What does it feel like? (Krista)

Gratitude:

This week at Terra Luz, I am grateful for: the warm sunshine, the joy of playing in the mud (and the fact that the mud is drying up), newly budding leaves on trees, discovering bird's nests, watering the plants and citrus trees, yoga practice outside, bare arms and legs, picture day(s), the return of the sand babies, paper- making and shadow drawing, donated paper-making materials and recycled treasures, reading books outside and doing handstands against the fence...

Paper-Making:

This week, we added water and glitter( also, we accidentally added crushed eggshells, but we won't talk about that) to our container of torn paper.

Over the course of several days, the children used their hands, spatulas, melon-ballers, large kitchen spoons and pie servers to mix the ingredients into pulp.

As you can imagine, the children delighted in this sensory experience.

I asked: What does it feel like?

Damon: It's like wet carpet

Jalie: It's like a soft cricket chirping in there

Jason: Like food

Mia Gleinser: It feels like squishy on my hands

Alaira: It feels like mud

Lucca: It's like grass

Atticus: It feels like jelly

Eddie: It feels like wet

Mia S: It feels like color

The children formed the mixture into 'snowballs' and flattened it into 'pancakes' and sculpted it into 'volcanoes' and 'gardens'.

Corbin said, "I'm making a big ball like on Shawn the Sheep."

As Jalie was pouring water onto the paper, she said, "Paper just loves water!"

When I asked what they thought the next step should be, Allie suggested, "Let's put it in the oven so it can get bakeded."

Natalie thought we should put it in the washing machine for a' longlonglonglonglong' time!

Spring Time Reminders:

Friends, the Texas sun is hot, and it's time for sunscreen. If possible, please put sunscreen on your children before school.

Also, the warm weather means that socks are coming off. We often find socks strewn about the yard or buried in the sandbox, or stuffed into a corner. Would you mind writing your child's initials on their socks? It would help us get them back to you at the end of the day.

Thanks so much for being the wonderful parents that you are, and for arriving each morning with a smile on your face--it's nice to see each and every one of you! Happy Spring Break!

xo

What does it sound like? (Krista)

This week, we took the first step in our paper making project: We tore paper.

Each day, the children spent some time tearing paper into small pieces. The goal was to fill a large plastic tub with shredded paper, and after a week of focused effort, the tub is filled to the brim.

We tore (recycled and re-used) construction paper, tissue paper, newspaper, wrapping paper, pages from magazines, and notebook paper.

Together, we noted the similarities and differences between types of paper. We paid particular attention to the sound of paper tearing. We took turns holding strips of paper close to one another's ear and, while our friend was listening, we practiced tearing the paper quickly and then, s-l-o-w-l-y.

I asked, "What does it sound like?"

Alaira: A pig snorting

Lucca: A hungry goat

Jalie: A fire crackling in the sky

Allie: A monster crashing on the floor

Damon: Like toilet paper

Mckenna: Like 'snap'

Corbin: Rocks rubbing together

Sophia: Like a scary noise

Natalie: Like yelling

Mia S: Like mowing the grass

Atticus: Like paper

Next week, we will mix the shredded paper with water and glue...

Conversation between Alaira and Corbin:

Corbin: Orca whales are really big.

Alaira: Yes, they might even be bigger than Ms. Krista!