complex materials prompt inventive design

I am thrilled to write my first 2013 post for Zella. Bring on the New Year and new stories about children and their learning processes.

I have been thinking about the complexity of play and the importance of offering diverse materials for construction. Block play combined with pieces that roll or tilt or stack increase children's ways of thinking about balance, symmetry or design. 

Wow. Using brick blocks, window blocks, kapla block, and carefully placed blue rolling balls on upper tiers. Wow.

Observing the choices of these two children as they built this raised tower was fascinating.
Notice the exact symmetry of placed colored brick blocks, the equally symmetrical placement of window blocks in rectangular and triangle shapes, and the criss-cross kapla blocks placed on top. Amazing. 
Then, add carefully balanced blue and red rolling balls to the tower. Each ball was set slowly, made sure it didn't roll, then the hand let go and went to get another ball. 
Amazing.
This kind of work is no accident.

What kind of materials do you offer to prompt inventive construction and a unique kind of small motor work? 

 Happy New Year and Happy Building with Complex Materials.

got valentines?

"You have to go to school

so you can love people you didn't know before."

quote from class group of young-fives discussing school, friendship and valentines.

delivering home-made valentines to school-made valentines bags = literacy, art, family, friends, sharing, giving.

Valentine's Day is a special holiday for many schools.

When I was in my long-term position as Young Fives teacher, we created a special tradition around Valentine's Day to incorporate literacy and art from home AND school.

Here are the key ideas we used:

1. HOME made valentines. All about choice and inclusion.

one friend delivers his home-made card to me!

• We asked families to be part of the Valentine making process. It IS a process and our intention was to uplift the creating process, the including all friends process and the make-it-at-home-then-bring-it-to-school process. We felt that the young-5s age is an appropriate age to challenge the creating/planning for 20 cards for their classroom friends. This is also likely a first-time challenge for guardians to "support" their child without doing the project for them. (* to note, it usually ended up that 1 out of our 16 would still be 'parent made' but that's ok - it is a learning curve for everyone to let go :)
• We'd make sure to start the planning of this at least 2 weeks ahead - not too soon that it got set aside, yet not too time-scrunched for parents.
• We sent home a printed BOLD list of all names from our class - this included children, teachers, pets at the time (yes, we would have a Valentine Bag ready for our fish or rat !) and any other significant member of our class group. The bold list could be used at home to copy from when writing or even to literally cut out and glue them onto their work.
• We encouraged guardians to chat/plan with their child THEIR way they would like to make valentines. We encouraged the CHOICE to be made by the child so that they would be excited and motivated to enjoy the process of valentines. Examples include
  1. Maybe via the COMPUTER with a self-made design or using artsy software
  2. Maybe via LOTS OF ART with glue and shapes and markers and glitter
  3. Maybe via store bought commercial CARDS (some children super love Hello Kitty or Star Wars or whatever - that's fine!) with the child signing their own name. *We encourage no candy so that we focus on literacy + art.
  4. We'd have the completed cards arrive the morning of Valentine's Day in a zippy bag for safe keeping til the children would pass them out mid-morning.

"I think this is the right bag for this card I made..."

2. Meanwhile AT SCHOOL, we would decorate sturdy, open topped, handled party bags.

• Use decorative, colored papers in traditional (pink, purple, red) colors and non-traditional (yellow, brown, orange) colors.
• Could have pre-cut hearts (for convenience) as well as stencils and scissors for children to design and cut their own hearts.
• Doily papers (lace-like cut papers), silver foil, gold stickers, be creative. These could be donated by families or purchased from your classroom budget.
• Super cool addition is COMPUTER PRINTED, LARGE "LOVELY" WORDS to glue onto their bags if the children choose. Word ideas include: KISS, LOVE, HEART, HUGS, SMILE. I tended to use shorter words so they would take up all the room on their bag.
• We found gorgeous holiday paper napkins that we would cut or tear to use pieces all over the bags.
• Blank papers for children to write their own words or messages to glue on.

Special envelop with heart sticker for each friend around our Valentine Mail Table!

ADMIRATION and MATCHING and READING. Also part of the process.

