One last blog post I found as a draft...
Recently 'Facilities' came to our playground with with a front-end loader to dig a hole and plant a tree.
The children watched carefully as the hole was dug with the auger and the tree was planted by the workers. As they watched they journaled what they saw.
After the tree was planted the children talked to the tree and ran up to give it hugs in welcome.
Coincidentally, we had just discovered the book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. THe children were completely captured by the tree's generosity and how giving to the boy made her so happy.
Since I had recently drilled holes in some bottle caps to string, I asked the children if they wanted to string the caps to make a garland as a present for the tree. I asked them if they thought that would make the tree happy. They agreed.
After we hung the garland, I asked the children why we made a gift for the tree. Here is the following conversation:
H: Because it's really special and nice.
K: It's nice. It has a decoration.
C: We made a present. It was so much fun. I love the tree! The tree is so pretty.I want to tell the tree, "I love you."
M: It's really nice.The tree doesn't have a mouth. Cuz the tree never talks. Except for wind mills, cuz they have wind.
K: It's nice.
Ms. Erin: If the tree could talk, what would it say?
H: Thank you.
S: It would say hello. Ooooh. I have a name for him....Branchy!
M: It would say, Happy Birthday! His birthday is Saturday the 8th. It's 8 years old.
Ms. Erin: How can you tell it's 8 years old?
M:I can tell because it's tall. Or maybe it's 12 years old.
Ms. Erin: So if you are tall, you are older?
M: Yes.
Ms: Erin: B is tall. Is he older?
M: Yes.
Ms. Erin: B, how old are you?
B: Five.
Ms. Erin: Is B older than you, M?
M: No.
Ms: Erin: But B is taller than you! He is taller than you, but he is not older.
M: Yeah. Hmmm.
C: I think he is 12 cuz he's a giant. No, it's 8 cuz I just counted..1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 (points to the ground then raises finger to the top branch)
Ms. Erin: Do you mean he is 8 tall?
C: Yes.
Our gift for the tree (a photo of a printout, sorry!):
Recently 'Facilities' came to our playground with with a front-end loader to dig a hole and plant a tree.
The children watched carefully as the hole was dug with the auger and the tree was planted by the workers. As they watched they journaled what they saw.
After the tree was planted the children talked to the tree and ran up to give it hugs in welcome.
Coincidentally, we had just discovered the book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. THe children were completely captured by the tree's generosity and how giving to the boy made her so happy.
Since I had recently drilled holes in some bottle caps to string, I asked the children if they wanted to string the caps to make a garland as a present for the tree. I asked them if they thought that would make the tree happy. They agreed.
H: Because it's really special and nice.
K: It's nice. It has a decoration.
C: We made a present. It was so much fun. I love the tree! The tree is so pretty.I want to tell the tree, "I love you."
M: It's really nice.The tree doesn't have a mouth. Cuz the tree never talks. Except for wind mills, cuz they have wind.
K: It's nice.
Ms. Erin: If the tree could talk, what would it say?
H: Thank you.
S: It would say hello. Ooooh. I have a name for him....Branchy!
M: It would say, Happy Birthday! His birthday is Saturday the 8th. It's 8 years old.
Ms. Erin: How can you tell it's 8 years old?
M:I can tell because it's tall. Or maybe it's 12 years old.
Ms. Erin: So if you are tall, you are older?
M: Yes.
Ms: Erin: B is tall. Is he older?
M: Yes.
Ms. Erin: B, how old are you?
B: Five.
Ms. Erin: Is B older than you, M?
M: No.
Ms: Erin: But B is taller than you! He is taller than you, but he is not older.
M: Yeah. Hmmm.
C: I think he is 12 cuz he's a giant. No, it's 8 cuz I just counted..1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 (points to the ground then raises finger to the top branch)
Ms. Erin: Do you mean he is 8 tall?
C: Yes.
Our gift for the tree (a photo of a printout, sorry!):
