Learning to Make Choices

Friends were building robots this morning with the shape blocks, and sharing advice on what worked and what didn't. Some shapes, they discovered, were good for stacking (like squares), although one friend was puzzled by the big orange square. He was convinced that there was something wrong with it, because it kept falling over. Friends came together to think about bigger and smaller and what difference they made in robot construction. It's fascinating to listen as friends try and figure out principles of geometry, scale and balance.

We also got our screen lowered today, and friends experimented with light and shadow using both objects and their bodies.

We did a song and dance in preparation for Morning Meeting, and read a new book called, More. It is a beautifully illustrated book about a bird who collects things. It goes through quantity words from, "Something" to "a few" up to "more" and "TOO MUCH!"

We then had our first formal Choice Time. We showed the Catbirds the Choice Cards, that have both words and pictures on them. Then, using the wood chips with our names and pictures on them, friends picked between the water beads, light and shadow, books and water color. When they went to that center, they put the name chips in a bucket. 

After Choice Time, we had a special snack  - bananas and some birthday cake that Lucas and Cameron's mom brought in. Next, we went across the hall for library time with Gwen. She introduced us to her friend, the giant lobster, and then read us an Elephant and Piggy book. We got to do the sound effects for sneezing - which we are very good at!

Then we got our warm coats on and zipped up and headed outside.

We spent some time in the Outdoor classroom, and then went on a walkabout. We visited our usual favorite spots. At the balancing wall, we started to hide from Danielle, and then jump out and yell "SURPRISE!!!" We scared her every time!

Then, we were a Train and then we went into the Aquarium, and were sharks and fish.

We stopped to sing songs to some old and new friends, and then made up a story in the blue chairs.

We visited the finches...

then stopped at the soccer field for a quick game of "Red Light, Green Light." By then, it was time to hurry back for lunch and we were tired!