The Sum of the Parts

Silk cocoons ready to go.

Add soap.

And washing soda.

Simmer for 20 minutes (or less!)

Make mawata frames while you wait.

And wait.

Remove giant glob that was supposed to be separate cocoons.

Stretch on a frame and rinse.

Allow to dry and tease into roving.

This morning the Herons received their promised silk cocoons from the silk spy. We cooked them up according to the directions we were given by Lady Silkworm (from whom the cocoons were sent) and formed them into mawatas or silk hankies.

Then, this afternoon, we were in a frenzied state of preparation. H.B. decided to take on a whole new project and make mawatas with visitors tomorrow. M.P. came back from two days of illness and finished his entire booth in a single day. At one point, P.M. raced by me explaining, "Can't stop, I"m in mass production mode."

While it would be impossible to maintain this pace on a regular basis, it's one of the things I love about theme culmination. There is so much going on I couldn't possibly be mandating all of it. The students sense this and they rise to the occasion, solving problems and helping each other. It is very common to hear someone announce, "I'm done! Who needs help?" We keep a class "sparkle" list on the board of extras we dream about having time for and students take on those projects as they are able.

The spirit in a day like today is incredible. Kids feel like they can do anything — this project is truly theirs. The adults in the classroom take on purely supportive roles – running copies, finding supplies, supervising cooking. The students assess their own work and their own needs. At one point today, a child found me and said, "I really don't think that my double batch will be enough, can you find more oranges anywhere in the building so I can do another double batch?" I found them…Colleen's afternoon snack was offered up very willingly.

There is always a risk in a big event like tomorrow's. Its success depends on everyone's work. We have made it more complex than any one person could control. That risk makes it real. But one thing I have learned over the years is to trust the process (and the product). The Herons are very invested in teaching you, this is their baby. Tomorrow I will find extra cups, make a few copies, and watch in awe as the Herons take you on a Silk Road Journey all by themselves.