Think it, dream it, plan it, make it

We are looking at people in our study of living and non-living.

Morah Katie: Why are humans, people, so special?

Gwen: They are living. They walk. They eat. They drink. They sit.

Eli: They think.

Morah Katie: We think. Which means we can do what?

Evie: They take cats on walks.

Morah Katie: We take care of other living things, we do things.

Moshe: They have imagination.

Evan: Because they have a brain.

Morah Katie: We have a brain. What do our brains help us do?

Zoey: Eat.

Morah Katie: Our brain can tell us when we are hungry.  

Evan: Move.

Morah Katie: Our brain tells us when to move.

Moshe: It tells us what we should say.

Evan: To make kind choices.

In a creative and innovative classroom, experiments and all attempts are encouraged.

Many innovations and inventions have come after many mistakes and failures, before an eventual  success.

We are reading The Most Magnificent Thing, by Ashely Spires.  

In it, the young inventor tries many, many, many times before she gets her invention to be the magnificent thing she saw in her head.

It is a great story our friends can identity with.

Morah Katie: Why did she get so upset?

Moshe: It didn't  happen like she wanted.

Morah Katie: Her first try, and second try and many others failed. What did she do?

Evan: She kept trying.

Morah Katie: How did she create the magnificent thing?

Eli: It is a scooter.

Morah Katie: How did she create it?

Evan: She thought about it, and drew and then made it. She kept trying she didn't give up. Even though it wasn't just exactly like in her mind.

A child's developing creativity helps her to think in different ways and come up with new and useful solutions to challenges.

Similar to the development of critical thinking in young children, process over product is important for creative devleopment.

When observing a young child create, we see the choice of paint and the action of her using the brush. We see the product being made. 

What occurs creatively for the child while she is creating is what is significant.

She has thought it, planned it, and is making it.

Zoey began with the idea of painting a heart after the story time book, Heartprints. 

Zoey: Look! My heart now I am making a rainbow.

She proudly showed us her heart and immediately began creating a rainbow.

Zoey: It needs to be a strong rainbow.

Morah Katie: Eli, Evan and Moshe, you all imagined buildings and structures in your brains, you planned them, you drew them and then you 

Evan: Made them!

Moshe: I wanted to make a squiggly building but we don't have squiggly blocks, so I began a new thing. It has curves because we DO have curve blocks.   

Evan: This line here, is that long long line there.

Eli: I am making a big square castle.

The boys had images in their minds, created the pictures, built the structures and made edits as needed both on paper and with the blocks.  They then connected all the structures to one giant structure through creative collaboration.

Creative and innovative thinking occur throughout a child's day.

To help the development of creative and innovative thinking, we encourage our friends to pursue their ideas and explore new possibilities.

We added 3D items to the art shelf to offer alternative "canvas'" for painting and collage.

We set out the geo-pattern blocks to extend our study of plants and to encourage a new a creative us of the blocks-flower creating.

As children’s ability to make choices and communicate is strengthened, they become more creative and independent.

How does this creative independence work in a school family?
It requires our friends to strengthen their ability to express their ideas, listen to others, and hopefully find a compromise.
Working together with blocks, sharing collage materials, and playing on the playground provide opportunities to share thoughts and ideas, and listen.

Morah Katie: Any final things you would like me to know about why people are so special?
Moshe:  Our brain.  Our neshama.
Zoey: Brains tell when someone feels sad, I feel too. Evie's brain was sad and then mad but she didn't breathe in. I was sad and mad.
Morah Katie: What did your brain help you choose to do?
 Zoey: Breathe and feel better.
Morah Katie:Our brain guides our choices.  It guides what we choose to do. 
Evan: It helps us do things.
Moshe: It helps us do mitzvahs.