Block and Magna Tile Birdhouses and Clay Spider Pies

Before clean-up time this morning, Ryan Casey built a track for his car. When it was finished, his friends wanted to try it out. In the other room, Eli, Evan, Lukas and Sam created train tracks out of cardboard boxes. They studied the subway map and all of the stops where trains connected to get inspiration.

After morning meeting we had a surprise reader (Alexander's Dad) who read us The Gruffalo! Thank you so much for coming in to read to us today! Right after surprise reader, we had dance with Elizabeth.

During work time, birdhouse committee number 3 consisting of Ryan, Isabel, Sam, Izzie and Lukas collaborated in the block area and made a long bird house for Lightning. There were so many great ideas emerging as the children worked together including having couches, beds and even TVs. Lukas cut up little pieces of paper he called "shapes" for her to play with and Isabel worked on making her "a little cozy bed." Sam made "decorations" for the house using the butter-stick blocks while Alex worked on a bridge for her.

While these children were busy working on the birdhouse, Ryan and Oliver were busy in the writing center, cutting and taping construction paper. Ryan made a telescope and Oliver made a trumpet.

On the tables, Evan, Ashley and Jake were busy working with clay and natural materials. They created ladybugs and radios, both of which had antennae. Then more children joined in and created spider and worm pies. Eli was hard at work at the neighboring table drawing a house for Lightning and a series of animal friends for her.

At the end of the  morning, the children who were involved in building the birdhouse had a chance to share their structure with the rest of the class. During lunch, as per the children's request, Rebecca read In the Night Kitchen three times in a row and the Daisies used Evan's tornado kite to measure Isabel.