During the last week of January, Valley Pre-School students brought back a beloved tradition—the return of ice sculptures. At home, students created their own structures made of ice and other materials and brought them to school to create a class sculpture.
On a very chilly January morning, parents and siblings gathered to watch the students and teachers construct an ice sculpture from their work. Looking closer at the students’ molds, you can see sticks, pinecones, Legos, food, matchbox cars and several other items that kids enjoyed using in their decorating. Some students experimented with adding food coloring, which made for a fun effect as it melted into other students’ molds. Hot water and spray bottles were used to help the molds become a structure, bonded together.
This tradition is symbolic of the learning that takes place at Valley Preschool. While students were learning about solids and liquids in the classroom, they were creating these molds at home. Parents were encouraged to allow this to be a learning experience for students—letting them decide what goes in, what it may look like when it freezes, and what they learn from the outcome. Students paid attention to the shape of their mold, how fast it froze, and, when it was time to bring it to school, how the ice would come out of the mold. This hands-on learning and inquiry-based instruction are values are easily found at Valley Preschool. The spirit of community and collaboration was seen all over the faces of students, parents, and teachers as the sculpture came to life—even in frigid temperatures!