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Ideas in Motion

There's No "No" to What We're Doing

On a summer trip to the south of France, K-3 Art teacher Winnie Young was inspired by the beautiful colors of the homes in the medieval village of Collioure. Gorgeous pastels and vibrant bright tones dressed the walls, shutters, and doors of this jewel-like place.

Once back home, Winnie showed slides of Collioure to her second grade class. But it turned out to be far more than just a slide show. The class began a discussion and exploration of interesting houses throughout the world. They talked about color and design. "For example," says Winnie, “Kids like Frank Gehry because he uses construction paper that he twists and bends in conceiving his designs.”  Her students became excited about what structures could be considered houses of one kind or another:

“What about temples?”

“Can pyramids be homes?”

“How about a castle?”

“Aren’t anthills homes for ants?”

They each ended up creating their own “Street of Dreams” fueled by the class process and their own imaginations. “What I love about the process of inquiry,” says Winnie, “is that there is no “no” to what we’re doing. I love seeing where the introduction of something interesting takes the kids.”