Our Place

Today we read "Another Way To Listen" by Bird Baylor, to inspire our exploration of and attention to our neighborhood. In Bird's poetic prose, a girl learns to listen to earth and creatures from her grandfather, who can hear seeds burst open and corn singing. We each made a picture map of what we saw or felt on our way to the school park at 11th and Salina. (We also had a blast with fantasy play: took Ghost Train rides to Mexico, ran a currency exchange / bank, and bought or sold milkshakes and burgers and snow cones and pancakes from the walk-up window run by yours truly.)
Next we returned to the schoolhouse for lunch and reading time. We enjoyed some more of Peter Pan, and also acted out a nonfiction book about storms.

Puppet Theater / TV Reclamation Project Begins!

Real tools!

To spruce up the dramatic play offerings around here, we began deconstruction of an old TV set. Can't think of a better use for one of those things! Put kids' imagination behind the screen!

Rio and Eli tackle the circuit board with Rio's Very Sharp Very Good scissors.

Eli and Bruno work on using a socket wrench to remove the busted tube.

Rio snaps one through the TV screen.

Posin' for photographer Rio.

Next steps for this project: finish cleaning it up; paint it; make curtains; and make puppets! Then, of course, On With The Show...

*Safety Note: This TV was found at least six months ago on the curb in the neighborhood. The TV tube had already been broken, so there was no risk of electric shock, and the harmful vapors were long since dissipated. The kids wore protective eye wear and close-toed shoes and washed hands thoroughly after working with the TV. As part of our project, we will research and discuss proper handling and recycling of the components, as they contain toxic chemicals that can leach into groundwater or the air if taken to a landfill or incinerated. We will also locate a recycling facility  to  which we can deliver the parts, and try to get a tour so we can see what happens to electronic waste. We may be inspired to write our legislators or the EPA after that... who knows what direction our research will take us!*

**Don't try to take apart a TV without taking proper precautions first!!

For starters, read about it here.**