The Big Garden (4-5 year olds) class was grappling with the idea of transformation and previously explored the idea of transformation via storytelling and experimentation in class. (See Big Garden journal 10/18/13) This journal is a continuation of the teachers’ strategy of using experimentation to continue to explore the transformation concept.
The Big Garden class is deep in their process of exploring the ways they can affect change on the world around them. This journal will discuss entry points we have been using to explore transformation - through storytelling and hands on, exploratory use of materials.
A few weeks ago the children's interest was piqued when we found a newspaper article about a new Andy Goldsworthy exhibit in the Presidio - Tree Fall is on exhibit at Building 95 at the Parade Grounds!
The children have come to be experts on Andy Goldsworthy's work, as they have experienced the wonder of both Wood Line and Spire on multiple occasions. They were so excited to hear that we would get to experience another of Goldsworthy's works, and also were quite intrigued by the idea of meeting him.
When talking about interviewing him Jai said, "Well, maybe you (Petra) have to go first. I might be a little nervous, because he's an artist!" To which Henry replied, "But we're artists too!" And it is true, the children are experts about materials and creative expression, and definitely about what it means to make art with natural materials. And given that Goldsworthy's work has incredible elements of transformation in it, it was only fitting that we bring the group into contact with another of his works!
On Tuesday October 22 a small group (Jai, Divinia, Nicholas, Thalia, Petra) went on a trip to gather information about the area and the exhibit to bring back to the whole group. A few key things/questions stood out for the group:
The group is so invested in figuring out information using the map, seen in the video above. Their questions can be heard as they use the map, and Jai in the background can be heard noticing the material that the installation is made out of.
We brought our questions, observations, photos, and the map back to the group. Tim and I were able to make an appointment for that Friday October 25 for the whole group to visit Tree Fall, which the group was very excited about.
In preparing for the visit we looked at pictures and came up with questions to ask -
Fin: Is Andy Goldsworthy going to be there? What about the cracks? Why are there cracks? It looks like it's going to fall down.
Thalia: Maybe, I'm wondering, you can't just break that special kind of clay...
Dillon: (Draws map) This is me and this is Cow Hollow. Me and my dad went there. This house is that house (Building 95 where Tree Fall is located) - we go around and around. Fin is here and Tim is here and you (Petra) are here (pointing to each person on the path to Building 95.)
Thalia: Now I'm going to draw the clay inside.
Dillon: This is the door that's open (adds it to his drawing.)
Henry: Is the art inside or outside? (Henry does a drawing) That's me and that's you (Petra). These things are going into you.
Photos from inside Tree Fall
Petra: What are the things going into me?
Henry: The parts of the sculpture are going into you (the roots).
Divinia: Why?
Henry: They're not going into you, they're just going on her. The roots. The dots are part of the sculpture that's breaking.
Divinia: How will they touch her? They're up high! See he's up high (pointing to the newspaper article).
Henry: She will have to jump to touch them!
(Each child then documented their thoughts on how to get to Building 95 and the materials that Goldsworthy might use)
Thalia: Can you break the special clay?
Divinia: Map to Building 95, showing it next to Lion & Tiger Land (an area designated by the Cow Hollow children)
Fin: When I put it on the stick it transformed it. By like it was like black, and then it turned white.
Dillon: We could make a house of clay.
Jack: You can make a pot!
Thalia: You can make a clay pot.
Nicholas: You roll it into a ball and then pinch it.
Alexa: A rock.
Petra (teacher): Can you tell us more about your idea?
Alexa: Turn the clay into a rock, roll it into a ball and then flatten it.
Jai: Into a doggy, you flatten his ears, make his tail, and his body, and make him a leash.
Nate: If you put the clay on a tree it makes bumps.
Petra: That reminds me of how Andy Goldworthy used clay to change the texture of the tree branches he used in Tree Fall.
Oliver: He put the clay on top of the branches.
Petra: Did that transform the branches?
Oliver: It didn't stop it from being a tree...
Henry: You could bend the clay and smash it onto the ground and roll it like a taco.
Thalia: To make a rock you roll a piece of clay into a rock and shape it and wait for it to dry.
Darcy: Get lots of short sticks and put the clay inside it and over it. Put clay on the sticks and then glue.
Elsa: Roll the rock and then add the clay.
We look forward to exploring these ideas further in the coming weeks!
Thank you for reading!
Warmly,
Tim and Petra
To read Part 1 of this journal, as the children explore transformation via storytelling, see here.
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I notice – I wonder