• When children brought in their bag full of cards on the morning of Valentines, I would make a special point of admiring their heavy bag or wanting to peek inside at their hard work :) The children would save their cards in their cubbies til we did our Special Valentine Delivery late morning.
• At morning meeting, we'd talk about the work we did and try to explain to our friends what we did for our collection and how they might identify our cards later. Admiring the process of CHOICE and HOW MANY DAYS OR HOURS it took to make these collections is important. Children begin to see how everyone did their own work and how we collectively come together to share and celebrate. 
• When we DO pass out our Valentines, we had a big table set up with our school-decorated bags ready to filled. We'd put our school big name card in front of our bag for easy finding and matching. (Our name cards are an integral part of our good morning times as well as our early writing experiences. You can see my name card a couple photos above - all children have one just like it.).
• Children take turns with a partner to pass out their cards while other children are in the choice time in the classroom. This allows for everyone to have their own time - long or short - to match up their cards to the bags on their own or with some support from teachers. The children playing in the room know they also get their own turn without being hurried or bumped around.
• When we are all done, we ADMIRE the bags so full on the table and bring our bags to our meeting area.
• We just ask the children to CAREFULLY look through their bag yet not dump them all out in case the cards get mixed up. Of course, the dumping and looking completely can happen at home :)
• When the children are reading through their Valentines, they are admiring each others' work, trying to read or guess who made which one, seeing stickers or art or envelopes. It is a special time to model how to look close, to give attention to work given by others, to appreciate effort and friendship.

Can you see the boy is smiling as he admires the Valentine from his bag? A very special moment.

The bags go home happily with the children at the end of the day.

The guardians' faces light up when they seen ALL the children walk out of the classroom with their hands holding tightly to their colorful, love-filled bags of Valentines.

Don't you just love Valentines Day?

the window owns the view

Perspective taking.
Looking closer.
Looking lower, higher, across, under, over.

the window does own the view...with 5 different pair of eyes seeing what they choose to see.

*

"What you see depends on

where you are standing

when you look." (anon)

For our students, it can mean offering ways to LITERALLY look around using tools that CHANGE THEIR VIEW:

CAMERA to zoom in on friends and classroom.

tube BINOCULARS to see the world differently.

friends change colors with COLOR PADDLES!

MAGNIFIER on a light table w/ shells & jewels.

HOW you see something changes WHAT you see.

Do you offer your students different ways to view the world? Make it smaller or bigger, higher or lower, sideways and upside-down?

the parent/art expert introduces the idea of a mini-frame lens.

2 children test out the mini-frame to find THEIR own interesting spot in the art.

In this ART EXPLORATION:

children used mini-frames to look closer at their own abstract art ... and then they described what they saw! For a full read on this Abstract Art project, click here.

this boy discovers a section on the abstract art that he especially likes.

Teacher Reflection... 3 ideas that helped ME see differently:

1. Ironically, I realized in my classroom that while I did/do offer students ways to experience the school day from different perspectives I REMAINED IN A ROUTINE WHERE MY OWN PERSPECTIVE WAS THE SAME!
I always sat in the same "teacher spot" for meetings/circle - sure I might sit on the floor OR a chair, yet I kept my same spot because I wanted to be near the books/games/music for easy access. I realized that this also only let me experience meeting time with one lens. When I - finally - sat in a different place around the circle, I literally felt different and viewed the experience differently. After that day, I was more deliberate to switch up where I joined the meeting. Have you had this experience, as well?

2. Something I DID do that helped perspective taking as a model for students was NOT be the leader on a walk or if we needed to be in a line of some sort (going up/down stairs, etc.). I would elect to be in the middle or end or partner with a student somewhere IN the line or group. (Of course, for safety, there would be another teacher at the lead if required). The non-leader role helped me be a member of the group experience, instead of needing to lead or protect the experience.

3. A tip as we head into A NEW SCHOOL YEAR and PREPPING OUR CLASSROOMS: as you prepare your environment, squat low and/or sit on the floor to see how children will be seeing the room. What barriers present themselves at their level? What materials and experiences are available at their eye level? What is above their eye level that might be too overwhelming, high or distracting? Examine your color choices on the walls and the quantity of materials: Neutrals, natural materials, clean and defined choices in baskets or trays, a flow and non-clutter - the layout should inspire YOU to want to touch, discover, play.

