orange you glad?

Lola and Elliot

Today we are looking at and thinking about the color orange. Chance, Elliot, and Lola have all brought in orange objects and thoughts that they have been collecting since the last time we met. They each present what they have brought and then take turns with certain pieces from each others' collections. I ask the children if they want to group together some of the oranges -- remembering that last week Lola had made three categories of red from their red collections (bright, brick, and fire). Chance, Elliot, and Lola all begin arranging and rearranging the orange objects into what seems to be an endless number of variations. Wondering about the preferences and associations that each of the children may have with these particular colors, I ask if they would like to group the oranges into two groups -- a sad group and a happy group.

Lola promptly makes two separate piles.



Lola: These are sad. . .







and these are happy.

Lola then pushes the objects from the sad pile over to the happy pile.
Lola: Now they can be happy.


In no time, Lola demonstrates an understanding of the inconstant nature of our relation to color.




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