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Upon returning from our time away, our first morning meeting was an opportunity to reconnect with our friends. While sharing stories of our adventures during the break, the children made connections with each other's experiences. Ava and Cal debated about the weather in "my Florida," as they had both visited different cities there and seemed to have had different weather experiences. Louisa and Ellie talked about their families' visits to the cherry blossoms, while Zari and Isabelle shared about a playdate they had. The children were also excited to share the photographs of the sky that they had taken while away from school. Florida Sunrise by Cal Cal: It’s golden. I see trees and not some sand, but only the road. Mimi: Leaves and trees. Cal: And palm trees. And I see sky. I see some golden when the sun was setting. It was almost night time. It was time for me to go to bed. Ellie: Maybe because it’s night. Cal: It’s really warm in Florida. Isabelle: It was hot in Argentina. Ava: It was not so hot in Florida. Karen: What else do you notice in Cal’s photograph? Ellie: Clouds. A bush. Zari: I see the sun coming down because it’s going to be bedtime, because usually (when) it comes up it doesn’t disappear. Ava: If the sun doesn't see the clouds, it disappears. Zari: When the sun goes down, the moon goes up. Seon: I see moon in the morning, but not all the times. When I see the moon, I make a wish to send to my family. Mimi: The sun doesn’t look like the circle anymore. Ava: Because the sun is going down. Mimi noticed the reflection of the sun in the puddle in the middle of the street: What's a reflection of the sky? Seon: We saw the reflection when we were taking pictures of the sky. Sunset in Washington, DC by LouisaLouisa captured two photos taken at the same location, but at different times, while the sun was setting. Louisa: It’s nighttime. This one is lighter. This one is darker. This one was first. This one was next. Ellie: It’s (the sky) blue. Whit: Actually, it’s blue and white. Seon: The sunlight was setting and when the sun sets, light and blue mix together to make the red and orange. Ellie: I think it’s purple and pink in the sky. You mix it all, all the colors together and that makes it (the sky at sunset) purple. The Sky, The Trees and The Fence by Zari Zari: My photograph has the sky, the trees and the fence. It’s all blue. Karen: Is it all the same color clue? Mimi: No, it’s light blue, too! Zari: It was at nighttime when Daddy was not there. Emma: How do you know it’s night time? Zari: Because it’s cold. Karen: What do you see though that make you think that it was at nighttime? Seon: First, the blue mixes with the sun and the sun mixes the blue into two colors (the blue and the light blue) and the two colors get together to form the sky. Louisa: Why is there not a sunset? Mine was at night time. Zari: It was literally at night time. Louisa: Sunsets happen at nighttime. Keep sending those photos in via email. More children will share next week and the conversations will continue! The Skies in ItalyUpcoming PTC MeetingMark your calendars for Tuesday, April 4 at 8:15 am. |
| The wind does not come from the clouds unless there is sun. Ava |
Ava shared this idea during one of our discussions about where the wind comes from after our
winter trip to Montrose Park. Ava’s words demonstrate a unique understanding of weather and its properties. She knows that wind, clouds and sun are connected. Following this and other conversations related to weather, the Rainey Room children have been experimenting with different materials and mediums (languages) to express and further their knowledge of the weather.
winter trip to Montrose Park. Ava’s words demonstrate a unique understanding of weather and its properties. She knows that wind, clouds and sun are connected. Following this and other conversations related to weather, the Rainey Room children have been experimenting with different materials and mediums (languages) to express and further their knowledge of the weather.
Can the Sun Make Art?
One classic way of combining weather with art is a sun print. A sun print is a kind of cyanotype photogram or an image that is created by placing objects onto a light sensitive surface. We were curious to see ideas the children might have about the sun during the day. Especially because it’s not always visible.
 | Asking about the sun print experience: Can I do it inside? Ford We have to do it outside because it needs the sun. Emma But I don’t see the sun outside right now. Ford Well, my eyes hurt so I think the sun is out. Charlton |
The first time we used the sun prints, the children collected natural materials from the outdoor classroom and arranged them in various patterns on the sun print paper.
| Stick, leaf, mulch. Stick, leaf, mulch. Isabelle I did leaf, leaf, leaf. I love the leaves and sticks. I like breaking them. Bailee I need one more stick. Isabelle I need a short stick. Bailee Bailee broke the second half and gave half of it to Isabelle. I like big leaves and big sticks. I will not pick up little ones. Fay |  |
After gathering and arranging their materials, they let the sun work it’s “magic”.