2 MAGNIFIERS to examine the Dinosaur That Might Be Dead.

Taking new perspectives is exciting.

It allows for new ideas, opinions, and understandings of our world.

It allows for the joy of teaching to present itself daily.

the dinosaur that might be dead

It was a surprise - this "dinosaur that might be dead" - a big surprise.
It was a gift on many levels.
The exploration that occurred on this day literally changed my teaching.

"we need to figure out what happened to this skull...!"

It changed how I understood, introduced and valued materials.
It changed how I understood children's engagement with materials as the children seamlessly integrated rich role playing within an exciting scenario that lasted for many days and included many other children.

Also, it became the spin off point for my masters thesis in graduate school (no worries, won't share that whole thing here! :)

Here's the Very True Story of "The Dinosaur That Might Be Dead" :

It was bigger than an Aha! moment that comes along in teaching. I stood frozen for just a few seconds until I realized that this event that was just beginning to unfold in front of me was going to be special. Sometimes you just know. There was energy present among these 4-year-olds that I knew would bring something beyond unique or amusing as they began to engage with the science materials.

Without saying a word, their actions were telling me "Look at this! Look at us! We are teaching you right now. We are giving you a gift." (and they were!).

Starting to examine the skull with shells and magnifiers.

In the science area in our 4s/5s classroom, all the exploration tools and equipment are available for the children to use as they wish. 

I usually have introduced the different materials in large group so that children have some sense as to how they might engage with them, yet they can discover new ways on their own.

One particular day, I introduced a deer skull - teeth, bones, cracks and all. I shared with the children how a family had given this skull to our Room 5 classroom many years ago. The family had found it at their grandparents farm as they went on a walk way back behind their barn. They thought we might like to use it to further our then-study of fossils and bones.

I offered to the children, "It seems that bones are pretty interesting for children to investigate. If you would like to plan to work in Science today, perhaps you'll be able to make some new discoveries about the skull."

Three children - Cara, Lucas and Nolan - all planned to work in the Science Area.
"We want to use the deer skull," they each said to me.

The three children took the deer skull to an open table...
then the children turned around and proceeded to take out everything else from the Science shelves, as well, and bring it all to the table. 
They had kaleidoscopes, magnets, shells, pinecones and magnifiers.
"Oh, yes," Lucas says to me, "we need everything so we can figure out what happened to this skull!" Claire and Nolan agreed quickly and spread all their equipment out. I sat nearby to listen to their discussion as the 'examination' of the deer skull began. 


The children used

• shells to tap into small gaps of the skull.
• magnifiers for all areas of the skull, especially to examine the cracks which they quickly pronounced as quite important to whatever happened to the skull
• magnets were slipped into the eye holes
• kaleidoscopes were used for looking at teeth

While all three children used the equipment in unique ways to examine the skull, the dialogue between the children was lively, creative and quite dramatic.

The children turned themselves into Doctors of various kinds - "I am the Doctor Wizard,", "I am the Doctor Princess" and "I am the Doctor of Bones." 

The children agreed that they were not dealing with just a deer skull, but actually
 A DINOSAUR THAT MIGHT BE DEAD!

More friends examine the "dinosaur that might be dead" with kaleidoscopes, magnifiers, water/oil blocks, and shells

Cara: We are going to make him back alive!

Lucas: I am checking the eye and the nose...

C: It is getting worse!

Nolan:  I think we should check his head! There might be a rock in there or something!

C: His brain is not thinking - that is wrong!

N: It is getting worse!

C, N, L: We must check his eyes and his nose again!

N: There is an infection on his horns!

C: We have to wash his eyes to make him alive! Or he might have to stay in heaven forever...

L: I think he needs some medicine!

C: We have to help him die, that is the only way!

N: We need kaleidoscopes to help him!

L: Yes!

N: Uh-oh, he is getting power in his nose, there must be a lizard nearby! Maybe he swallowed a snake or a lizard!

N: Come on, we got to do this fast, no time to talk, he is getting worse fast!

C: He is going to die!

L: Inside is really bloody now...

N: Uh-oh, he is cracking more...

L: I need to wash his teeth...

N: Yes, that will take away the cracks.

C: No, no, no, something else was happening. I think the snake killed him with his teeth...

