Itʻs Tuesday ... and that means that It has been a Steve day.
With the bird house project well under way the plan was to use the ideas the children had shared last week or had put on the blog. What great ideas emerged.
At morning meeting the children looked at their progress last week on the TV. Earlier in the morning Ben had had the task of checking out suitable places to put the birdhouse. Steve then asked Ben to take photos of the four best places he thought the birds might like to live. The children then discussed the shape and size they wanted for the hole for the bird to get in. The children then drew the shapes they thought the bird might like and then all the children voted on their preferred shape. The circle won. It was then time to find the right tool to cut a circle and to put the plan into action. While all this was happening Marieke was hard at work drawing, cutting out and laminating her flag for the birhouse.
Next task ... the top. Did it need to open? Did the children want it to hinge or lift off? So many decisions! Hinges won the day and were duly added. What else do we need? Thatʻs right! Olivia suggested that the birds needed to have something to stand on while they decided to go in or out. Luckily Steve had a round piece of wood ... called dowel ... in his tool box. It was just right for the job. The only job left was to test out the best places for the bird house that Ben had chosen and photographed. They decided that the spot by the guinea pig grotto was not sunny enough. They experimented with placing it in the tree, but they couldnʻt open the lid. The spot on the side of the playhouse was just too noisy. The last spot was the fence and that was just right! You could open the lid, it was sunny and it wasnʻt too noisy. Together, the children and Steve attached the bird house to the fence ... and Mariekeʻs flag looked really grand. How lucky the birds are!
It is now time to think about the next project. What will that be? Put your ideas on the blog.
I really love the bird house. Another idea for a building project is a big picture frame for either a big group drawing or lots of little pictures.
ReplyDeleteFrom Jessica.
Now there's an idea! we could create our own Kowhaiwhai a simple pattern that we either print around the edge or if we were feeling realy brave maybe we could carve it in wood!!! What would a Botany Downs Kindy pattern look like........my mind is racing!
ReplyDeleteMarieke likes the bird house too. She said it was fun to make ("of COURSE, Mum"). It looks cool on the fence.
ReplyDeleteMarieke thought it would be fun to make a slide from wood.
Jemma from afternoon kindy thinks thats pretty cool. "I wish I could make a birdie house too."
ReplyDeleteJemma: a slide from wood is a challenge. two ideas. one, we find someone who is cutting a tree down locally and we spend lots of time lovingly cutting and polishing it; or....two, we make something that behaves like a slide but is not...this is where i need a piece of paper to explain (think Fear Fall at Rainbows End)
ReplyDeleteJemma: you can
I love the new birdhouse, and when I came in to kindy yesterday I had a number of children pointing it out to me, proud to show it off.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see what ideas they come up with next!
The birdhouse looks just lovely! I'm sure the birds will be excited about it and keen to move in as soon as possible. I wonder if it will help keep them warm during the winter. I also wonder if they might like to lay eggs inside and when the best time for birds to lay eggs is...
ReplyDeleteJessica, I love the idea of a big frame - that would be something really special! Imagine how cool it might look to have all the drawings of the BDK children in it. The children in Italy like to explore their neighbourhood and draw the buildings, trees, roads and people. They really like to work together just like the children at Botany Downs have been. How exciting! Keep up the good work!
Ruby says that was good work Steve, I thought it was pretty good when I came out and saw it. I made a jewelery box out of a cardboard box and it was beautiful but I would love to make one out of wood.
ReplyDeleteYou know Ruby i helped a friend make a jewelery box once before, take a look at it on my Flickr account http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephenmackay/3451976738/in/set-72157616865407367/
ReplyDeleteMason said, "Iʻd like to make a big sword ... about this long .... arms stretched out wide ... because I canʻt make on with the sticks
ReplyDeleteRyan said, "I like to build with Steve. I liked making a bird house with him. Iʻd like to build a teddy bear. It needs to be a brown colour and it needs to be this big ... holds fingers apart.
ReplyDeleteBen said, "Iʻd like a door - like to a house or something - and a bookshelf to put my books on
ReplyDeleteJoel said, "I still want to make a parrot and a machine gun"
ReplyDeleteGuess what Steve. We had a wee bit more wood and some sheets of plywood. Does that sound exciting?
ReplyDeleteohhhhh yes i love wood!!!! and making things like parrots and swords and guns and houses and teddy bears.....what are we going to do??(think i need a cup of tea and some quiet time to ponder)
ReplyDelete