Summary for pg 38-44

Back in Ms. Paley's classroom, Nelson and Angelo commiserate (this means sharing sad feelings together) about being excluded. Two other boys (usually the 'bosses') say that Nelson must be 'bad guy' to play with them. Nelson doesn't want to do this and is excluded from the game. The boys say that there can't be a third good guy, but later let a different child be the third 'good guy'. 

But Ms. Paley realizes that the question of rejection is not an easy one. Even Clara, who is often excluded by Lisa, becomes a 'boss' and rejects Cynthia. She is embarrassed when Ms. Paley asks her, but doesn't want to give up her position. 

Ms. Paley discusses what the First Graders said with her class. The children are amazed that older children would also think about this rule and would have so much to say.

Story - Annabella meets the tiny people and finds out that they live inside the orange cactus flowers. The orange people are surprised by the eagle's attack. The eagle took the Prince Orange Flower. Magpie and Annabella promise to go to where the eagle lives and get Prince Orange Flower back. They tell the tiny orange people that eagles usually don't attack people.
Magpie will go to the eagle's nest by himself - it's too dark for Annabella to climb - and he tells Annabella to go back to her father.

Discussion Questions for 33-38

- What can children learn from exclusion?

- Where do we encourage cooperation? Where do we allow exclusion?

- What do you think will happen next in the Magpie story?

Summary for pg. 33-38

Ms. Paley begins visiting the elementary school to ask the children about the new rule "You Can't Say You Can't Play" 
She is surprise by how well they remember every time they were excluded in kindergarten (and after). She asks them the two main questions: "Is it fair? Will it work?"
The children share their experiences. They talk about 'bosses' and unspoken rules about who can play and when. The children all feel very strongly about the questions, but their thinking is not the same.
Ms. Paley shares a story about her friends' building that shares a playground with two other buildings. There is a rule there that "Everyone can play." She says none of the children have a problem with this rule there. She asks can it be possible in the classroom. The children still don't seem sure.

Story - The prince and Magpie comfort Annabella about her trouble with the flowers. The group finds a cave to rest for the night. While they are getting ready, they see an eagle swoop down and pick a small flower and fly away. The other flowers fall down the mountain. Annabella and Magpie go to see what happened.
They discover that the "flowers" are actually tiny people wearing flower costumes. They go to see if they can help.

Discussion Questions for pg. 23-27

- What do children get from play and make-believe?

- What can children figure out for themselves? What must they be shown?

- What information or ideas can we share with children? What information or ideas should we not share?

Summary for pg 22 - 27

Story - Magpie will tell the story about how a witch named Beatrix saved his life. His story begins as he is hatching out of his egg. Above him are two girls arguing. They are sisters, Beatrix and Sylvia, and they are both witches. Sylvia wants to step on Magpie, but Beatrix tells her no. Beatrix tells Sylvia that magpies are special birds. Finally Beatrix won and helped make a nest for Magpie. She protected him from her other sisters, also witches. 

Prince Kareem begins drawing a picture of Magpie. He asks Magpie if the Kingdom of Tall Pines would be a good place to live. Annabella gets excited because she wants to move away from where they live now. Magpie tells them about the 14 other children who live there and go to school together. He also talks about all the many different kinds of birds. The Prince decides they will go.

In Ms. Paley's classroom, the children are fighting at the sand table. After leaving the play, Angelo asks if he can tell a story. He tells a story about some hunters in a forest. At the top of a hill they find a baby fox who is trapped. The hunters take the baby fox back to his mommy. 
Clara also tells a story about a kitty named Clara and a girl, Lisa, who takes care of her. Remember, Clara is usually excluded from play by Lisa. 

The children are curious about Ms. Paley's trip to Arizona and her talk with the teachers there. They say it is best to let the children figure out their own problems. Ms. Paley's class discusses things they figure out by themselves, like what to play and draw and what stories to tell. The children discuss the difference between rules and free expression.

Writing topics for this week

Please pick ONE topic and write about it. Write as much as you can.

Writing topics:

-         How do you build and keep your relationships with your                      friends?

-         

          Have you ever noticed any exclusion happening in your                       classroom?

-         

           How are you different as a teacher now than you were when               you first started teaching?

Discussion questions for pg 18-22

- What would happen if Ms. Paley just forces the rule on the children, without so much discussion?

- Which child is sadder, the child who is excluded or the child who is forced to play with someone she doesn't want to play with?

- Many of the children are very anxious about holding onto their friends. Why is this feeling so strong? How does this feeling continue on into adulthood?

- Why is equal participation enforced for class activities but not for free play time?