Work in the Black and White areas

This week, we brought the overhead projector into the black and white areas (literally in the middle).  During the research for the black and white areas, the concept of light was strong. Bringing the overhead projector into the space gave the children an additional source of light (the window and classroom lights being our primary sources).  Another consideration was that we wanted to incorporate familiar materials for the children, and we started on Tuesday by brining the Rainey Room A silhouettes to morning meeting.  

"We cut them out in Rainey Room!" - C.C., 4.11 years
"It's my mom's light." - Lochie, 4.11 years
"[addressing the whole group] Your moms made them." - C.C
"Or your dads." - Lochie

When we asked the children about how we might use the shadow screen, which they gave a big hug to when they entered the classroom, they had quite a few ideas to share: 

"It's like a movie theatre." - Violet, 4.5 years
"We could tell stories." - C.C., 4.11 years
"Put them [silhouettes] on the screen to do a shadow show." - Maxon, 4.6 years
"Put it on, and then the light would show on the big screen. It would show the shape and we would make a show about them." - Lochie, 4.11 years
"Paint them so that they can have colors." - Reed, 4.6 years
"They make shadows on the wall." - Elle, 4.10 years
"Or you could use your bodies to make shadows." - Maxon, 4.6 years

Enthusiasm was high, and the black and white areas were a first plan for many of the children. 
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"Guys! Do you see the rainbow?"- CC, 4.11 years

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There was also a lot of interest in using the prisms that have been in the white area.  They quickly discovered that they could make rainbows with them if they could find "the right" place in the light. 

"Rainbows are everywhere!" - George, 4.4 years
"Look. This matches. It's the rainbow." - C.C., 4.11 years

C.C. found our book titled, Ray of Light​ on the bookshelf, and she used it to compare her prism to the prisms and rainbows inside.

Two different arrangements as seen from the top of the overheard projector and on the shadow screen. 

The next day 

On Wednesday, we put out fewer silhouettes, and moved some larger pieces from both the black and white areas.  These pieces were chosen because they had some sort of hole in them, and offered potential for the light to shine through them.  The children experimented with layering the silhouettes and larger pieces, but also were excited by how the pieces, when placed on the overhead, transformed their bodies. 

"It's the octopus in it [the plastic "mesh"]." - Violet, 4.5 years

"Hey! I can see my hand, Lochie! Look!" - Violet, 4.5 years
"Let me see my hand. Now there's four!" - Lochie, 4.11 years

[top]
"Look! The polka dots are on us." - Lochie, 4.11 years
"I have polka dots too." - Violet, 4.5 years
"From where?" - Maxon, 4.6 years

[right]
“I’ve got rainbows on me.” - Lochie
“Me too!” - Violet 
“I don’t got rainbows on me.” - George, 4.4 years
“Yes you do. Here!” - Lochie 
"Can you take a picture of us in the rainbows?” - Lochie

Thursday - Arrangements and Drawing

When the children entered the classroom on Thursday, they immediately noticed the setup that we left for them on the platform, in front of the shadow screen.  Some of the black and white materials had been stacked so that we could see their shadows.  During Morning Meeting, they discussed what they thought the materials and shadows looked like.  This led us to ask if they would like to make an arrangement and then draw it.  It was also suggested that while some people build, the other people could be drawing.  Giacomo, Maxon, Lochie, and Elle decided that their first plan for the day would be to work in these spaces.  
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Giacomo began the work while others looked on. 

You can rearrange if you want to. - Elyse 
"Or I can add on." - Giacomo, 4.10 years

Each time Giacomo added a piece to the structure/arrangement, he would step back to observe it [pictured on right].

Maxon came to join Giacomo in creating the structures and choosing materials.  Lochie noticed this, and sat down at the end of the table to draw. Elle sat down next to him and said that she was going to draw a map for how they should make the structure.  

"I'm going to draw what they do." - Lochie, 4.11 years

Elle's Map

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Elle also alternated roles in this process.  When she was not drawing with Lochie, she was offering to help Giacomo add pieces to the structures/arrangement. 

"This is heavy." - Giacomo [holding a large piece of pipe]
​"I can help!" - Elle, 4.10 years
​"Now it's pretty light." - Giacomo

​Lochie started by drawing the tower made of small bed risers and the square grate.  When I asked if he would like to add some of the other elements, he immediately added length to his drawing of the black platform in order to make space for the additional drawings.

"I even got that 'fanny thing'." - Lochie

"I want to help them [build]." - Lochie, 4.11 years
"This is hard work, Lochie; going back and forth [from building to drawing]." - Elle, 4.10 years

Lochie continued to add to the structure, but then he would immediately go to his drawing. If anything had been added, by him, Giacomo, Maxon, or Elle, he would add it to his work.  Each time he would look up at the structure and then back down at what he had drawn as though contemplating something.  It seemed to me, as the observer, that he was contemplating whether or not he needed to add new elements, or whether or not his drawing matched the current arrangement/structures.  

He then stacked two bed risers on top of each other and said, "Now I'm going to draw it." He said that he did not want others to add to this smaller portion of the work, but Elle asked him after a few minutes and he agreed to let her add something.  She put the object in front of a structure he had already drawn, and he laughed at trying to add it because it was in front of "his stuff". 

"Elle, I'm trying to draw the egg with the swirl." - Lochie
"I can draw the swirl part for you, Lochie." - Elle
"I needed more space to draw that tube." - Lochie [speaking to why he added length to the platform drawing]

"It [building and drawing] wasn't easy, but it was fun because I'm an artist.  An artist thinks it's fun." - Lochie, 4.11 years