Light Table Exploration (Krista)

This week we started our series on color and light. You may have noticed the light table offering of clear glass containers in various shapes and sizes, liquid water colors and pipettes (droppers).

Each day, the children were invited to work in small groups at the light table.

I gave them guidance around manipulating the pipettes and color blending, and asked them to be open to sharing colors and containers with their friends, and then I observed their experience.

I've offered this activity before, when I taught in San Francisco, so I knew from experience that this type of exploration is appealing to children, but when I say that the Terra Luz kids loved the experience, I feel like I need to write it in all-caps with sparklers and flashing lights around it. Friends, they LOVED it!!!

A common statement that became a chant was, "Look what's happening!" The children dropped colors into the water and watched as the color swirled to the bottom of the container and then dispersed, turning the once clear water into vibrant, technicolor liquid. They mixed and mixed colors until the jars and bottles brimmed and spilled over or the water became muddy.

Some of the children abandoned the containers and mixed colors directly on top of the light table, creating "rainbows". It was a JOY to witness. My job was to keep the water colors coming and to re-fill the jars when they got too full or the water turned murky.

I am passionate about taking a theme and building on it, and so, for the rest of this month, we will continue our light table exploration of color, using different mediums. This week, we used water, next week, we'll use shaving cream. The following week, we will use clear gelatin, and we'll finish up with tissue paper. Stay tuned...

Here are some quotes from this week, and Andrea will post some of our photos later:

Annika; "Look at mine! It's changing colors!"

Allie: "I'm stirring it!"

Jalie: "I'm making a deep purple cake"

Alaira: "Mix, mix, mix, mix..."

Mia G: "I LOVE this stuff...see this? Look what I can make!"

Corbin:"I squeeze the top (of the pipette) and color goes up, then i squeeze it and the color goes right into the water!"

Jason: "I want this one, the red!"

Mia S: "I filled it with so so many colors up to the top!"

Mia G: "These are fun, can I make more colors tomorrow?"

Lucca ; "I'm making a rainbow"

Natalie: "Oh, this is so beautiful!"

Sophia; "Look Ms. Krista, I make a dark red, and now it's a mushroom (referring to the color dispersion)"

McKenna: "This is so fun, Ms. Krista. This is orange, I made it with color!"