N: ...with his tongue!

C: He has killers in his teeth, that means he is really dangerous!

N: Like a boa constrictor!

L: No, a rattle snake, no a rattle scorpion, or a dinosaur!

N: It was a rattle snake because they are dangerous, very dangerous. They live in the desert. This is very serious. Hey, both the scorpion and the snake live in the desert, maybe they both killed him...!

N: This is a big discussion we are having!

L: We need to kill him or else he will kill the whole world!

N: This is serious, way serious. Maybe he got shot by an arrow, or maybe he got burned by fire...

Testing and examining continues with shells inserted through holes and cracks of the "dinosaur that might be dead."

The dialogue was rich with theories about life and death. There was diverse tool use, inventive role play, and engagement with peers.
There was depth of interest in the investigation and quick, open thinking to participate in this conversation together.

Light Bulb: This experience with Cara, Lucas and Nolan is more than creativity, more than role playing, more than exploring with materials. What this experience brought to light for me was that the materials that are seemingly separate on science shelves are actually not separate at all. The children were driven by an inquiry about this skull that opened up the possibilities of how to use materials. In turn, I found that the children were driven to come back to Science to follow up their own work with the dinosaur from previous days.
Aha!: It was the first time that such a complex scenario was invented in an area of the classroom that is not known for role play to be meshed with inquiry.

For a combination of reasons on this day The Dinosaur That Might Be Dead the children looked at the materials in a new way. Cara, Lucas and Nolan didn't give a second thought to having all the equipment all over the table.
After all, you never know what you may need to bring a dinosaur back to life:  "Come on we got to do this fast, no time to talk, he is getting worse fast!"

the discovery of science

looking for science.

1. am THINKING about science today.

2. was WONDERING if I could find some exemplary photos.

3. was CURIOUS if there would be evidence to share that science exists everyday, inside and outside the classroom.

4. started with the PRESUMPTION that I would be surprised.

the science of PINK.

the science of COOPERATION.

the science of LIGHT.

the science of DOMINOES.

5. decided to COLLECT THE DATA to determine if science was, actually, right there in front of me.

the science of BALANCE.

the science of IMPRINT.

the science of WATER and SAND.

the science of PAINT.

the science of MAGNETS.

the science of ONE POTATO.

6. then EXAMINED the photos.
7. worked to CLASSIFY and REFLECT ON the photos.

the science of a NATURE WALK.

the science of COOKING.

the science of MOVEMENT and SPEED.

the science of YOUR FACE.

the science of ONE MARBLE.

the science of the GARDEN and TEAMWORK.

8. finally DETERMINED that I needed less photos - instead of more or all - for QUALITY instead of QUANTITY.

the science of the PARACHUTE.

the science of GOOPY STUFF.

the science of MUD MIXING.

the science of SIMPLE MACHINES.

the science of MOTION and HOOPS.

9. committed to SHARE MY FINDINGS.

the science of GLITTER.

the science of TESTING and DISCOVERY.

the science of INVESTIGATING.

the science of INFORMATION.

Got science?
look for it. discover it. invent it.

the art of stacking

boxes and number blocks used for stacking.

Materials for STACKING and engaging young children.

flat stack of rectangle blocks.

different size and shaped blocks, stacked in a tower design.

group work to create this balanced tower of alphabet boxes.

snap blocks stacked high, with extra at base for balance.

classic materials for young child to restack, restack, restack.

wood blocks stacked for this dinosaur look-out tower!

tree parts to stack and stack with larger base at bottom.

Different ways to think about size, color, balance.

Different ways to think.

complex stacking, balancing, stacking.

varied materials for stacking and designing - visual interest and whimsy.

magnetic stacks, piece by piece, part by part, higher and higher.

cones, cube blocks, and tubes are stacked as two boys continue their play.

Different ways to think about working alone, with a friend or with a group.

Different ways to think about quantity, geometry, symmetry.

cube blocks stacked in a complex tower on a mirrored base.

kapla blocks stacked in four tall stacks, with bears atop.

magnets stacked to stay together in one line.

patterns, colors, shapes and sizes all in one game.

this kind of stacking is no accident - wow.

hmmm, stacking curved items within themselves? impressive.

 stacks, stacks, stacks.