Vintage Treasures in the Classroom

"The objects surrounding the child should look solid and attractive to him, and the house of the child should be lovely and pleasant in its particulars; for beauty in the school invites activity and work."

Maria Montessori

One of my favourite ways to spend a relaxing Sunday is to visit a local antique store in my town. They refresh their wares on a regular basis and it's inspiring to wander the store and see the new arrivals. I love to find unique objects and imagine how they might be used by children during free play. Sometimes objects are a vintage model of what we already have - I'd much rather offer a solid metal scale for measuring than a flimsy plastic one. Other times unfamiliar objects become invitations for exploration and play as children have not had previous experience with the new resource. Providing something interesting and unique in the learning centers for them to discover has led to some amazing questions and explorations. Children attempt to discover what a new object might be and for what other purposes they can use it.
     

Visitors to our space are surprised to see the delicate materials being used by children. I'm often asked how fragile objects are not damaged, and if children take care of the resources properly. I believe that because children consider themselves equal members in a democratic space they value their beautiful learning environment and strive to care for all materials. Do things sometimes get broken? Absolutely! But this is a rare occurrence and when it does happen it provides an excellent moment for reflection and learning so that children take care to ensure materials are safely cared for.

 

Visitors to our space also ask how I am able to acquire such interesting materials without spending a lot of personal money to do so. As a scavenger I am always on the look out for vintage items; I love to spend rainy Sundays in second hand shops looking for things that can be easily fixed up and used in the classroom. Families are also quick to donate items from their homes and yards, especially after an open house when they see just how children incorporate materials into their play. Sometimes colleagues, my own extended family and other community members will offer things they no longer need. Sending letters home to families and posting for specific items I am hoping for on social media has also resulted in some amazing items being added to our space. Because I have taught for 20+ years I have acquired quite the interesting collection! It takes time and patience to build a complex space.

Offering antiques and vintage items in the classroom not only beautifies the space, it offers many other learning opportunities for children:

• children learn about how materials and lifestyles have evolved throughout the years (e.g., learning how rotary phones evolved to dial and eventually to wireless smart devices)
• children appreciate how materials can be recycled, reused and even upcycled in place of always purchasing something new
• the classroom begins to take on an interesting eclectic flavour that can represent the spirit and history of the local community
• statement pieces can spark in depth inquiries or creative explorations (e.g., researching the purpose of an unknown object, writing about the history of an object)
• children can also explore cultural and historical significance of pieces and use them to learn more about the past
• children can emotionally connect with the aesthetics of a piece and hold wonder and curiosity for their environment
• sharing the theories children have for vintage items beyond the walls of the classroom (e.g., social media, newsletters, documentation) helps showcase young children as capable and creative and might inspire further donations
  

     

Over the years I have replaced plastic, commercial toys in our classroom with found and recycled objects. It's taken years to curate a classroom filled with wonder and excitement and I'm eager to continue this journey with the children in the upcoming school year. What unique objects are valued in your classroom? Share your ideas in the comments below or share on social media tagging @McLennan1977!

Tracking Donations

Each day we will incorporate math strategies to help us show the different number of food items donated for our food drive. Today we used a ten frame to represent the 5 donations that came to school. 

We estimated how many might come tomorrow - most children hoped for 20.

Little Acorns Grow into Mighty Oaks

Your support for our children and the Downtown Mission continues! Thank you! Thank you! We again had a large number of food items arrive to school today with the children.

 

We've been using math strategies from throughout our work this year to help us calculate how many items arrive at school each day. The children know they can count each item one by one, but that also takes a very long time when you are working with big numbers.

 

Today the children wanted to organize the items in groups of 13. They knew that 13 wasn't a 'friendly' number like 5, 10 or even 20 and would be an excellent challenge for us!

 

 

Many of our students mentally calculated the items and our grand total for today was 64! We added this information to our ongoing tally.

It was exciting to bring the food items down to the front of the school...

...and add these to our already huge collection of donations!

