You jumped sideways from the sand mountain while another Mulberry pushed a log into the mountain on the other side. You said you were going to kick it down, and I thought we should check in with the other Mulberry. They were going to the log pile to bring another log. We asked them what their idea was.
They were going to stand more logs up in the mountain, so you went to go get your own. You lifted the log up over your head saying it was heavy. You rolled a log down the mountain. Both of you worked hard to move all the logs from the log pile into the sandbox.
At one point, you carried four logs over your head all at one time. Soon the whole log pile was in the sandbox. And then you moved the log pile again to the other side of the mountain. You both had many ideas.
I don’t like goodbyes. I do like hellos. Sometimes someone doesn’t want to stay at Rainbow School. They don’t want to say goodbye. Today, that happened, and one of you came over to check in with them. All of you care for each other. It helped. Soon the person who didn’t want to say goodbye was off building a trap.
The trap was complicated. At first, there were two people working on it. Later, I lost count of how many were working on it. I wonder if you worked on it. I know that some of you were worried that others of you would mess it up. Everyone wanted to help. Sometimes different people have different ideas like how to tie, how long the rope should be, where to tie…
At first, they were only building a trap between the swing set and barn and across one side of the barn. Soon the trap was woven throughout all of Rainbow School.
They started with white rope, then added blue, then added gold, then added pink, a trap of many colors and ideas.
I looked up as I heard you yell, “L come help.” I wondered what you needed help with. Two people were pulling on one side of a rope in one direction, and you were pulling on the other side. L came to help of course.
The two of you pulled one way. The other two pulled the other way. One on the other side let go. Then that side needed help.
“I’m making a fairy too.” “I’m making a tree.” “Look at the color I made.” I watched as you scooped the white glue turned orange into the white glue turned green. I thought it would become brown, but the green stayed green. You tried adding a few more scoops of orange.
The orange glue dripped in a line across the butterfly and the fairy. No matter how many scoops of orange you added, the green stayed green. You used the green glue in splotches and swishes almost covering the brown paper.
Later you stuck different treasures to the glue. I put it in the kitchen to dry.
“Teacher Michelle, come look at this.” I followed you to Mud Mountain. We were wearing our rain gear, staying dry, and taking care of ourselves. We were being like the road workers and mail and delivery people wearing our rain gear and stuff and working out in the rain. We had on a rain jacket with the hood up. We had on rain pants over the top of our rain boots to keep the water out.
We felt the rain on our faces as we walked, so it feels like you’re getting wet even with all the rain gear on though your body is staying dry.
Once we got near Mud Mountain, you started running. Then you jumped right into the giant muddy puddle at the bottom. When you got out, I jumped too.
Love, Teacher Michelle
P.S. The slide was super slippery fast. You all went flying down it. A couple of you even climbed up it. And it was too wet to write our news today.
Tape is fun! Rainbow color tape is even more fun. It’s tricky to separate a piece from the roll. It’s sticky and sticks to itself. Tape can only be used one time. Once all the tape is used, it’s gone. No more tape. No more tape means no more tape fun. I see you using just what you need, so there will be more tape tomorrow.
Today, you had an excellent idea. I ask you to use tape and scissors at the mark making table. It’s easier to just use what we need there, and the sharp scissors don’t end up where someone might step on them barefoot. Ouch!
I was surprised to see you with the tape and scissors taking care of the babies at the doctor’s office. I didn’t remind you about using the tape and scissors at the mark making table. I watched instead. You had an excellent idea. I had not thought of it. You used the tape to bandage the babies.
I did remind you to only use what you need and to return the scissors and tape when you were done. It’s easy to forget. You took care of the babies, each other, and Rainbow School too.
We use our bodies to navigate space. Our bodies tell us where we are. You can close your eyes and touch your nose. Try it. Your body tells your hand how to move to where your nose is. You can stand in the middle of the room. Your grownup can stand at the edge of the room. Find them. Now close your eyes and walk to them.
Our ability to know where we are and where others are and where things are is called proprioception. It’s one of our senses. Proprioception. Others include sight, touch, hearing, taste, smell, vestibular, and interoception. How we sense things with each of our senses is different in different people. Part is just how we are. Part changes as we have more and more experiences.
Moving our bodies while pulling, pushing, and/or carrying something is part of proprioception too. Fill up a box, basket, bucket or pan with something like blocks. Really pile it up. Now walk as quickly as you can without spilling. Propioception.
Today, two of you ran up the ramp following another. That person started to climb the ladder to the slide. The next person was moving towards and then climbing the ladder faster. The first person was in the way. Depending on our sense of proprioception, how we navigate this situation safely varies. I wonder what you would do if you were the first person to make sure there are no booms; the second person. I wonder how you could help each other.
We had a Rainy Day Marching Parade. Two of us had picked up two wooden puzzle pieces each. The puzzle pieces became cymbals: Clack Clack Clack Clack. As the two played and marched, they sang making up words to go with the percussion and the drip drip drip drops of the water.
Soon others joined. One used a shovel like a parade baton keeping time on the sidewalk: Wick Wick Wick Wick. One used a stick and a pail: Ding Ding Ding Ding. Others grabbed more puzzle pieces: Clack Clack Clack Clack.
I smiled and marched along.
Love, Teacher Michelle
Note: No Rainbow News today. We practiced how to be safe if there were a fire.
One climbs up the ladder to the top. Two climbs up the slide. Three climbs up the slide right behind two. Three slides down. Two slides down. Swoosh. Swoosh. One slides down. Swoosh. We watch.
Two climbs up the slide. Three goes up the ramp, then up the ladder. Three holds two. Two is slipping, slipping. Two slides down. Three slides down. Three holds their feet wide taking care of two. Three’s feet go wide around two’s body.
