February 21st, 2020

HOPSCOTCH  DEVELOPMENTS!
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Here is a breakdown of the last two days building a hopscotch game in our studio:

• Yesterday we began with applying very small numbers on the floor and using tape to make lines showing the linear course from start to finish.  But it wasn't clear where to put your feet.  Where does the player hop on one foot, and where do they hop on two?
• We began using carpet squares to indicate to the player where their feet should go.  But it began to look too straight, like a bridge.  When the children tested the game out, they would just run from start to finish like a race, or skip across.
• A few children realized the problem and came to help us.   
  • Maren:  So, you have to jump on one leg and then jump on two legs. 
  • Lane: How I play hopscotch, is I jump in... and out.  (legs together, legs apart)
•  Lane illustrated that we needed a pattern of two carpet squares, then one, then two, then one.  We adapted our game, and gradually our hopscotch stretched all the way across the room!
• Today, it was time to add the numbers to our game.  Teachers had printed out numbers 1 through 9.  We taped those down SUPER quickly, and realized we needed more.
  • Wolf B: "Now you have to print more."
  • Palmer: "Yeah because it has to go all the way to here.  We're gonna get up to 8, but then we don't have all these numbers."
• We calculated that we were missing numbers 10-20.  Together we went to the computer and typed more numbers in.  We laughed every time we accidentally hit the wrong number key!!  
• When we came back to the Rainey Room, we first sorted out where each number should go, using the help of a number line.  Finally, we worked extensively with taping the numbers securely.
• Playing the game was the most fun.  Maren said, "We need a rock."  We opted instead to use bean bags.  Fletcher went all the way from 1 to 20, tossing the bean bag down a couple numbers ahead, then hopping to go pick it up.  At the end he said, "I won! I won! I won!"

Some great hopscotch quotes:

Gigi: I like jumping over things and in the middle.

Oliver: (after laying down a piece of tape) One... two... three... four.  Four inches long!

Wolf M: (after figuring out how to use the tape dispenser) We are DOING THIS! Nobody will ever slip.  Tape it together guys, because tape it together means we have to DO it!  We can do it as our own.

Palmer: (singing as he works) I got to move it move it!
Cannon: (also singing) Then we get to try it out!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!