Framing tools

Friday morning stated with one child asking to share a riddle.  This opened the flood gate to a riddle-go-round.  Each child got to tell one riddle.  One turned out to be a perfect opening to the morning field trip. (As you can tell, planning is everything in teaching.)
Framing riddle:
Q: Why did the picture have to go to jail?
A: Because it was framed!


After a snack, we all got on the bus and headed up Washtenaw Ave. to the Frame Factory.
Viola's mom, Jenn, and brother Simon were there to greet us.  Jenn introduced us to Phyllis and Kathryn, and the tour began.

  
Tools abound in a frame shop.  
Here are a few of the highlights.
-There was a tool for cutting the wood and metal strips into the right sizes to build a frame.
-A round disc for smoothing rough edges.
-A computer and large cutting machine that cuts mats to the right specifications.  
(Each child received a mat with a circular or heart shaped opening to take back to school.)
-Another tool scores glass so it can be broken into the right size to fit the frame.
Thank you Phyllis and Kathryn for sharing your framing knowledge with us and to Jenn for setting up the field trip.

 Back at school the children made a drawing to put in their mats.  Some are currently on display in our classroom.