Artasia at GL Armstrong

For our week two project, with the theme of space, the children were given materials to build their own space off a square of cardboard using tissue paper, coloured paper, pipe-cleaners, pom poms, straws, and markers.

A really awesome piece that was made was a doctor’s office. The kid made a 3d table and made a lizard to go on top of it, and another table with a little container to put lollipops in for patients. She was able to make everything 3D and standing up without much help, and the environment was really creative. She also made a bowl of food for the lizard. As we were talking about her piece, we got on the topic of limbs being cut off and if they could grow back, which brought us back to lizards as we talked about how they can drop their tails when stressed. Then I pointed out that the lizard that she made didn’t have a tail! After this she created a doctor to go in the office, and made her hold a tail for the lizard and a piece of tape to attach it with, as well as a lollipop for her to eat.

She then wrote her name and the name of the lizard (Bella), so I asked her the name of the doctor; she said that the doctor had the same name as her. Then I asked her if she wanted to be a doctor, since she named her after herself, but she said she didn’t. And she actually wanted to be two things: an artist and a builder (we came to the conclusion that the job she was thinking of was an architect).

This moment showed her creativity and storytelling abilities, she was able to quickly imagine a complex environment with characters and conflict. It was also really awesome to see a child’s future aspirations connect so well with the week’s activity, she was able to express herself as an artist and builder with the combination of building and drawing onto her cardboard piece. The way she was able to adapt her creation to the new lizard knowledge was also really great, it ended up adding a crucial piece to her story and environment. She created a space that told an awesome story and also was able to do the things she wants to do the most, making it really her own space.

– Narita Sargees