We See What You Saw!

TODAY'S ACTIVITY
We installed a miter saw on our workbench. With great anticipation, the students safely engaged our new tool. The "miter box" guides the saw and limits its travel within the brackets. Armed with the cumulative safety precautions of hammering and drilling, they proceeded with appropriate caution and vigor.

Our project called for a dozen 3/4" dowels cut to different lengths. Though it required 10-20 minutes of continuous sawing to complete the cut, they persevered (and perspired!) to a feeling of great accomplishment.

Next, we'll sand, set, screw and glue the pieces in place.
I wonder what it will be?

Bongo takes a shortcut as she slithers along the "human bridge."
Who thinks it tickles?

TODAY'S STORY
The Trouble With Grown-ups! by Stan and Jan Berenstain. Brother and sister bear think their parents are too strict, and use a skit in the school play to vent their criticism. They are surprised that their parents find their portrayal hilarious. The nest day, they find their parents dressed up like them, acting like them, bickering and leaving their belongings underfoot. Both parents and children derive a fresh self-awareness from these role reversals.

We Know The Drill!

Jabari uses his strength and endurance to drill through to the other side.

TODAY'S ACTIVITY
We learned about the safe usage of a drill. A real HAND DRILL, not a power drill. Using hand tools is far safer since they "stop when they drop" and they only go as fast as the person using them. As always, SAFETY FIRST. After donning our protective eye goggles, we proceed:

1) Secure the wood tightly in a vice or on a sturdy surface with at least two C-clamps.
2) Mark the location of your hole with a tap on a center punch. We practiced hand-eye acuity with crossed lines drawn in place.
3) After making sure your drill bit is secure, place the cutting tip in the punched indentation.
4) Hold the drill straight and crank the handle. If it seems to get stuck, just crank backward and forward again. Continue until the drill goes through the other side. Continue cranking as you remove the drill to clean the hole and minimize splinters.

Luca drills pilot holes for our class project. I wonder what it will be?

Our young carpenters were enthusiastic and very careful to the point of encouraging and reminding one another to, "Keep it straight! It's easier that way!"

It is so important that children get to practice use of REAL TOOLS. The disposable junk they sell in most toy stores only encourages careless handling since it doesn't really work to begin with. Besides, most are only compatible with whatever specialized $65 set of plastic choke-ables it came with.

I found ours at Cliff's Variety Store on Castro Street for $15. That's about the same you'd have to pay for a crummy piece of plastic at a toy store that doesn't even make real holes. This one is made by Fiskars (Scissors Co.) and works like a charm for light duty. Just make sure you have safety goggles and a very clearly designated wood supply and work area.


TODAY'S STORY
By popular demand, with the emphasis on DEMAND, our class wanted to hear Burger Boy, by Alan Durant and Mei Matsuoka. The illustrations are welcoming, the story funny to them. They all sat there smiling as Usha read this absurd tale to them.

This book has really captured the imagination of our class. We love food. This week, we had two lunches they had never had before at school. Many begin by declaring that they don't like something, only to try it and devour two or three helpings.

As teachers and adults, we model that trying new things (especially food!) is what life is all about. Modeling these choices, particularly with healthy food that is recognizable, encourages a healthy body and healthy attitude for living.

I'm still lobbying for gelato on the afternoon snack menu...RECIPE BOOK!

Hammer Time!

These girls are never going to need any handyman.


TODAY'S ACTIVITY
This week, we introduced woodworking. We've assembled an array of hand tools that we will learn to use, the most important of which are SAFETY GOGGLES. After an in-depth lesson about our tools, their care and safety, we were ready to begin.

The first part of our activity was sorting screws and nails based on the following criteria:

Is it smooth or threaded (bumpy) on the sides?
Is the end flat or pointy?
Is the head smooth or does it have a "+" or "–" in the end?



Once the nails were sorted into a dish, we proceeded to learn how to hold, aim and swing a hammer without bending our wrists. In turn, each child then selected a nail and drove it into a stump, using the following procedure:

1. Hold your nail at the bottom in the place you want it. Keep your eyes on the nail at all times.
   
2. Place the plastic head of the hammer on the head of the nail.
3. Begin by gently 'bouncing' the head of the hammer on the nail, holding it straight until it is seated.
4. When the nail stops moving or wiggling, you can let go of it and bounce a little harder.
5. If you wish, switch to the metal claw hammer. You can hit the nail as hard as you wish, as long as you keep the hammer IN FRONT WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT AT ALL TIMES.
6. Hit the nail until the head is flat on the surface.

