Recently we read the book We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell. Otsaleiheliga is a Cherokee word that is used to express gratitude. Beginning in the fall and cycling through the year to summer, the book follows a Cherokee family and their community through the seasons as they celebrate the many things for which they are grateful, with vibrant illustrations depicting their life. Throughout the seasons they were repeatedly grateful for family and friends, animals, food, and nature.  Yesterday children were invited to create their own colorful painting representing one thing they are grateful for, with many of the same themes represented. We really enjoyed this opportunity to quietly paint in the middle of a rainy day! 

Last week we continued exploring structure and function with two new building tasks. Our first task took place during ECO when we built little shelters. Before we headed out we talked about the changes that might occur in the weather before we return to the woods again in December and how we can be prepared as winter approaches. Children were each given a small cardboard kid to "dress" for the expected colder weather. When we were in the forest they were challenged to construct a mini shelter that would keep their kid warm and dry until we return.  We brainstormed materials in our forest space that could be used for building a shelter, as well as designs that would help protect the kids from the elements. We plan to check on the kids when we return to the woods after Thanksgiving to see how they fared.

At school on Friday (while it rained heavily and was a little windy- hopefully the cardboard kids are dry!) after reading a version of the Three Little Pigs, children were challenged to construct a house strong enough to withstand the Big Bad Wolf. Each child was given a piece of card stock for a base, several sticks of modeling clay to hold materials together, and craft sticks. Everyone was extremely engaged as they worked, with several students choosing to continue working through choice time as they tried to get their houses just right.  This challenge gave students another great opportunity to try and try again, and work through frustration. After lunch we tested each of the houses against the big bad wolf (your child can tell you how this worked!) 

This month we have been exporing three 3-D shapes and the similarities and differences between two and three dimensional shapes.  Our calendar pattern involves 2-D shapes followed by a closely related 3-D shape, for example a square is followed by a cube, and a circle is followed by a sphere. The calendar markers also include examples of each shape in the environment, giving us a chance to think of shapes in the world and contemplate whether an object is two dimensional or three dimensional. During our math time children have enjoyed working with polydrons, which are geometric manipulatives that can be connected together to create two dimensional nets that can fold up to form three dimensional shapes.

We have also really enjoyed a simple guessing game in which children try to identify a given shape by feeling it.  One child places their hands behind their back and another child chooses a shape to hand them. Using just their sense of touch they try to guess what the shape is. Not only is this fun, but it helps children contemplate the specific features of each shape as they try to name it. Does the shape have any flat or curved surfaces, does it have points or edges, would it roll?