 

We were also touched to learn that Mr. Roger Chauvin at the Windsor Essex County Canoe Club was working with his members to raise money for The Mission. We wrote an email to him sharing what we were doing in our classroom. Our children were amazed at the number of people in our community that wanted to help. Mr. Chauvin wrote an email right back to us. 

What a wonderful message of support to show our children that their work is touching people in positive ways and changing their community for the better. We wrote back to Mr. Chauvin. 

Our children are growing into those mighty oaks of which Mr. Chauvin spoke so eloquently. We are so privileged to be a witness to this. 

44 and counting!

Families thank you for your response to our call for help! The children were so excited to count how many food items were donated today. 

We used what we know about numbers to easily count the items that came to school this morning. One child suggested we place the items into groups of ten for easy counting. We quickly calculated that 44 items were donated!

We are keeping track of how many items have been collected in total on a large recording sheet using numbers and ten frames to help us organize our thinking. 

The children helped us bring the food to our big display in the front entrance of the school. 

The children were also eager to make more posters to help share their cause...

...and we announced our project over the p.a. system so the entire school could be informed!

Food Drive

Each day the children eagerly wait to see how many items are donated to the food drive in order to calculate the total number we have!

We have 226 items so far!

We have had to add additional shelving in order to hold all items!

Friday is the last day to send in items. Thank you for your support!

Meaningful Math

Today the children were so excited to see how many non-perishable items were donated to our food drive collection. The children have been motivated each day to think of ways to calculate the total number of items. Because the numbers the children are working with are so big, this has been a challenging and exciting experience.

 

Today one of our children decided that drawing a picture would be a good strategy to use to help calculate the total number.

 

 

He knew that we had a collection of 112 items already from the previous day, so he represented this with a picture.

He then added the additional items that were donated today for a grand total of 133. What amazing problem solving and mathematical ability! We are so proud of our children and the persistence they are showing when working with large equations.

 

We wonder how many items will be brought in tomorrow...

Food Drive

Thanks to your generosity, we now have a table full of food items on display in our hallway. The children are so excited each day to count how many more items come in and calculate our total number of items! We are still accepting donations until December 12. Thank you!

This experience shows us that when children are motivated and given the opportunity to use math talk and problem solving in meaningful contexts, the possibilities are endless!

Amazing Mental Math!

The children have been very excited to see each morning how many items have been donated to the food drive currently happening in the school. They are motivated by the promise of a pizza party for the class that donates the most.

 

This morning one child noticed that we had many cans brought in. There were 16 from yesterday on display in the hallway and another 26 that were donated today.

 

 

"There are now 42," he shared with me.

 

"How do you know that?" I asked him.

 

"Well, 6 plus 6 equals 12, and when I add that to the others, it comes to 42."

 

I was amazed at his ability to mentally add the ones column of the two digit numbers and then total the tens column for an accurate sum.

 

The 42 food items are now on display in front of our classroom. It's not too late to send in more - we are collecting until December 12. Thanks for your support!

Can Drive

Thank you for the generous donations so far! We already have 16 food items and these are on display in front of our room. We are keeping track each day and adding to see how much we have altogether. We are hoping to win the prize for most items brought in!

Dramatic Play Day Care Center

The children in our class have decided to turn our dramatic arts center into a baby day care. We are in need of anything 'baby related' that could be borrowed or donated including washclothes, bottles, baby toys, blankets, and anything else you think might be used to enhance our play. Your support of our program is greatly appreciated, thank you!

Aluminum Cans

Families, we are in need of large aluminum cans (not soup size cans, more like apple juice and coffee cans). These cans cannot have any print or colour on them. We are hoping to use them for a large scale building project in the fall.  If you have any and don't mind saving them for us until school resumes, we'd appreciate it!  Thank you!

Beautiful Stuff!

Check out our list of beautiful stuff now found on the lower right-hand side of the blog. We are in need of the listed items, many of which can be found in your home's recycle boxes, basement, or junk drawer. Please consider keeping an eye out for these items over the summer so that we can build up a huge collection of materials for the new school year in September. Many thanks for your support of our children and program!