These steps may seem overly detailed, but each child successfully drove their nail flush into the stump, without a single missed swing or accidental whack on the finger. Once this careful process is mastered and ingrained, we'll offer this activity 'at will' for those interested.

Tomorrow, we DRILL!



"R2-D2 with all his tools out." by Liam

TODAY'S STORY
Burger Boy, by Alan Durant and Mei Matsuoka. Benny loves burgers. In fact, they are all he'll eat. His mom correctly predicts,"If you don't eat something else you will turn into a burger, one day." Chaos ensues! He is chased by hungry dogs and hounded by angry cows. His only salvation is to eat vegetables and fruits, even the ones he doesn't like. He gradually returns to his original form, safe and sound. However his newfound love of vegetables turns him into a carrot!

The moral: Eat everything, in moderation.

Back In The Clay!

Guy Climbing Up Stairs Made of Hot Lava, by Aiden S.

CLAY DAY!
Our class rejoiced as the trays of clay were set on the table. We were in up to our elbows. A few even expressed frustration and reasoning when they realized they had mixed in too much water resulting in an unmanageable mess. After mixing in some drier bits for firmness, they were very careful to only use water to smooth tiny cracks. They were also careful to remind one another to "be careful with the water."

In this instance, the tangible objectives of working with clay were overshadowed by these collateral, and far more valuable objectives:

1. Responding calmly to frustration (or other emotional stress).
2. Finding a solution to remedy the frustrating interaction.
3. Social maturity to work collaboratively with concern for one another's work.

In light of recent tragic events, these displays of emotional resolution are especially poignant. Put THAT on a standardized test, No Child Left Behind!


BACK TO THE BOOKS
We have a renewed interest in illustrating, writing and making our own books. Here, the author writes an autobiographical book titled I Go To School. It has the hallmarks of a classic: Repetition for mastery ("I am..." appears on each page); and it is relevant, based on personal experience that others can relate to.


My favorite aspect of this photo is not so much the book, as well executed as it is, but the intensity with which his friends watch how he writes.


TODAY'S STORY
Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey.
We are revisiting many classics from earlier in the year, much to our surprise and to our students' delight. In this classic tale of mistaken identity, a child and bear cub accidentally join each other's mother on a blueberry gathering. Of interesting note is the concept of being "lost" meant something different in this more innocent time and place. Granted, there was the off chance of being mauled by a bear, but these thoughts are quelled when the grown-up characters in the story are the ones who demonstrate fear. The students in our class found the fearless Sal and bear cub perfectly humorous.

Vacation In San Francisco!

I'm so happy to be back in the classroom! Our weeks of studying our city proved valuable for hosting my family from out-of town. We visited so many of the sights and places shared by our young students with great enjoyment. Some highlights were especially kid-friendly:

• Legion of Honor - 100 Years of French Jewelry - kids love sparkle!
• Legion of Honor - Images + Words = God - many figures and angels in primitive, child-like style.
• San Franciso Cable Car Museum - The museum is also a working powerhouse!
• Palace of Fine Arts - Get up close and personal with many beautiful birds, swans, ducks and geese.
  

Remember, San Francisco Art Museums are FREE the first Tuesday of every month!

TODAY'S ACTIVITY
Today, Usha led a project of "faces" with colored construction paper by gluing pompoms and feathers to define facial features and ears. One interesting component was an observation by Rhoda Kellogg in her seminal book, Analyzing Children's Drawings.

Placement of the ears often defines whether the figure is human or animal. Consistent with her observation, children verified this with their descriptions.











TODAY'S STORY
It's My Turn, by David Bedford and Elaine Field. Two friends face the challenges of sharing on the playground. After a few arguments over the swing, the slide they want nothing to do with one another. That is, until they realize they need each other for their favorite, the see-saw. It's a nice, simple story about sharing and compromise.