IPS/Butler University Laboratory School

The other day, we read The Peace Book by Todd Parr. It has a wonderful message;

Peace is listening to different kinds of music.

Peace is helping your neighbor.

Peace is saying sorry when you hurt someone.

And so on.

The kids were challenged to come up with their own verse for our own Peace Book. After we thought deeply about what peace meant to each of us, we made a drawing of a metaphor for peace. We then used wire and beads to create sculptures for our metaphors. They are beautiful.

Today, we read Mem Fox’ Whoever You Are about children all over the world. We made notes of the many differences yet similarities between the children. We have started a list about all the things people always have in common. So far, it reads…

We all have hearts.

We all are from somewhere.

Everyone grows.

Everyone has blood.

Everyone has a brain.

Everyone has pain.

Everyone has feelings.

We will discuss this idea more in the coming days.

Tags: collaboration, community, creativity, friendship, peace, world

Today, we continued to discover new genres of music. We practiced moving our bodies to bluegrass and classical music! This afternoon, I played one of the kids’ favorite genres thus far- polka- and gave them a challenge. Close your eyes and think of a story that matches the music. The stories were incredible. Dancing bears, magic holes, donkeys on mountains- the works! Friends were then encouraged to tell those stories during Story Workshop, while more polka music played. Its incredible how music affects our creativity. We are excited to try this again tomorrow, except with a new genre… What types of stories will we get then?

Tags: creativity, project, story telling, story workshop, writing

This morning, the class explored different ways to create sound. They were also encouraged to write what sounds they heard and to answer the question, “What is sound?”. We had some great discussions on sound waves and vibrations, as well as how the ear works. We are excited to take this a step further tomorrow and look more deeply into the concept!

Tags: collaboration, creativity, curious, inspiration, project, sound

On Friday we made pesto. It was delicious! That morning, we learned how to properly harvest basil from our garden. We referred to our video from the day prior about how to make pesto and made sure we had all of the ingredients. All of our friends helped either adding, measuring, or counting ingredients to make sure the pesto was just right! Mr. Henderson and I were so pleased to see all of the kids try the pesto and most really enjoy it. Mr. Henderson led a great conversation after we enjoyed our pesto about how food brings people together.

Do you think that food brings us together? Mr. Henderson

Yeah, cuz like, if you try different things you might like it. But If i asked Mrs. Argus whats her favorite cereal, she may say something. And if I asked Amiah what hers is, its different. They can still be friends. J’Den

I ask my momma can I get some food, and then the food makes you healthy and strong. Makenzi

Like we all have different opinions, like different things. Lucas

Like when you have a night, like Mimi, on Christmas Night, she brings us together because she makes a special dinner for us. And we all come there and she is sharing the food, and that brings us all together. Addie

Tags: capable, cooking, creativity, garden

Today, we took our observational drawings and created wire sculptures from them. We practiced paying close attention to detail in our wire, just as we did in our drawings. The results are incredible! The conversations we had were also very neat as the kids discussed the carious body parts of the dinosaurs.

Conversation 1

What was this part for? Hmm, maybe he whacked predators with it! Regan

This part? Its his sail. I think its just to like show the predators that you have to be quiet and he shakes it and all the other dinosaurs be quiet. Sascha

If I was a T-Rex, I would be scared of it! Regan

Conversation 2

I can turn this into a big head! Its the same as the dinosaur! Ayden

I made his head big too. I made this big head and this pink stuff so he will be protected. I made twisties so he has bones. Beatrice

This will be his big crest. I think it was to bump away other predators and break their bones. Dylan

His head had like rocks on it so he could bump into other dinosaurs. Like his friends. Beatrice

They’re not rocks, just bumpy things! Dylan

Here’s his crest! Hutton

I’m trying to make his body just like my picture! Jackson

Tags: creativity, dinosaurs, project, sculpture