Found Materials

I look. I search. I hope to see something that appeals to me.

Something unique - or maybe not.

Buttons, milk caps, straws - the lot.

A blue-green shape just caught my eye.

I don't think I can pass it by.

Whatever it is, it makes me glad.

And so, I'll put it in my bag!

~Rita Harris

Families, please keep us in mind when spring cleaning over the next little bit. We still have big plans for your little ones and are in need of lots of items for our science and art areas. We would also be grateful if you would keep this list in mind over the summer and save items for us for our September start-up next year.  We need:

• boxes of all sizes
• the fronts of greeting cards
• paper towel and wrapping paper rolls
• buttons
• plastic bottle caps
• plastic cups and bowls of all shapes and sizes
• scraps of fabric (We would love a wallpaper or fabric sampler book!)
• ribbon
• beads
• feathers
• washers, nuts, bolts
• plastic tubing of all shapes and sizes
• colourful rocks and stones
• paper juice can lids (metallic circles)
• game board pieces
• random metallic things (e.g., keys, springs)
• wood scraps

We love everything and are so appreciative of your help. Thank you for supporting our children and program! We couldn't do it without you!

Can Drive

Thank you to those who sent in food for our school's can drive. We now have 18 items! We are collecting until Friday if you'd like to donate. Many thanks!

Paper Tubes and Boxes

If you have any paper tubes, boxes, and other interesting building materials, please consider sending them in for our children to use at the building and art centers. We are running low. Thank you!

Can Food Drive

Our school is participating in a can food drive starting on Monday, May 16. We are welcoming any donations of dry foods and can goods. We are hoping to count and track how many items come in each day. Thank you for your support of our school!

Spring Cleaning

As you 'spring clean', we'd appreciate any of these odds and ends that you no longer need for our classroom centers.

-odds and ends for the art table (e.g., buttons, fabric scraps, ribbon, feathers)

-this and that from your basement and garage (e.g., random washers, nuts and bolts for children to match together or use with magnets, odd sizes of pipes or tubes for the water table)

-paper tubes, paper boxes, egg cartons, and any other items that would be great for building inventions and structures

-wicker baskets or old sheer curtains

-wallpaper sample books or fabric sample books that can be cut up at the art area

Thank you for helping to support our children and program! We appreciate it!

Signs of Spring

It's supposed to be a nicer weekend than what we've had lately. We are encouraging children to bring 'signs of spring' into the classroom. We are hoping they bring pictures of themselves playing outside in spring weather, evidence of spring from the outdoors (e.g., a budding branch, a picture of flowers blooming in the garden) and any other information to help us understand the changing of the season. We want to add these signs of spring to our calendar wall. Any help or support you can provide is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

After my visit to the Bishop Strachan School in Toronto this week, I have become inspired to create an even more child-centered classroom environment to support our children's wonderful ideas and inquiries. We are hoping to enhance the building experiences we offer children by providing more natural materials for them to explore including small, smooth landscaping rocks, sliced tree trunks, driftwood, and any other materials that you think would inspired creativity and innovation in our children's creations. If you have any of these materials and would be willing to donate them to our program, it would be greatly appreciated!  Thank you!

Fixer Uppers

A group of children have taken an interest lately in figuring out problems that need to be fixed in our classroom - particularly objects that need to be fixed with tools. They have great imaginations as many things were wrong with our water table and bookshelf - we hadn't noticed! We are hoping to continue to explore this child-initiated interest by introducing some library books about fixing things and seeing where the ideas lead.

Secret Spy Stuff

Some of our children have taken a great interest in pretending they are spies in our classroom. This was the result of some very interesting, dark sunglasses being added to our science center. We are hoping to follow this area of interest in our children and embed some math and language into their play. If you have any of the following items that you would be willing to donate or that we could borrow, we'd be most appreciative. We are looking for:

• wrist watches
• walkie talkie type boxes
• small note pads
• gadget-y type items that the children could pretend are spy inventions
• locks and keys
• anything else you think is spy-worthy
• old cameras

Thank you for your support of our children and program! We appreciate it!