Columbus Day at KDH

I began the discussion as I often do, asking the children to share what they know. 

"What is Columbus Day?" 

Menny jumped up and said, "I know. My mother told me. Columbus discovered Atlanta, today!"
I went on, "Columbus was an explorer. Does anyone know what an explorer is?"

Jonah piped up, "An explorer is someone who travels." 

Theo added, "In the old days, they went on a boat. My mother told me." 

We talked a little about Columbus' travels and his discoveries.

I asked, "Do we explore in our class?" It was an almost unanimous, "YES!" 

"Why do you say that?"

Jonah, "We figure out stuff and do stuff, so we are explorers."

Menny, "Arik and I are scientists. We explore worms."

Theo, Felix and Jonah, "We do too!"

Luba, "I go exploring for treasures."

Max, "I already have lots of treasures, shells and beads."

Theo, "In Miami I found a treasure. A kid in a pirate costume hid a box that I found."

Dovi, "I explore daddy-long-legs."

"Has anyone discovered anything in our room?"

Alex, "I discovered squares in our classroom."

"Where?"

Alex, "Look at the numbers, they are squares!"

Motty, "The floor has squares too."

Eden, "How about the stencil on the easel. It is a square, too."

Max, "The aleph bet letters on the calendar are squares too."

"We are explorers and make discoveries?"

"Unanimous, "YES!"

"Should we rename our class?" "YES,"
We voted on either calling ourselves, The Explorers or renaming our room The Discovery Place.

"The Explorers" 

is our new class name!

We went on to read In 1492 by Jean Marzollo and then created our own sail boats which we raced across the ocean in our sensory bin!

Happy Columbus Day! from the KDH Explorers.