What are you doing with found objects?

We have begun a "found objects" exploration...straight out of the book Beautiful Stuff: Learning With Found Materials by Cathy Weisman Topal and Lella Gandini.

We sent home special bags asking families to send in extra items...

Then, we poured out our bags on the carpet,

and looked at and touched 

all the amazing, beautiful, varied stuff.  

Lots and lots of different materials.  

So many questions, so many thoughts...

What was this? What might it be used for? 

What could we make with it? Why is it shaped like this? 

What does it feel like?  

on and on....

The possibilities are endless... 

What do we notice when we put them on paper?  

Which pieces do we choose?  

What do we make?  

Do we sort out specific materials? 

What happens if we draw around them?

Do different things appear?

What do we imagine?

Does it lead to another picture?

Do we have a story to tell?

We have sorted the found materials into clear containers,

creating a beautiful 'museum of found objects,'

which will grow and expand throughout the year,

and provide rich materials for our creative explorations ...

Ms. Balboni, our Art Teacher, helped extend our found object exploration by bringing in additional materials and encouraging the children to create collages using glue and a small cardboard base, exploring the variety of textures in these materials.

We are now in the midst of sink and float exploration...

...and we scientists have to write our own data!

The found objects fun has just begun!
Much, much more to add later...