Maple Room
Children at Work 11.30 - 12.4
A Brief Note:
Enjoy this week's display of student work, thinking, and interest.
Children Explore Natural Objects Before Print Making!
sketching on styrofoam
tracing over our work, making it deep enough before print making
looking carefully to observe every detail
Writing: Nicola Davies as a Mentor
Since, children have been exploring the craft of Nicola Davies. We've been experimenting with non-fiction writing, sharing what we know through pictures, words, diagrams, misshapen and squiggly words, boxes including tiny facts, and labels.
As part of our unit of study, we have been reading and rereading several of Nicola Davies' books. We are always on the look out for a new craft move we'd like to try on as writers. We been naming the craft move, deciding what it does, and asking ourselves why Nicola decided to use it.
Adults and other readers of this newsletter, how have others influenced your work? What inspires you?
sharing stories...eating snacks....
playing board games...
...and playing more board games.
Living Systems: What does it mean to be alive?
Living things breath.
Living things have rights and responsibilities.
Children also reflected upon what they already know and want to know about living things before paying a visit to Fort Greene Park to observe living and therefore, non-living things. We had a particularly wonderful discussion surrounding rocks, leaves, and the bark of an old pine.
After spending time in the park, children recorded their findings using pictures and labels in the classroom.
Exploration
Children have continued to explore our broken office equipment through engineering. They may be this close (thumb and index finger are placed very close together) to diagnosing the laminator.
Two children were also overheard saying this while disassembling the printer.
"...wait...wait...we're supposed to fix it, not kill it."
Candid Moments
warming up before morning meeting
gathering to learn...gathering to comfort...
old friends take a stroll
Discovering Subtraction Strategies
Children have also been exploring a number of games throughout the week that help to support their understanding of subtraction.
It's beautiful to watch children inspire one another to think mathematically in new and helpful ways.