The elephants have arrived! There has been a natural interest in talking about, acting like, moving and dancing like an elephant! Whenever we see one in a book we spend the most time talking about the sounds they make and the way they move and this strong interest told me that the boys of Cohort 4 are ready for more information! Elephants have become an integral part of our imaginary play and all of the boys have become excellent stompers and trumpeters.
Originally the elephants lived on the window sill adjacent to our own family photographs. We talked about how elephants live in large family groups and everyone cares for each other just like we do in our families. It prompted us to talk about the people in our families: who they are, what they look like, where our extended family might be, or the new babies that are joining GW and GH's families soon!
The elephant family is now a big part of our classroom as we investigate what it means to be an elephant and they can be found in various parts at the room: looking out the windows, waiting on shelves, sitting on the chairs
Over the last week we have created a special elephant habitat. We spent many days painting a box to create a diorama. They boys enjoyed mixing colors to create sky, grass and leaving some of the box brown for dirt. Colored silks are the beginning of this special elephant environment, but we have been having many discussions during meal time about what the elephants might eat, or what types of things that they may like to have around.
Our elephant home will keep growing, and even just today many of the other animals found their way onto the stairs to join their elephant friends!
Boy, I kind of want to play with that diorama!
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