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| We want to keep watching it and wait, wait, wait. It's sometimes hard to wait. But it’s easy to rest. I can see a print. It's magic! Seon It will print. It will make the same thing as the leaves and sticks. It's turning into a print. Fay Take all your items off, Zari. Ava I did it like that. I drop it in the water. Zari Seon’s looks like a heart. Mimi It's magic again. More magic. More magic! Ava It's magic again. Mimi |
 | We're going to put these over here to dry. Karen Dry from the sun. Bailee |  |
The second time we used the sun prints, the children collected materials from the studio in the classroom such as buttons, wooden pieces, and seashells. Like with the natural materials, the children arranged them on the sun print paper and waited patiently to remove the objects and see the shapes left behind.
| Pointing to two objects on top of each other on the sun print: This one’s not going to change. Ava The water is making the shapes and the sun. The sun is going into the water and then it’s gonna make the shapes. Charlton It will make a print. Seon If you put it in the water it will make a print too. Mimi |
| Looking at the sun print after taking it out of the water: Mine’s not drying. Why did it change colors? Why is it changing color in the water? Ava |  Admiring the shapes left underneath the materials he arranged: Look, I made that. Charlton |
Once removed from the water and left to dry, the prints developed and turned an even darker shade of blue. At the intersection of science and art, the children captured the power and beauty of the sun.
Which Colors Remind You of Clouds?
There are rainbow clouds. Ellie
What color comes to mind when you think of a cloud? Is it a big white puffy cloud? The children in the Rainey Room have noticed white is not the only color a cloud can be. Another expression of their knowledge of the weather. One morning in the outdoor classroom, we were beginning to mix the colors of the clouds. Cal’s dad, Henry, opened his phone to a picture from their trip to Florida. It was an image of clouds at sunset.
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Inspired by Cal’s image, the children began mixing the colors of the clouds.
| Which colors remind you of clouds? How could we make them with paint? Emma Black. We could add white. Cal Brown and I could mix yellow in it. Ava I see white clouds. There are rainbow clouds. Ellie What colors are in the rainbow clouds? Emma Blue, black and grey. Ellie |
The children mixed their initial cloud colors on a painter's palette. From these colors, they each decided on a few to mix in the big jars.
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| Cal Mixing yellow and red to make orange: It’s the Palm Beach, Florida color. I added red and yellow. What color is it turning? Let me see what it turns. This one looks like the clouds my dad showed me on his phone. It’s from Florida. Noticing how the colors make a design before being fully mixed together: This is kinda like a pattern. It’s a cheetah pattern. Referring to a blue color he mixed: It's nighttime-set. Now I want to do a cotton candy color. |
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| Ava Mixing white and black: This is the concrete cloud. It looks like concrete. Referring to a color she mixed with brown and green: This one is muddy. This one I made with red and blue. And this one wakes you up. While mixing colors together: It’s coming my color! I made it green. Maybe a little more yellow so we have a lot for the children. The green one is in the morning. Let’s see what happens. It’s probably going to turn into a rainbow color. Referring to a purple color she mixed: This one is like a little horse riding on a purple sheep. The purple sheep cloud. |
Zari
I’m mixing brown and a little white and red.
The clouds get darker when it’s bedtime. A bedtime cloud.
Referring to a gray color she mixed with a little yellow in it: It’s in the morning because the cloud gets dark and you know it’s about to rain in the morning.
I’m mixing brown and a little white and red.
The clouds get darker when it’s bedtime. A bedtime cloud.
Referring to a gray color she mixed with a little yellow in it: It’s in the morning because the cloud gets dark and you know it’s about to rain in the morning.
Ellie
Mixing black and yellow together: This is the Hawaii cloud.
I’ll make gray or blue. Now I’ll make a black red.
Mixing white, yellow and red: I’m making pink. A purple popsicle cloud.
Mixing black and yellow together: This is the Hawaii cloud.
I’ll make gray or blue. Now I’ll make a black red.
Mixing white, yellow and red: I’m making pink. A purple popsicle cloud.
The children's final Cloud Palette can be found next to the easel in the Rainey Room studio.
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What Questions Do You Have About Clouds?
These experiences are evidence of the complex thinking the children have been doing about the sun, the clouds, and the weather in general. They have developed their own ideas and hypotheses. But questions remain. In an effort to investigate further, we are sharing some of these questions with an expert to hopefully have them join us in the Rainey Room to dive deeper into the whimsical world of weather.
The Cloud Manifesto
Charlton's dad (and cloud enthusiast), Addison, recently shared a book with us titled, The Cloudspotter's Guide: The Science, History, and Culture of Clouds. We were moved by the philosophy of The Cloud Appreciation Society and wanted to share it with you all. They seem to understand the potential for imagination and beauty in the clouds, not unlike the way the children do.
Dear Rainey Room Families,
We hope you all have had a wonderful week! Whether you were in DC or away, we are looking forward to seeing and discussing the images your children took of the clouds/sky during the break. While some may still be traveling, we wanted to share our projections for next week. We can't wait to see you all soon!
Warmly,
Emma and Karen
We hope you all have had a wonderful week! Whether you were in DC or away, we are looking forward to seeing and discussing the images your children took of the clouds/sky during the break. While some may still be traveling, we wanted to share our projections for next week. We can't wait to see you all soon!
Warmly,
Emma and Karen
While at St. John's, the children are invited to explore a number of materials during studio experiences. As they gain more experience with the materials they begin to use the materials to express their thoughts, feelings and ideas. It is when children begin to use materials with intention to express themselves, that those materials become languages.
