enthusiasm for dramatic play, and we’re so grateful for your support.
We value dramatic play because it helps children build language skills by providing an important opportunity for children to discuss, negotiate, ask for help, give advice, and develop rapport.  It’s a time for children to make plans, describe their plan, and finally carry out the plan (executive functioning).  When you read the dialogue below, consider the ways in which children use problem-solving and communication skills.
(Group #1)
Maren: I’m walking in the street and it’s raining!
Dakota:  Let’s pack up stuff.  We need to go. Ring ring.  It’s for you, Oliver.  We’re going to LA.
Oliver: No, we’re going to an island.
(They disagree, so Maren steps in and suggests a vote.)
Maren:  Raise your hand if you want to go to LA. (no one responds, but she perseveres)  Olivia, where do you want to go?
Olivia:  I want to go to Florida.
Maren:  Everyone wants to go to a different place, so we’ll have to go everywhere.  We just have to pick a place to go first.  And then everyone will get to go where they want to go.
Oliver:  The screen has the program. (He brings a laptop keyboard)
Maren: I’ll need sunglasses for sure.
Olivia:  I packed floats for me.  We’re going to Florida aren’t we? (Stands up with luggage) …We’re in Florida!  Wooo!  Now I can unpack.  This is my room.
Maren: This is our room, we share a room.  
Dakota:  You and Olivia are sisters, and sisters get to sleep together.  
Olivia:  Get the sunscreen!  You take both of the towels.  We need a safety bag.
(They lay down on the towels together. Olivia wears sunglasses and talks on the phone.  Maren has propped the umbrella next to her))
Maren:  Aaaaah… Shade.  It’s free shade.

(Group #2)
Grace:  We’re going on a space trip.
Andy:  Let’s go on the airplane.  Bye bye, see you later.
Fletcher:  That’s not a spaceship… That’s a plane.  (He has positioned chairs to act as a different vehicle)
Andy:  Okay then, let’s go to space.  I’m ready!
Grace:  This couch is our rocket.
Andy:  Ten… nine.. eight… seven-six-five-four-three-two-one blast off!
Fletcher:  Sometimes people keep the luggage under the seat.
(Andy packs “milk” inside a watermelon-shaped bag)
Fletcher:  Eat!  How does it taste?  Watermelon?
Andy: (laughs) It tastes like bag!  This is a watermelon bag!  (Still laughing)
(Andy discovers a bunny ears headband in the large bag of supplies and wears it)
Andy: I’m hopping to space!
Aida: Can I try that?
Andy:  Sure, just take it from my head.
(Plans gradually shift from a space adventure to a beach)
Grace:  (to Aida) Mom, I’m going in the water.
Fletcher:  I have to build a tent because my umbrella broke.  That will take all day.
Andy:  (inspecting a world map) Raise your hand if you want to go to Greenland.

Pod B

Sewing 

Palmer started sewing yesterday, and Lane joined  hime today.   Palmer worked on a second, sillier Medusa.  Lane started by choosing colors and beads that she liked.  Later, she started a second piece after selecting materials   She carefully added small pieces of fabric.  Although she had seen Palmer sew  several black pieces together on his Medusa, she preferred to sew fabric pieces individually and separate them. She explained, "It's Corona for fabric too (thus the need for distance).  Corona Art!  Each piece of fabric is a world.  But one world doesn't have Corona in it."

Palmer's first Medusa

Palmer's "Silly Medusa"

Lane's first sewing

Lane's "Corona for Fabric" sewing

Drawing

While Lane and Palmer were drawing, Gigi and Nora focused on drawing challenges.  Nora had started drawing a map of "where it's sunny and where it's night" yesterday.  She felt she had encountered on obstacle in that she wasn't sure how to include more "hints" for reading the map.  She solved the problem today by gluing the map onto a larger piece of paper for additional hints.  She explained that  "people need hints so that they can find the crystals or treasure that they want.  Crystals, gems, coins...anything they want."

During meeting, the class had discussed possible drawings for the pajama project.  One of the drawings was Gigi's drawing of the construction area from a week or two ago.  Gigi decided to draw a more detailed construction area.  Others were impressed and inspired and began to draw areas of the classroom themselves.  Many of these drawing included identifiable people as well as the area.   

Mystery Reader!

William was our mystery reader!  He shared 3 books with us: "Look Out Kindergarten, Her I Come,"  "Pup and Bear,"  and "The Amazing Journey of Lucky the Lobster Buoy."  Lane mentioned that she couldn't even see the word in the third story.  Her dad revealed that it was a book without words, so the pictures determined how he would tell the story.  The children all agreed that they could "read" that kind of story.  We will include some books with new words in our collection.  It will be interesting to see how each child tells the story differently.  Thank you, William!