Learning About Our Yellow Springs Community

This fall the Younger Group children have begun a study of our Yellow Springs community. They are interested in local businesses, their services, and the people who live and work in our village. The children have been thinking about what types of places they would like to visit, as well as places that they believe are important for visitors to know about.

During our first discussion of this project, the children immediately decided that they would want to show visi-tors our school, Corner Cone, Glen Helen, the police sta-tion, and the library. As our thinking continued, we real-ized that the local newspaper was a place that held both information and the ability to gather information about local events. We wrote to the Yellow Springs News to see if we could visit to learn about making a newspaper and asking interview questions. Our class was invited for a tour of the office and to meet with a reporter. The chil-dren were fascinated by the idea of type and we learned more about the way newspapers used to be made. We also observed a mock interview, which has informed our own skills when asking questions during other visits and tours around Yellow Springs.

The Younger Group knew that a second source of news and interviews would be at found at Antioch College’s radio station, WYSO. After writing to the radio station and coordinating a trip, the children considered some of the topics they wanted to know more about. The idea of how “on the air” works surfaced during discussion. The field trip to the radio station inspired thinking around sound. The children considered how sound works with our voices and ears in everyday conversation. This made more thinking about "on the air". Through shared thoughts and ideas, we realized that radios and radio towers have something to do with how music and talking can be heard from radio stations like WYSO.

At school, the children discussed and drew their own theories of how radio waves work. During our field trip, WYSO general manager Neenah Ellis, explained how radio waves constantly travel to our devices. We also toured the station, recorded our voices and spent time in the booth with DJ and Antioch School parent Niki Dakota during her show 'Excursions'!

Our community project continued this week with a visit to Current Cuisine. The favorite time during the tour seemed to be fitting half of our class at a time into their large refrigerator! The children also enjoyed decorating cookies and snacking on a few special items prepared for them!

During the preparation for the Current Cuisine visit and during our time in the store, it became evident that the children are interested in not only the wonderful places and resources of our village but in the people who make the businesses run. Each visit some of the important questions the children have asked are: Why did you decide to work here? Why do you want to do this work? How long have you worked here? What ser-vices do people use from your business?

While children work at school they often mention a com-munity member or a place of business that is important to the greater Yellow Springs community. They feel con-nected to the places around our school and have great excitement when learning about each of these busi-nesses. We will learn more about our greater commu-nity and how we as important citizens fit into this com-munity as the year continues.

Christine

After the Dayton Philharmonic’s Woodwinds Demonstration, the Younger Group children were inspired to have an Instruments Day. The children made a plan to bring musical instruments and then to stand up and tell about them during morning meeting.

Our special morning meeting came. The children played a few songs or showed their classmates how to play their instruments. Discussion of practicing, vibrations, tone, and the beauty of instruments surfaced during that time. After everyone had a turn, the children realized this would the best time to play musical chairs! Lucy played a song on the piano followed by Antonio on his violin; each musician taking time to pause in their music to make the game exciting for their friends.

I can play a song from Pirates of the Caribbean, but I might have to keep starting over when I stop the music. I’ll try to keep going. I’ve never done that before, Jackson told the group. He began, paused, and then continued! The children loved this recognizable piece! Jackson was very pleased with his playing as well.

By the afternoon several of the children had created a band during free time! Just after our final free time of the day, they performed an original piece on the stage of the Art and Science room for the other members of the class.

Christine