Giacomo and Rainey Room B

As Giacomo prepares to return to campus after a few months at home, we have spent some time thinking about what he might want to share with his friends once he returns to school.  They have been exploring houses, tree houses, and many other things.  Here in the virtual classroom we've been talking a lot about the Loch Ness Monster, mythological creatures, etc.  

Giacomo will return to campus next Tuesday, so we took a few minutes today to catch up with Rainey Room B via zoom. Giacomo told them a bit about the Loch Ness monster, and they asked some wonderful questions.  Rainey Room B shared their paper mache tree house, and Giacomo offered some thoughts and possible extension plans. 

​[left] Giacomo's reaction to seeing all of his friends and teachers from Rainey Room B.  

It certainly was wonderful to see everyone's faces "in the same place". 

The Loch Ness Monster

“It’s the Loch Ness monster. It’s with many other creatures. As you can see, see that big thing poking out of the green water.  That’s the Loch Ness Monster. At the bottom of Lochs lake. In Scotland.” - Giacomo

“How big is the Loch Ness Monster?” - Sylvie 
“Well, his head is as big almost…his head is almost as big as the diplodocus’s head. The diplodocus was a very tall dinosaur. His neck was 100ft tall, but also I have a little surprise.” - Giacomo 
“Is the head bigger than the elephant’s head?” - Janie 
“This is how big a diplodocus is, and it would be not as big as an elephant.The elephant is 100 ft down from this dinosaur, but this head was as big as it.” - Giacomo 

“Does the Loch Ness monster eat? The Loch Ness monster eat elephants or fishies?” - Maxon 
[Giacomo laughs.]  
“Elephants are the biggest land creatures on earth. It’s not as big as the world, but it’s the biggest land creature. It’s taller than the Loch Ness Monster. So, it eats the sort of stuff that’s not fish.  It’s just plankton.  It’s so tiny you can’t even see it.  That’s what the Loch Ness Monster eats.  It’s also in lakes, not only in the ocean.” - Giacomo 
“What is the Loch Ness Monster longer than?” - Janie 
“It is longer than an alligator.  I hope so.  Its neck is as tall as my bunk beds.” - Giacomo 
“Is the Loch Ness Monster pink? Hot pink?” - Lucia 
“He’s dark blue and his tummy is yellow. If you put a camera under water, and you put it below the monster, and there is a screen then you can see the yellow.  If he’s just a statue. Who knows, maybe he is alive?” - Giacomo

Rainey Room's Tree House

We’ve been working on a tree house. - Melanie 
“Guys, it’s a tree house? Guys, a tree house is supposed to be in a tree, but it’s supposed to be nailed into trees tight so it stays.  It’s supposed to be in a tree.” - Giacomo 
What is it made out of? - Elyse 
“Cardboard!” - Lucia 
“Paper mache.” - Sylvie 
“And paint!” - Janie 
“What kind of paper?” - Giacomo 
Where did you get the idea for a tree house? - Elyse 
“Because the friends next door were getting the same things that we were and it inspired us.” - Sylvie 
Did Rainey Room A inspire you? 
“Yeah! Remember we wore masks, and we did it.” - Sylvie 
Giacomo, do you know anything about tree houses? 
“I know that they are made out of wood and things are inside them, and you climb up a wiggly ladder.” - Giacomo
RR, does your tree house have a wiggly ladder? 
“NO!” - RR 
“That’s how tree houses are supposed to be in the trees.  That makes it funner.” - Giacomo 
The tall part is a palm tree. - Melanie