Sensory: Week 3 - Compare/Contrast

With: Lulu, Isaac S., Isaac L., Thomas, Burke, Niko, Camille, and Walker

The big ides for this term is compare/contrast. In the sensory atelier we are using our senses to compare and contrast how things feel, look, smell, sound, and taste. One tool we will be using is mystery boxes. These are plastic cups inside of socks. This gives us the ability to explore objects using one sense at a time. We will record our observations on a chart so we can compare each object.

We began by reading a book about senses. After we had reviewed our senses I introduced the mystery boxes. I showed them how they worked and that there were objects inside. We chose to first explore them using our sense of touch. I talked a little about words used to describe how things feel and gave examples before we started. In past weeks I had found that students didn't always have words to describe their observations so I wanted to give them somewhere to start. We took turns passing the boxes around. Students would reach inside and describe what they felt. Then we wrote their observations on a chart. We used the remainder of the week to explore the objects using each of our senses, except taste. We decided it would not be safe or healthy to taste the objects. We had some trouble coming up with words to describe how things smelled or sounded. Some objects had no sound or smell. The last sense we explored was sight. This time I removed each object from the box and we explored them with our eyes. By this point the students had figured out what each object was, but there was a surprise or two. When we had explored every object we compared the data we had collected. We found we had some objects that had similar qualities, like soft, or quiet or smooth. Others were very different. The last thing we did was to explore some spices. This gave us a greater opportunity to think about smell, because many of the objects we had explored previously did not have a smell. We also were able to taste some of them. I hope after this experience the students have gained some tools in describing and exploring the world around them using their senses.

Sensory: Week 2- Compare/Contrast

With Carson, Cora, Dylan, Jude, Max, Peter, and Zara

During our sensory atelier this week we have used our senses to observe a variety of objects and then we made a chart to compare and contrast their attributes.
One activity we focused on is Mystery Boxes. Mystery boxes are small cups covered in socks that allow children the opportunity to explore the contents without looking inside.

On Monday we started the week thinking about our 5 senses. We read a book about the 5 senses. After that I showed the students a chart I had made to record information on objects we would observe. They noticed the pictures on the side that showed the body part that we used for each sense. Then I introduced the Mystery boxes. I told them that there were objects in each box and that we were going to take turns to explore each one with one sense at a time. I asked them what they wanted to try first. A few people wanted to take them out and look at them, but I suggested we do that last. They decided to try feeling them first. I showed them how to reach inside without looking. Max was very excited to try and he even closed his eyes so he wouldn't peek. We passed each box around and recorded our observations as we went.

There was no class on Tuesday so we continued exploring the boxes on Wednesday. We explored them using our sense of sound and smell. Last we took the objects out of the boxes and we observed them with our eyes. We completed our chart and made some comparisons. Then we talked about what compare and contrast meant and wrote our ideas out on chart paper.

Through our mystery box lesson I found students had a limited vocabulary in which to describe the objects so we practiced by exploring items around the room. I would show them something shiny, for example and them challenge them to find something they thought was shiny. We had a lot of fun exploring the objects in the science classroom. After they had gotten the hang of it kids would take turns suggesting an attribute. We found a lot of hard, smooth and soft things in the classroom.

For our last day the students had noticed a large box of rocks they wanted to explore. We explored them with our eyes and our fingers. Then we sorted them by different attributes that we had observed. Some of the groups we came up with were: shiny rocks, purple rocks, smooth rocks and small rocks. For the very end of the day I put new objects in the mystery boxes and we tried one more time. I found this time the students had a lot more ways in witch to describe the items.

Sensory Week 1: Compare and Contrast

With: Elijah D., Elijah T., Ben, Avalaine, Mazzy, Sam, and Dori

Our Big idea this term is Compare and Contrast. For the sensory atelier we are using our senses to compare and contrast a variety of items. Each day we will focus on one or two senses to explore items. One tool we will be using is mystery boxes. Our mystery boxes are cups with a sock inside; the sock enables you to reach into the cup and explore it's contents without looking inside.

