As the study group's culmination of block play, they decided to do a collaborative construction. Each player used sets of Gifts 4, 5 and 6. The discussion went like this: Joanne: Should we put together a streetscape? Pat: That's boring. Let's do a gallaxy! Gretchen: Her eyes got bigger at the thought as they contemplated the suggestion. Should they represent the Universe? After all, aren't the Gifts simply and abstractly representing all forms of life, beauty, and knowledge of the Universe? How would the structures represent time? Gretchen thought of Stonehenge the way it was built to coincide with movements of the sun and changes of the seasons. They marveled at past cultures that had such a mathematical understanding of astronomy...hummmm...should they do constellations? Speaking of astronomy, Pat related that the Mayan culture built temples based on movements of the sun, moon and stars. Pat also brought up religious practices of Native Americans. They thought about stacked totem poles of faces and birds to represent the spiritual character of family members, deceased relatives...or carvings of commemorate events. Yes, it would be fun to make totem poles! A tangent on that idea, how about generally representing a cultural view of life or religion or faith? The idea seemed to click with everyone, as each person went to work.

Pat was inspired by her cultural travels and studies and decided to make a totem-like tower to represent an evolution of life...from ground to sky...or from the earth to spirit. The "ground-form" was a serpent, in contact with the earth; from there she built a dog (lion?) that was given a good firm base with a head and tail. On top of that animal, was a stout standing figure with outstretched arms. On top of that was a bird or eagle...representing "spirit". A close-up view of the totem pole appears to the left.

In this photo you can see Pat's entire design. There is a "smoking hut" built next to the totem for comtemplation, and the entire concept is surrounded by a "circle of life"...lots to contemplate with her theme. Notice Pat's clever zig-zagging serpent made from alternately placed quarter cubes and its "block-head" shape. It appears to be sneaking around the totem.

Joanne was inspired by the Biblical story and depicted an abrieviated time-line from the original creation to the new creation. Froebel acknowledged that the order of the Universe is a result of its creation by God. From the bottom up: She started with seven days (cubes) of creation and used two vertical columns on the sixth day to represent man. And a horizontal brick for God's seventh day of rest. A winged angel guards Eden after the fall, with the "Tree of Life" in the center of it. This is followed by open tablets of the Law; the Promise of Christ's coming, a cross. Next, a Herondian built temple with an altar and holly santuary, noting that she visited Israel last fall and was fascinated by the proportions. Following is a new testament gathering of seven churches with Christ in the midst. A narrow passage appears next and finally a new creation represented by eight pyramids (quarter-cubes) flanked by two open gates (half-cubes).

In combination of Pat and Joanne's ideas, Gretchen depicted order from chaos, resulting in three fanciful and creative animal-like figures. Of the four configuations, the "mass" second from the left represents chaos. The first figure seems to be looking over the others. The third figure from the left has a long neck and its head is turned toward the right, on to the fourth figure. The fourth figure has four little feet and is built more solid and tall. But it is leaning to the right...as if something yet is to happen and all are expectant ...what could it be?

June 15, 2015
Joanne Hardinger, Gretchen King and Pat Schultz

A Frank Lloyd Wright Save Is A Froebel's Kindergarten Save

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