Fun at school

I parent helped in Ally's classroom today. I had a blast.

Last night was Curriculum night, so after a brief presentation on Reggio education strategies and ideas the parents put together a "Community of Buildings" for the students. I created this garage with 3 other moms. My job was ripping tape. Seriously for 1 hour I ripped tape for other people to apply and construct. I had a lot of fun and really felt like I made a big contribution to the project! It is all held together with tape.

Then this morning the kids (except Ally who had no interest in it) all played with our creations.

Ally was interested in the sculpture table. So happy at school, isn't she? Here is the sculpture she created. Ally has been quite interested in fulcrum technology lately and is thrilled that the res pom pom flies off the structure when she presses on the opposite side. It is attached with a green string, and so it never actually gets loose from the creation.

When Becky or I are the Parent Helper, Ally's job for the day is "Parent Helper Helper" and she helps me clean the tables before snack and then set out the plates and cups and snack we brought to share.

After snack we went outside. Ally is very into worms this week. She spent the entire time outside digging for and then playing with worms.

Here she is with 5 boys at the raised garden bed digging for worms. We got out there and she immediately went over, and got a shovel then asked for a basket to put them in and proceeded to dig for worms.

I asked her to show me one of them. Later she picked it up with her bare hands. I love how she is looking at the worm and not me. (you know I asked her to look at the camera.)

Smiling for the camera with her worm.

She even drew a worm with sidewalk chalk. I thought it was a riot - she puts the bowl of worms down, picks up a piece of chalk and draws a line with a dot. I thought she was going to write something. Then she looks up at me and says "worm".

After digging and finding some (at least 8 -I lost count after that) she and one of her classmates proceeded to take care of them. At the end of outside time Ally dumped them back in the raised bed, and I know she'll dig for them another day.

I think its so great she is into dirt and worms and bugs (she has always loved snails). It's great to see such an interest in science at such a young age. It was also nice to see her playing with different friends. Her two close buddies at school don't like worms at all, but she is confident enough to do what she wants, even when they tried to get her to stop with the worms and come play with them. One of them said "worms are gross...I don't like worms" and Ally said "I do". Made my mommy heart swell with pride to see and hear her doing what she wanted.