We started the week thinking about our senses and the parts of our body that uses each sense. We read a picture book about the 5 senses. Then we explored items in mystery boxes. We began with our sense of touch. The boxes were passed around and students took turns reaching into the sock to feel its contents. Then we wrote our observations on a chart. It took about 2 days to explore the objects by touch, sound, and smell. The last sense we explored was sight when we removed the objects from the socks and made observations. We chose not to taste our items because we decided it would not be safe or taste very good, but we did spend some time talking about things we had tasted in the past like how oranges were sour and ice cream was sweet. After completing our chart we compared the observations we had made.

We also spent some time thinking about the question: What does compare and contrast mean? We wrote our answers on chart paper and went back to them a few times to add to them or change anything that didn't fit. Many students thought feeling things or smelling things was part of its meaning since that was the first thing we did. By the end of the week we learned that compare and contrast meant seeing how things were the same or different.

When we had finished exploring items in the mystery boxes we started exploring items in the science lab. We decided the crab tank smelled stinky and the water in the fish tank was bubbly. Once we had explored items enough to have a list of attributes describing things, we played a game where I would give an attribute we had noticed and they would search the room for an item that fit. For example I would ask for something shiny and they would find a crystal or a metal spoon.  Several students were excited about exploring items at home using their senses.

Sensory: Winter, Week 5

Senses of the Season
With: Issac L., Malvina, Jackson, Annabelle, Henry N., and Neva

There were no Ateliers on Monday this week.

We began our week by reading a book about our five senses. Then we used disks of ice to explore with our five senses.We discussed each of our senses as we explored the way the ice looked and felt as it melted away. Neva noticed, "It's cold." Henry looked at his carefully and noticed, "there is more ice inside." Jackson thought it looked like a cookie. "I am going to eat my cookie, C is for cookie and that is good enough for me," he sang. His hand were getting cold so he stated, "I am going to get warm water." Friends started to make predictions about warm water and what will happen with our ice. Malvina hypothesized, "Maybe it will get warmer," but noticed the ice started to melt under the water. Neeva said, "It melted inside the drain." Annabelle exclaimed, " I am going to disappear the ice, now you see it, now you don't!"

On Wednesday we focused on our sense of smell. This time the ice that had mint and cinnamon frozen into it. The aromas were very interesting for friends to explore. Many of us related it to smells we're familiar with. Neva said "it smells like bread." Isaac agreed, but clarified, "cinnamon bread." Even though we were focusing on our sense of smell, some of us were still commenting on how it looked and felt. Jackson commented, "the ice is cold and so is the cinnamon."


On Thursday we changed how we explored the ice by adding some new elements like color and salt.
Jackson thought his looked like ice cream, "blue ice cream!" Isaac poured salt in a mound, "My salt is melting." "Now its frozen." Henry exclaimed, "I am the ice king!" When we were done exploring with colors they decided to put them in sink and run water on the ice. They noticed that the colors washed off as the ice melted. Issac was bubbling with excitement. He said, "It is breaking all up and melting. What we are doing is lots of fun."

On Friday we ended the week with ice painting. Paint was frozen in a muffin tin with wooden sticks as handles. Some students chose one color and covered their paper with paint. Others chose to mix the colors together. Jackson decided to break his ice paint and crumble it on to the paper to see what happened. So much to do, and so many different ways to explore and experience ice.

Sensory: Winter- Week 2

Senses of the Season
With: Jude, Jacob, Avalaine, Rowan, Zane

On Monday we explored cylinders of ice.After a brief discussion of the five senses we began to explore the ice. Jude used his sense of sight and noticed that the centers of the ice were cloudy and white he asked, "What's that?" Many friends contributed their thoughts as to how the ice cylinders felt, tasted, smelled, sounded and what happened to the ice. Jude noticed that the ice melts and leaves water instead and tells friends, "It makes cold in the water!"Jacob said "I hear it going clank!" Jude said, "I am squishing it, it feels good." To which Jacob exclaimed," Its dripping on my sleeve." When we were done exploring with the ice we washed it down the sink and watched it melt away.
We finished the day reading a book about the Winter Solstice and discussing traditions of winter.

We with ice again on Tuesday and our sensory group decided to experiment a little bit. With big sheets of ice we added different food colors, salt, and water to the ice and watched what happened. Friends were most interested in the colors we were adding and creating on the ice, so at the end of our exploration we read a book about colors.









