A few things here and there...

  Changing Our Calendar

We had a trick-or-treat weekend, and then, when we returned to school on Monday it was not the month of October anymore. It was November! This meant we had to change over our classroom calendar to accurately reflect the month of November. In order to do this, we needed to rearrange our numbers and add the significance of symbols indicating events and routines. The green circle indicates the day of, we have a silly symbol for our backwards days, a birthday celebration symbol (Lochie's birthday), a sing along symbol (today the ninth), and a pumpkin to mark our Thanksgiving Feast celebration. Lucia, Nora, Reed, and Sylvie invested in this work and set the change in motion, one number at a time, with an official calendar to reference the placement of the numbers.

Hold on... Is this the direction that our numbers go on the calendar? The children continued placing numbers, from the end of the first week and top row of the calendar, in correct numerical order, following from five to ten. However they direction switched from row to row, sweeping back to the beginning of the next row after reaching the end of the previous row, to going downward, filling the column. This was a learning moment! We went back to our formal calendar and checked for accuracy. Reed and Nora relocated the number 7 from the second Saturday position, and placed it where it belonged on the second Sunday. From here, Nora persisted to place all remaining numbers all the way to number 30! Finally we looked at our All School calendar to indicate dates of events. 

The Persimmon Tree-(going backwards to share)

Though we shared a bit about this work during classroom stories, we wanted to take a minute to go back and share a bit more about the process.  While the physical structure was reflective of their persimmon tree knowledge (mulch surrounding it, branches, a variety of persimmon colors, persimmons on the ground, etc.), this process also required a lot of patience and willingness to "try again" when things didn't go according to plan.  

Some of the chosen persimmons were very heavy, while others were lighter.  This lead to a discussion of counter weight/balance and how we could "even out" the sides so that the structure did not fall (again).  They each took turns adding pieces and taking them off when needed so that the branches would balance.  

With each crash of the tree, they seemed to feel a bit disappointed and frustrated.  After some initial encouragement from me (Elyse), they began to encourage each other whenever the structure fell.  They really got into a "keep going/altering/trying" attitude.  

"I have to secure this."

"I'm making a branch."- Lucia, 4.5 years

As you saw at Classroom Stories, Lucia, Reed, and Audrey shared their work with the rest of the children the next day! Lucia walked everyone through all of the pieces of the structure, and you could see the pride in their eyes as the other children recognized each part of the tree.  

“That’s the persimmon on the top, and branches right here, and more branches.  This is the mulch, and this is the persimmons on the ground.” - Lucia 
“Are these also the persimmons?” - Maxon 
"Yes." - Lucia 

Do you remember why or how you started this work? 
“Because we wanted to make a persimmon tree. We have one in the outdoor classroom.” - Lucia 
The children all went to the window to see the persimmons.

I remember that you had a reason to build the rainbow near the tree.
“We know. We just put it there because of Nora’s thing (theory).” - Lucia (pointing to Nora’s theory drawing)
“There’s electricity that is invisible.” - Reed
What does it do? 
“It makes it orange.” - Reed

11.8.21 - Into the actual persimmon tree

On Monday, 11/8, we spotted some possibly ripe persimmons in the tree.  What's the best way to know if this is true? Go into the persimmon tree of course!  

While we (teachers) were up there, we found a rather odd persimmon and picked it for the children.  We then gave anyone who wanted a turn, a chance to climb up and see the persimmons, persimmons leaves, etc. up close.  They were thrilled (and safe).  

The most popular opinion was that it looks like a caterpillar (with wings).  

We also heard hippopautamus, walrus, butterfly, duck, unicorn, and more.

Maxon found a semi-ripe persimmon that he was able to reach and pick.  Once he had it, he decided that it needed to ripen a bit more before we eat it!  

At the easel

Nora's Painting 

Lochie and C.C. began a painting a few days ago.  Their first step was to paint the background.  They asked to leave it until it dried.  Two days later, they came back and added the rest.