December 04th, 2018

Yesterday we began some work with tempera paint and colorful paper in the studio.  Many children were excited to participate, including Alexandra, who made a painting of an "elephant taking a bath".  She decided to make another elephant today, along with many other animals.  Grace, Evelyn, Lane, Emilia, and Olivia also did some work with painting as you'll see in the slideshow.  As you read the conversation, keep in mind that it occurred over the course of an hour or so.  Some work time is quieter because the children are focusing, while other times are more chatty. 

Grace: I'm making Thomas.
Lane: I'm making the train.  Actually... I'm making a statue.
Alexandra:  I'm making an elephant taking a bath! (laughs) Look, haha!
Evelyn:  I'm making a car.  A black car.
Alexandra:  I am laughing.  I am making a bear.  (picks up jar) Yellow is my favorite, yellow is my favorite (singing).
Lane: This is me, and this is brother and this is mommy and daddy.
Alexandra:  I am going to make a walrus.
Evelyn:  (shows Jill) I made a big big daddy.
Alexandra:  I don't know how to make a walrus...
Melanie:  It has tusks, right?
Alexandra:  I don't know how to make tusks either.  (continues painting)
Emilia:  It's getting so grey.  Now I'd like some pink.  This one is for grandpa. 
Olivia:  This one is for momma.  I'm making an elephant.
Emilia:  (now drawing at the easel) This is going to be for Lola Mi but it needs red.  Because red is her favorite.  I'm gonna surprise Lola Mi (smiles)

(Above: Evelyn's "black car" and "big big daddy")

Light and Color Exploration...

Our class has a new spotlight machine.  It can shine all kinds of colors.  See how we experimented with shining it on different surfaces today...

Fletcher:  I will press buttons.
Brooke:  The colors are changing.
Emilia:  The pink is with the blue.
Fletcher:  It changes color.
Brooke:  Can we get it to stay one color?
Emilia: Can I press the buttons?
(Emilia moves the light)
Fletcher:  It's getting all the way up.  It's on the roof.  How does it get on the roof?
Emilia:  I just hold it up and it goes up there. (demonstrates)
Fletcher: Look, a rainbow!!
Emilia:  Do you want to see what happens if I put it up there? (places light close to wall)  We can shine it on this (shines it close to Margaret Tiger lovey)

(Light turns off.  Fletcher and Emilia carefully inspect the machine, including the plug)
​
Emilia:  We fixed it!  We fixed it! I had this flashlight and it fixed it.  Brooke I fixed it!
Lane:  I want to try the light.
Gigi: You're shining the light on my bear.

(The rainbow colors of the spotlight)

Meanwhile... in Dramatic Play...

​(Left) Elsa and the Knight introduced themselves to us.  Elsa said she was heading to the office, while the Knight plans to shine the rainbow light on the "bad knights".

(Right) A very spooky knight sneaks up...

In the Message center...

​Gigi, while looking through her portfolio with Jill and Grace, found a collage that she had made on a previous day.  As she examined it, a bead fell off.  She decided to fix it at the message center with some glue.  Then, while she was there, she added new beads to the collage.  Fletcher worked by her side, gluing transparent materials to his message.

Outside...

Making birthday cakes...

And thinking of silly names for a family of pinecones!