Sticks

The Little Frogs love sticks. Rather than fight it, we've decided to embrace this fascination and make a project of it. We are thinking about sticks in every way possible - and we will be asking you to join us as we become even greater experts. Most importantly, we are figuring out how to have a safe relationship with sticks (please know that this is foremost in our minds). However, there is no denying our obsession with sticks. To prove it, we've made a movie. It is entitled, appropriately enough, "Sticks." Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/_imcPbnGRfk

Books and Sticks and Books About Sticks

Friends came together this morning over puzzles and blocks.

Homes were built for hamsters and horses, and there was time for another floor puzzle.

Miles brought in a special treat for the guinea pigs - gourmet food! The Frog's helped fill the bowl, and then took out pieces of the fancy bits to hand feed to Nellie and Princess Froggy.

At Morning Meeting, we read, When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry. The story is about a girl who is angry because she has to share a toy with her sister, and how she makes herself feel better. The Frogs, who are working hard on managing their own feelings, were very interested in this story.

After a few songs, we got out the Big Pad again and talked about a word that the Frogs are learning: "EXPERT" - a person who knows a lot about something. Frogs, it turns out, are EXPERTS on the subject of STICKS. One thing experts sometimes do is write books about the thing they know about. So, the Frogs are starting to work on a book about sticks. We started thinking about the things we know about sticks (like you can use them as drumsticks and fishing poles). Outside, we will gather some sticks to study.

We also got to use our face chips for the first time today. Carol held them up with the letter side showing and asked the Frogs to guess whose name started with that letter. When their face was revealed, they got to toss it into the bucket (which made a very cool sound), and go wash up for snack.

Outside, the Frogs headed over to the Grove to find "the very best stick," and then returned to put a name flag on it and talk about what made it a good stick.

Our second book, David Gets in Trouble, caused quite a bit of excitement when the Frogs realized it was the same David as in another book they love! (No David ). This book allowed the Frogs to "decode," from the pictures, what David got in trouble for. Our friends really like a book that lets them get involved with the story.

Oobleck and Other Stuff

The Frogs continue to love the challenge of puzzles, and today brought another BIG floor puzzle - this time of dinosaurs. Friends continue to learn puzzle strategies, as well as creative ways to take them apart and use the pieces.

After a monster counting story (another book we found with googly eyes), it was time for Morning Meeting. Initially, we tried to have our Moment of Silence on our bellies, but soon realized it made us the opposite of silent, so we sat back in our criss cross. Some friends are working to develop the core muscles necessary to sit up in this challenging position. Core muscles are important not only for sitting up, but also to support the development of muscles in the arms and legs - so that friends can balance, throw and catch, and hold and manipulate pencils and paintbrushes.

Also at Morning Meeting, we brought out the Giant Pad of Paper to solve 2 Problems: Why is the Cozy Box closed? and What should we do about it?

According to the Little Frogs, the Cozy Box got closed because friends were pushing each other inside it and, more importantly, people were getting hurt! When we brainstormed about what we should do about it, we came up with:

1. We could close it forever and never use it again

2. We could lock it with a key

3. We could open it back up

4. If someone gets hurt, we could get them a boo-boo pack or take them to the doctors.

After some discussion, we decided to try opening the Cozy Box back up. Then, if anybody gets hurt, we will get them a boo-boo pack and close the Cozy Box again. We could not decide for how long, so we're going to play it by ear. This kind of group problem-solving is both another way for friends to ask and answer questions, and a way for all of us to take an active role in reflecting on our behavior and deciding what kind of community we want to create in our classroom.

Next, it was time for Inside Outside day with theTurtles. Today it was apparent that the Turtles and Frogs have formed friendships across classrooms.

We also had our first experience with Oobleck - a magical concoction of cornstarch and colored water. 

"Oobleck is a non-newtonian fluid. That is, it acts like a liquid when being poured, but like a solid when a force is acting on it. You can grab it and then it will ooze out of your hands. Make enough Oobleck and you can even walk on it!" 

Oobleck: The Dr. Suess Science Experiment (Check it out).

A Fine Autumn Day

Morning started with a visit to our classroom lake for some letter fishing. Some Little Frogs are trying to catch the letters that start their names.

A vaguely familiar face was in the room (Carol's back*), and it was hard to say who was happier about seeing whom.

On our way to Movement Class, friends noticed that they could see their breath - so we stopped to make some steam.

Movement was a blast. After stretching and loosening up our bodies, Missy passed out the noodles and we pretended they were all kinds of things - from pillows to fire hoses!

Next, Missy brought out one of our favorites - balloons! Not only do we love to play with them, throwing, catching and kicking balloons are great ways to develop eye hand/foot coordination.

Back in the classroom, it was time for Morning Meeting, which began with an amazing Moment of Silence. Beginning any gathering with a Moment of Silence is a Quaker tradition, and it is also an excellent way to get settled and focused. For the Little Frogs, it is also a way to develop an increasing sense of control over their very wiggly bodies.

We read a book called, Max Found Two Sticks, about a boy who uses his sticks and all manner of found objects to make music and rhythms. Carol showed the Little Frogs the activities that would be available for Choice Time: Collage and gluing in the Art Studio, and a giant floor puzzle in the lake. 

Friends also worked on making face chips: blocks of wood with their picture on one side and the first letter of their names on the other side. We will be using these for a variety of activities, including making choices, making decisions and playing games.

The giant puzzle was a popular choice. Despite the challenge of getting the pieces to mesh, the Frogs completed the task. The Frogs are learning how to use visual cues in the pictures on the pieces and their shape to "decode" puzzles. Danielle helps the Frogs learn these strategies, which also keeps them from becoming frustrated.

Then is was time to for some of the Frogs to head outside, while some chose to stay in and help clean the guinea pigs' cage. The friends were rewarded for their care taking by some quality petting time with a couple of grateful pigs.

Outside, there was lots to do on a beautiful autumn day. Friends hit the bikes and swings, did some digging and running and finding of treasures.

One friend found his own two sticks and recreated the rhythms from the book we read earlier. Back inside, we read another story (because FROGS LOVE BOOKS), called, The Gruffalo, about an imaginary monster that turns out to be real (in a storybook kind of way).

* I am back and feeling better. However, for this week I will be in on a slightly reduced schedule - from first thing in the morning, until nap time. So, I will only be away from the kids while they are sleeping and for the last hour of the regular day. During my "off time," I will be blogging and working on individual portfolios and, as always, available on email (cwolf@abingtonfriends.net).