We continued the theme of mixing colors in Room 8, as we taught the children a new technique. After last week’s large group discussion on colors was a success, we created a mixing station at the Art Center. Each spot was set with a paper plate and the same mixing pods filled with red, yellow, blue, black and white. The children created their own paint palette on the plate. From dark purples to turquoise to light pink, the children mixed and blended to create various hues and shades on their own.
After having the opportunity to make their own colors, we tried blotch art! Using primary colors and tinting colors, black and white, we squeezed the paint in different shapes on the paper to make various creations. For instance, we squeezed the primary colors on to the paper as dots. Then, we folded the paper, pressed down, and opened it up. We asked, “What does it look like?” We continued to do this by using different colors and making different shapes on the paper, like circles, lines, and zig zags. Each one was unique and resembled something different. Each child was able to create their own blotch art. They chose the colors and format of how the paint would be positioned on the paper. They learned to fold the paper in half and carefully smush the paint together. As they peeled the paper open again, the look of excitement and surprise on each child’s face was a site to see! They couldn’t believe how a few dots of paint on a piece of white paper could form into an incredible painted design. We asked each child what they saw on their paper. Lennon compared his creation to a rainbow, while Alexandra thought she saw a firework. In light of the upcoming birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., we opened up this topic of discussion this week in our classroom. The discussion of MLK can be daunting for young children. It brings up new concepts including racism and segregation, and we, as teachers, are often debating how to approach this with them. We notice that Pre-K children are often not aware of racial differences and how these have affected our world in the past and in the present. Rather than delving into this complex issue, we like to highlight Martin Luther King Jr.’s beliefs, specifically the concept of peace. We asked the children, “What does peace mean, and what does it look like?” Lilah was the first to volunteer, as she explained that it means being relaxing. Nixon described peace as being respectful, and Chloe added that peace means being nice to not only your teachers, but also your friends. We continued to talk about peace by examining the actual symbol of peace, the peace sign. What shapes make up a peace sign? Can we draw this symbol? Next time you visit Room 8, take a look at the incredibly illustrated peace signs up on our wall. Since the children demonstrated a great interest in painting last week, we decided to loop the concept of painting and colors into our discussion on the peace sign. Each child received a small round piece of wood. They mixed their own colors and painted the wood. Then, they drew the lines in the proper place on the wood to create a peace sign. The children were so excited about making their own peace sign wood blocks that they could barely wait for the paint to dry for the next step. The overarching theme of the topics that we have been discussing, colors, peace, and Martin Luther King, Jr., all fall under the Wise Learning Process pillar of Ethics. This is one of our favorite big ideas that we get to teach because there are so many incredible life lessons that fall under this category. With the idea of respect being the first piece of Ethics, we will continue to read stories and discuss many more concepts under this theme. We are also excited to integrate ethics into upcoming holiday discussions, as it is prevalent in almost every conversation that we have in Room 8. We hope you all have a wonderful 4- day weekend, and we will see you on Wednesday 1/22! Shabbat Shalom, Mari and Aaliyah REMINDERS:
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Pre-K Room 8Mari Greifer Archives
March 2020
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