{"id":549,"date":"2022-02-25T23:32:27","date_gmt":"2022-02-25T23:32:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/livingwithplastics.climateactionchildhood.net\/?page_id=549"},"modified":"2022-04-09T02:51:56","modified_gmt":"2022-04-09T02:51:56","slug":"documentation-carrots","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/livingwithplastics.climateactionchildhood.net\/index.php\/documentation\/documentation-carrots\/","title":{"rendered":"Thinking with Carrot Peels"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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We notice<\/mark> the <\/mark>bright, orange carrot peels <\/mark>sitting in the large food waste pile.<\/mark><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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We gather them into a bowl. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Carrot peels are gingerly pulled from the food scrap pile and move through the children\u2019s fingers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children carefully flatten the peels into long, thin strips, creating different forms and designs. Peels are wrapped around fingers, hands, and arms. Some become blankets for dolls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After we return from lockdown, there are no peels in the classroom. So, we peel the carrots that we find in our fridge. We are left with a bunch of peels but also peeled carrots that we do not want to waste. We decide to gift them back to Bob to add them to our meals. He is excited to see what we found out about peeling and invite us to show him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We use quick, short motions, creating many little pieces of peel. Sarah gets long, thin pieces using slow and deliberate movements. We are excited to keep the scraps and bring them to the classroom.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Drawing
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We invite children to follow the lines and designs they create with the carrot peels. Carrot peels and pencils engage in conversation. The movements of the peelings and the pencils shift back and forth as pencils trace peels and as peels follow pencil lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stories emerge and lines blur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe line follows the carrots. No, the carrots follow the line, because the carrot comes on the line.\u201d <\/em>Susan<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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We bring Susan\u2019s question to the large group. As the children share ideas about the carrot peels and the pencil lines, Jacob notices that one of the pencil lines made a circle, not a line, and she asks: \u201cHow do you make a circle with the carrots?\u201d<\/mark><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Shifting from lines to circles is not an easy task.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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“Pinch the two ends of the carrot peel together.\u201d Jill<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIf you break the peels into smaller pieces and lay them out on the ground side to side, you can make a circle.\u201d Laura<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cFirst, you make a number nine, then roll it on itself until it is completely rolled.\u201d Sarah<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWhen the
peels stand on
their sides and
are placed
close together,
they curl up
into a circle.\u201d
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\u201cWe draw a circle with a pencil first.\u201d Sarah<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe pencil circle stays, but the carrot circle won\u2019t. There are gaps.\u201d Charlotte<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a 100% circle.\u201d Sarah<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe could take little pieces of carrots and use them to fill in the holes, because that way the carrot pieces then touch.\u201d Sarah<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We try Sarah\u2019s suggestion, but notice that the carrot peel ends do not stick together. The problem intensifies as the paper moves. The carrot peels don\u2019t stay in place and the big circle is lost.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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We invite the children to think collectively about creating a circle with carrot peels. We decide to share the difficult task and draw a big circle using carrot peels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The peels are stretched flat and placed end to end. As one child finishes carefully placing a peel, another moves in with another peel. Children struggle with the circular design and with joining peels end to end in a closed loop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We brainstorm how to join the peels to create a big circle.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cWe have to add water to the string so it will stick.\u201d Susan<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n