On Wednesday we used our sense of smell and taste a little more as we explored sheets of ice that contained cinnamon sticks and peppermint. Avalaine said, " I want to break it." Some friends worked to find a faster way of breaking the cinnamon and peppermint out of the ice. Eventually  we removed the ice and dropped it on the table breaking it into pieces. So much excitement that we finished with a book about our five senses.

We continued exploring ice and the fascinating world of color on Thursday with ice painting. Each child used a large piece of paper and paint that had been frozen onto a stick. They smeared it across the paper, and used mostly the sense of sight to paint their own unique artwork. Some students used only one color, other chose to mix colors on their paper or use one paint in each hand. Avalaine said, "It mixes together."





We decided to take it easy from ice on Friday, and spend the day reading books about winter and traditions. We ended the week by creating drawings that represent what we had done throughout the week.

Sensory: Fall, Week 5

Sensing Value
With: Dillon, Colton, Matea, Ben, and Annabelle

Monday afternoon we started with a recap of what value meant. Colton had learned from his machines atelier that value makes things easier.Then we spent some time exploring materials and discussing our 5 senses.

On Tuesday we made our own play dough. Annabell liked how fresh and sticky it was compared to the other play dough we had seen the day before.

On Wednesday we added color to our play dough. Ben chose to make his two different shades of pink. He said, "like the value scale." Then we assigned values to each kind of play dough. Purple was $1, Turquoise was $2 and pink was $3.

Thursday I gave them play money and they bought play dough. They each bought one of each color spending a total of $6.

Friday as they played we reviewed what we had learned about value so far:

• How important something was
• How much something cost
• The amount of something

They had a lot of fun playing with their play dough.
 Ben exclaimed,"This looks like ice cream dripping!"
Matea said, "I am making animals."
Colton explained, "This is a wormy!"
Annabelle said,"I made a butterfly, but now he is dead!"

Sensory: Fall, Week2

Sensing Value

with Isaac L., Lulu, Walter, Malvina, and Henry N. Because of conferences we had a shorter week.

We started by exploring the  playdough made by the previous group. We talked about how we were going to use playdough to learn about value and began brainstorming what value was all about. While we brainstormed the children rolled the dough into snakes and balls and smashed it into pancakes. 

Wednesday we began the session discussing our 5 senses and then learned a song to help us remember them. Afterward we used our senses to explore the raw materials used to make playdough: flour, water and salt, and then we made a brand new batch. Lulu enjoyed pouring the ingredients together. Isaac kneaded and rolled the play dough while singing “Baby Bumble Bee.”

On Thursday we assigned a monetary value to the different colors of play dough: The blue was $1, the green was $2, and the pink was $5. They each had $5 to spend.  Malvina bought pink play dough for $5 but then realized that she was out of money. Some students in this group borrowed money from others to buy more. 

Friday was the last day of Atiliers and we spent it exploring the play dough and talking about what we had learned.

Sensory: Fall, Week 1

Sensing Value

with: Maki, Carson, Koda, and Lucy. 

On Monday I introduced the word value and we talked a little about what it means. As talked we explored the materials used to make play dough. We looked at, smelled, tasted and felt the flour, salt and water. We even listened to how the materials sounded when we rubbed them in our fingers or shook them in a bowl. 

Tuesday afternoon we combined our ingredients to make playdough. We divided the dough into three bowls and made each one a different color. After playing for a while we revisited the idea that value means how much we care for or like things. To see how much we valued our different colors of playdough, we each voted for our favorite color and graphed it on chart paper. 

On Wednesday we talked about how the blue play dough had the most votes so it had the most value. To extend our concept of value, I introduced the idea of buying playdough based on how much we valued it. The kids were very excited and we spent the rest of the day discussing that we would use in place of money to purchase our playdough.  Their ideas included rocks, actions like jumping and paper money. In the end we settled on paper money. 

On Thursday we assigned a value to the play dough. The blue was $5, the green was $2, and the pink was $1. They each had $5 to spend. They took turns buying play dough. They found that you got a lot less play dough if you bought the one with a higher value.

Friday was our last day of Ateliers. We got one last chance to play with the play dough and then we discussed what value meant related to what we did all week.