After reading Mr. Pine’s Mixed Up Signs we noticed signs are popping up again in the children’s thinking. This week, the children were provided with paper, markers, popsicle sticks, tape, and binder clips…All the ingredients to make their own signs.
The children have also worked on turning some of our Real Share Agreements into signs.
We wonder together, Why do we have signs?
“So you know what to do on the road.” ALEX
“So you can know where you’re going.” MIKA
“To be careful not to step on there.” EVA
“Because there’s a hole in there.” MIKA
“You can be safe.” EVA
Are signs only on roads? Are signs in other places?
“Yards…buildings.” SAM
“They can’t be on yards.” CHARLIE MENKE
Do signs always have words?
“One has a number on it, one has words on it, and one has pictures.” SAM
“They’re picture signs!” TESSA
“Sometimes there might be people on them.” EVA
“Deer!”
“Be careful because a deer might come across the road.” SAM
“(there could be) Ducks on signs.” KYLA
“Dogs!” LEA
“Like a lost dog sign!” ALEX
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“So you trace everything on your whole body…your whole face but not coloring in your eyes. Then after you’re gonna color in skin color and then that’s gonna be your face!” -Alex
We continue to explore the unique features of our faces. The different elements that make up our faces. It’s interesting to slow down and really notice these elements. To notice how our skin comes in a variety of shades. How our friends’ skin is a little darker or lighter. How hard it is to really decide what shade really matches us and makes “me.”
“Is this close to it, Tessa?” Kyla
“Ears are skin, right?” Zack
Taking time to slow down and play with noticing our eyes, what do you notice when you really look at them? How about your mouth, your lips? What do you see when you really look at them?
“There’s lines (on her lips). Actually, I’m gonna draw my teeth!” -Emma
“My ears, they are kinda shaped like a D.” -Charlie Menke
“The shape of my eyes are like this. A arch.” -Kyla
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Real Share has begun and is quickly becoming a big hit! In case you have forgotten, the idea motivating Real Share is carving out a time during our week for one child to share something about them during our meeting time. In doing so, we all benefit from discovering something about each other . It gives the child sharing a wonderful opportunity to reveal something new about them. An opportunity to open up about what is important to them or an interest of theirs.
We’ve explained that each child’s share can be something of their choosing. A book or item they want to show, a story they want to tell about themselves, photographs as a way to invite conversation or even sharing in something they’ve learned or made. We modeled this by having DJ and Wendy share first. DJ shared a favorite childhood book and Wendy told a story of some interesting animal tracks that met up in the woods.
Do you remember why DJ’s book was so special to her? Do you remember the animals that made the tracks in Wendy’s story?