Representations of Weather Using Wire
Whit's interest in tornadoes and representing them with wire drew him back to the studio on multiple occasions. His first sculpture showed the chaos that many of us associate with tornadoes, while the second shows his understanding of the funnel-type structure of the windstorm.
 Look, isn't this so crazy? Like a tornado! |  It’s a tornado and a ghost and the tornado got squished by the witch. The witch was good and the ghost was bad. The tornado is this part (blue coil). I wrapped it around my finger and they go all the way up. |
As they worked, Bailee and Isabelle discussed hurricanes.
Bailee: I'm making a hurricane in Florida.
Isabelle: I'm making a hurricane.
Bailee to Isabelle: I don't think you've ever had a hurricane.
Isabelle: I'm making the sky. The purple is the hurricane, is the hurricane sky. The blue is the rain.
Bailee: It's a hurricane in Florida, because Florida has all the hurricanes...This is a wind hurricane.
Isabelle: It's another kind of hurricane.
Bailee: It’s the same hurricane where my grandparents live. I have water and three hurricanes around.
Isabelle: This is a hurricane standing up. It’s gonna disappear because it (the hurricane) flies on the earth.
Isabelle: I'm making a hurricane.
Bailee to Isabelle: I don't think you've ever had a hurricane.
Isabelle: I'm making the sky. The purple is the hurricane, is the hurricane sky. The blue is the rain.
Bailee: It's a hurricane in Florida, because Florida has all the hurricanes...This is a wind hurricane.
Isabelle: It's another kind of hurricane.
Bailee: It’s the same hurricane where my grandparents live. I have water and three hurricanes around.
Isabelle: This is a hurricane standing up. It’s gonna disappear because it (the hurricane) flies on the earth.
Fay returned to the studio over a few days to express her thoughts about weather, using wire and other materials: That's the rain. It's a big cloud storm and this (the purple wire) is all the rain coming down.
Describing her multi-colored wire sculpture on white foam, Fay explained:
All different kinds of rainbows. I'm putting wire inside the white. It won't fall off now. It's the snow. and all the snow on the ground. this is a little bit. A rainbow and house mountains.
Describing her multi-colored wire sculpture on white foam, Fay explained:
All different kinds of rainbows. I'm putting wire inside the white. It won't fall off now. It's the snow. and all the snow on the ground. this is a little bit. A rainbow and house mountains.
Ellie: It's the wind. This is the wind. This wind is fuzzy. The wire wind is at my house.
I did wire under it (a piece of fluffy material). It's windy and summer. Sunny, windy weather.
Ava: This is a cloud running away. It's running to the park. These are the clouds (pointing to the purple wire). This is a pool. The girl is wearing a pink swimsuit. This is the pool ocean. I don't like windy weather. I like spring when I can go back to the carousel.
I did wire under it (a piece of fluffy material). It's windy and summer. Sunny, windy weather.
Ava: This is a cloud running away. It's running to the park. These are the clouds (pointing to the purple wire). This is a pool. The girl is wearing a pink swimsuit. This is the pool ocean. I don't like windy weather. I like spring when I can go back to the carousel.
Representing Weather at the Easel
The children continued to use tempera paints that they had mixed, inspired by their observations of weather, to express their thoughts and ideas about all kinds of weather.
   |  This is the bumpy wind. It bounces into each other. Gray. This is the sparky wind. It happens in a tornado. -Rawls  It’s raining. This is a house and it’s raining and eagles are flying away and going inside the house to get out of the rain. - Louisa  |
A sun. It feels hot. The sun makes it hot. The dots are the grass. The (gray dots) are people. Clouds are gray and this (the purple) is the moon. This is the big purple house. This is grass where people can walk. -Mimi
Dear Rainey Room Families,
We are looking forward to next week and to having everyone back in the Rainey Room. Please see our weekly projection below. Most of the work will be a continuation from this week.
Also, here are a couple reminders for next week:
No School - Monday, March 6th
This is a staff development day for teachers.
Rainey Room Ice Skating - Tuesday, March 7th
Come skate with Emma and Karen after school!
See email sent from Courtney Gugino for more details.
Sign-up for Parent Teacher Conferences
A Google sign-up document will be sent out today at 4:30pm. Please sign-up at your earliest convenience.
We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Warmly,
Emma and Karen
We are looking forward to next week and to having everyone back in the Rainey Room. Please see our weekly projection below. Most of the work will be a continuation from this week.
Also, here are a couple reminders for next week:
No School - Monday, March 6th
This is a staff development day for teachers.
Rainey Room Ice Skating - Tuesday, March 7th
Come skate with Emma and Karen after school!
See email sent from Courtney Gugino for more details.
Sign-up for Parent Teacher Conferences
A Google sign-up document will be sent out today at 4:30pm. Please sign-up at your earliest convenience.
We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Warmly,
Emma and Karen
