“Beautiful Junk means trash. But… I like it…”

Before break, children were introduced to “Beautiful Junk,” which are recycled materials that we can reuse and repurpose in the Studio and in PK classrooms.  Families are invited to drop off bags of materials in the bins outside of the Studio that we can sort throughout the year!

We began by reading Not A Box by Antoinette Portis.  This book is great, as it’s all about a rabbit that uses a cardboard box and his imagination to create a race car, a pirate ship and a robot costume.

Following the read aloud, I brought a large shoebox to the table and children made predictions about what they thought was inside.  As I began to reveal the items, children instantly made connections to the book and were overflowing with ideas of what the materials could be used for.  We talked about what they were (can, blackberry box, cork, water bottle top) and about what material they were made from (metal, cardboard, plastic).  This led to sorting and labeling materials, which now makes it easier for friends to find specific materials that they need for projects.

Jax: Let’s build with straws that bend!

Maya: It’s junk that’s beautiful.  Like old plastic cans that you can color to make beautiful.

Leba: That material looks like what you make waffles with.

Uhura: It’s junk that’s beautiful.  Maybe someone washed it.  Like a can that gets washed can be really shiny.

Kyrie: That material looks like a trash can.

Jahir: If you rub those toilet tubes together it sounds like a frog.

 Frances: This is like a net for catching a fish.  I know I’m going to catch a BIG fish in this net.  Lots of fish, like big fish and tiny fish and little baby sharks. 

King: Is it… just trash?

Sallie Chappell: Could I use Beautiful Junk to make a cupcake?

Hope: This material is smooth and soft.

Jacob: Skunks like junk!

Connor: That junk just looks like garbage.

Geo: Beautiful Junk means trash.  But… I like it.

Ethan: This thing feels soft.  Like a scarf.

Jayden: What can this be used for?  Is it a flag?  Like for “Capture The Flag?”

Nora: I saw a plastic bottle top on the playground and that’s Beautiful Junk.

Mina: We can use this stuff to build planets.  Like Saturn.

Adele: Beautiful Junk is junk that looks good.  Like buttons.

Asa: Junk is garbage, but Beautiful Junk you can use again.  Like, this is a bag for garlic but now I can use it as a net.

Hailey: Ew… junk like… stinks!

Feel free to drop off any interesting materials that you find around your house for us to create something new with!

“This wavy line is the hardest one yet. My heart was moving so fast. And then I focused a lot. And then I did it!”

Over the past couple of weeks, friends have been practicing with scissors and different types of materials to build the muscles in their hands.  We began by talking about materials that were appropriate to cut with scissors, as well as materials that aren’t ok to cut with scissors.  We also practiced how to use them correctly and safely.

Mina: You can cut flowers in the garden if you want to have flowers in your home!

Jax: I think you can cut playdough.  And kinetic sand.

Frances: You could cut cobwebs to make Halloween decorations.

Theo: Cut tape… and string!

Kennedy: Scissors might get stuck if you cut tape.

Sallie Chappell: Things that are fuzzy we can cut.

Jair: You can cut chicken with scissors in the kitchen.

Kyrie: Hold the bottom of the scissors when you pass them to teachers or friends.

Bella: Don’t cut toys.  They would break.

Anival: Don’t cut flowers.  They are beautiful and then they wont grow!

Farah: We shouldn’t cut hair.

Anival: Do not cut credit cards or else they don’t see what card it is.

Uhura: Don’t cut your hair.  It’s not a hair salon!

Noah: Don’t cut toys or they get braked.

Tahj: I just got my hair cut at the barber shop… not here!

Nanahi: Don’t cut clothes or they be broke and mom has to fix it.

Next, friends practiced cutting paper with assorted shapes and lines provided.  Depending on their age and experience, children snipped around the outside of paper, were able to cut through the paper, or successfully cut out shapes.

Kyrie: I’m cutting a shape that looks like a cowboys lasso.  An oval.

Africa Grace: You can cut pictures out of picture frames.  Like art!

Betsegaw: I’m so strong.  I can even cut paper!

Isaiah: The circle might be tricky for me.  Hey… I’m doing it!

Aria: I’m focusing.  I’m cutting the paper into an oval.

Connor: It takes forever to cut out these shapes.

Jameson: I’m getting sooooooo tired.

Dayana: This kind of line looks like grass!

Kaitlyn: Open, close, turn.  Open, close, turn.

King: I did it.  I feel so good!  I’m doing it.  I’m really doing it!

Jahir: I’m almost there.  I’m doing it!

Hope: I told you I could do it.  I did the wavy line!

Soleil: It’s so hard for me.

Ava: Yeah… I cut out a rectangle.  This is for my mom.

Ethan: I’m so tired.  Scissors are exhausted.

Katherine: This wavy line is the hardest one yet.  My heart was moving so fast.  And then I focused a lot.  And then I did it!

Eva: That line looks like the top of a castle.

Asa: It’s hard to cut out the bumpy line.

Crystal: Open, close.  I made it!

Savannah: Yay! I did it! I did the square.

Sebastian: Open, shut them.  Open, shut them.  Like the song!

After friends practiced with paper, they were invited to cut playdough.  Friends practiced rolling playdough “snakes” and then using dough scissors to cut them.  Friends noticed a difference between cutting paper and cutting playdough right away, as both feel different in your hands.  Children are very excited to finally have scissors available in the Studio and in their classrooms!

Jax: I can cut playdough.  Even a big piece!

Jayden: I try my best.  And I’m doing it!  I’m feeling so the best.

Amie: I’m already focused.