Light Table Exploration (Krista)

This week was our final week of color and light exploration at the light table. This was a time for the children to use all of the tools that they've become acquainted with over the past month, and some new materials, as well.

Our offerings included liquid watercolor, shaving cream, gelatin molds, tissue paper, diffusing paper, construction paper and various sizes of bubble wrap.

As they have done over the last several weeks, the children worked in small groups. Because they were familiar with the tools and materials, they were comfortable and had more freedom to create, and their creations and conversations reflected this.

It's important to note that, on the surface, these explorations are all about color and light, but there is much deeper work being done. The children are Scientists and Explorers. New vocabulary is learned, collaboration is happening, problem solving skills are enhanced, fine motor skills develop, and literacy and math concepts are explored (for example: several children drew letters in the rainbow-colored shaving cream, and we often counted the number of pipettes, water colors, brushes, etc. in both English and Spanish).

Comments from the light table:

Mia S: (upon hearing that we would be working with bubble wrap at the light table) "Oh, I'm really looking forward to that!"

Anika: "Let's turn the lights off so it can glow in the dark! The paper feels like wetness when we put the water colors on it!"

Corbin; "The paper turned to color!"

Jason; "This is a snake! I painted it green."

Alaira: "Oh, this is starting to blend. The blue and yellow are making it all green!'

Anika: "Let's see what happens when I put more paper on top of this wet paper, will it stay dry?

Lucca: "Let's share the pink now Sophia--look at this Ms. Krista, we shared the pink!'

Gwen: "Look at all those spots I made with the pipette--I am squirting them out of here, do you want to see this?"

Sophia; "This is awesome! I write an S for Sophia!"

Anika; "Let's see how I can write my own name."

Jalie: "I'm going to work to cover EVERY bubble with paint!"

McKenna: "It makes a squeaking sound when we use the brush!"

Mia G: (singing while painting) "Painting, painting, painty painty paint, paint! We love the light table because we get to share the paint!"

Atticus: "This is the color world that we have!"

Mia S: "I am making a canvas!'

Damon: "I've got red hands with all this red jello that we have here! I'm going to crush it up and then we can just toss it up in the air and it comes down on this light!"

Ava: "this gel stuff feels really cold and smooth like a river stone."

Natalie; "Thank you for letting me have fun with this light and cream Ms. Krista! I had fun getting messy with friends!"

Comments from the classroom:

Corbin; "I'm following you around because i LOVE you Ms. Krista."

Alaira: "When I get bigger, I'm going to go to work and Jason will take care of the kids."