The children of Room 15 have been engaged in collecting trinkets throughout the school year. They have set up spaces in the classroom with containers to collect and systems to organize and study their collections. 

Mentor Teachers Kendra Porter and Georgia Morgan wanted to invite the children and families to extend this experience while at home. They found containers in their homes and went on a color hunt. They invited the children to join them on this color hunt. 

This strategy offers a different lens for collecting loose parts in the house. Sorting the materials by color rather than purpose forces us to examine familiar objects in a new way. Sorting in a new way also offers us the potentiality to pair materials we might not typically put together.

Other possible lenses for sorting materials:

• translucency / opacity
• shape
• size
• texture
• sound production

An offering for the children of Room 7 from Mentor Teacher Liz Mark

Liz shared that prior to school closing, the children had been exploring the relationship between natural materials, mark-making, and impressions.

She then offered possibilities to extend the experience at home. 

Mentor Teacher Erin and Resident Guinea Pig Cinnomon Turbo Racer (spelled by children) have invited the prekindergarten children of Room 11 to join them in a scavenger hunt. 

They are asking their friends to find three things in their house that start with the same letter as their name. Once the items have been found, the experience can be extended through inviting children to: 

• write the word
  
• take a picture of the item
• draw a picture of the item
• tell a story about the item
• create a dance using the item as a prop

An offering for the children of Room 13 

Throughout the semester, the children have been interested in obstacle courses. Their teachers wanted to provide a way for them to continue this idea of building at home. 

First, documentation from time at school was shared to remind the children and families of work they had done together.

Then samples of smaller indoor obstacle courses were offered in case children did not have access to large spaces or materials. 

Families and children were then invited to share their creations virtually.

Consider trying these strategies with natural materials (dirt, flowers, rocks, bark, etc.), mark-making materials (chalk, crayons, dry paint, etc.), fabric, play dough, clay, etc.

An offering for the children of Room 11 from Mentor Teacher Laura Freund
​
"You all inspired me to make my own video! Here I am explaining the steps to make playdough. We made lots of playdough last year and the children are practically experts! Let us know if you make it. Miss you all! <3
The ingredients are: 2 cups flour, 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil, 4-5 tsp. cream of tartar, 3/4 cup of salt, 2 cups warm water, 6-7 drops of food coloring
Directions: Mix dry ingredients together then add wet ingredients and give a quick mix. Put mixture over medium heat and stir for 2-3 minutes or until mixture forms into a ball and thickens. Once this starts to happen transfer to cutting board, knead mixture together and start playing!
If you are lacking in these ingredients some other options for sensory play: hair conditioner/cornstarch playdough (2 cups cornstarch, 1 cup conditioner) or just good old cornstarch and water. Warning: these versions are a little messier."

An offering for the children of Room 6 from the teachers of Room 6

The children have been investigating ramps and trajectory in class. Mentor Teacher, Kirsten, shared some documentation from the classroom work.

She then shared a video of how she assembled her home ramps as well as a list of other possible materials and a series of questions for families to ask while their children play.

The teaching team of Room 6 then invited the children and families in their class to join them for a "virtual playdate".

Following the playdate, the team of Room 6 met (virtually) to unpack their observations and develop strategies for refining these virtual gatherings. One point they discussed was the power of gathering in small groups, rather than as a whole class, just as we wouldn't expect an entire class to come together in one physical space. 

These experiences will be repeated and refined, just as we do with face-to-face learning.

At Boulder Journey School, we embrace the concept of Digital Humanity, which asks us to examine the ways that digital spaces can connect us as humans, rather than divide us. Over the past several years, we have researched this because we have felt that it is of growing importance in this changing world.

In this current setting of social distancing, we find ourselves relying on the concept of Digital Humanity as crucial to our interconnectedness.

This is the living document we are creating as we develop strategies for connecting with our families and our communities through technology, both low and high. 

Click here to view the document