After listening to the children’s ideas about Fall, Silvana and Cynthia (along with our SMC intern, Lenin) took a group of East and West Wingers for a walk. They were curious about what the children would notice. The group was composed of four East Wingers and five West Wingers. 
Sam: “I see a big tree!”
Nico: “I see a Palm tree. I hear a big jet.”
Blue: “No, it’s an airplane.”
Nico: “Look at the beautiful clouds!”
Sadie: “We live very close to that swing.”
Nico: (Pointing) “Look at that. It’s yellow!”
Cynthia: “Hmm. What do you think it is?”
Nico: “I think it’s an ambulance.”
Sam: “It’s a sprayer.”
Sadie: “It’s a ‘fire’ something.”
Blue: “No, it’s a fire, fire hydrant.”
Cynthia: “Let’s keep walking and see if we can find one that we can see more closely.”
As we continued on our walk, we came across a fire hydrant that was on our side of the street. We stopped and had the children observe it up close to share their ideas of what it was and how it worked.
Nico: “It feels like a fire fighter.”
Stella: “It’s a fire truck.”
Devin: “It has water and it’s connected to the ground.”
Sadie: “Water comes out from there.” (she points to the nozzle). “I think it’s a fire hydrant.”
Blue: “They use a tool, they screw it off and they pour into the building and then it goes pshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, then the fire is gone.”
Cynthia: “What do they pour the water into?”
Blue: “They pour it into a bucket.”
Sam: “Well, I think I’m not sure.” (He notices the bottom of the hydrant which is full of rust). “I think it turned black because it’s connected to the ground. I think the black stuff is from lightening.”
Maddox: “I know what the black stuff is. It’s dried up black fire.”
When we set off on our walk, I was expecting the children to talk more of Fall and to notice the falling leaves and changes that were happening. I was once again reminded that my agenda would have to be modified or maybe even eliminated! The unexpected always sneaks up on you but what a joy it is to hear the children’s ideas and get a glimpse of how they are making meaning of their world.
-Cynthia