Meet Floppy!

This toy has continually popped up around our classroom and in a variety of locations. No one knows where he came from. Students kept bringing him to an adult during clean up not knowing where he should be put away. 
We asked the students where they thought he came from. 

T.K- I keep seeing him!

Z.H- next door

P.D- before when it was in the house centre, I saw in the house centre

V.A- I think when I be a JK, I think I have it last year with a house

D.D- at night time someone brought him

A.B- maybe he came from a class

A.Bh- maybe he came from next door when someone didn’t have anybody to play with it, no one liked it so they put it inside our class

K.B- maybe he came from Ms. S

C.C- from next door

M.W- I think he used to be real and then he came pretend

D.S- another class

D.Z- outside

With such a variety of ideas, we used this as an opportunity to promote creative writing. Encouraging the students to write their ideas during Thinking and Learning Time. The students said he needed a name so they shared some of their ideas for names including: Bob, Floppy and Wonder Man. We had a vote and the name 'Floppy' was chosen.  


One morning we came in and the students asked where Floppy was. We looked around and couldn’t find him. The students decided to make a home for Floppy for when he came back.

A.B and S.P each made a plan for Floppy’s house, which then encouraged many other students to sketch plans for his house.

Comparing the different plans

Here is a snippet of the conversation that happened. I hope it catches the excitement and collaboration that went into this creation.

A.B- one (house) could be playing one could be eating 

D.K- we need to let Floppy decide what house he wants to live in

A.B- this one could be play this one could be eating, we need a bed for him

D.K- we could make it

S.P- A.B make the bed

A.B- you make the pillow, you make the bed

D.K- it will be tricky to make the house

S.P- we need cardboard

A.B- we’re making it out of wood

S.P- where can we get wood from?

D.K- it’s going to be tricky, once we find out which house Floppy likes the best he’ll live in it

A.B- we’re going to make the lights, the beds, you could make it out of wood


D.K- cardboard would be better because we could make a better triangular roof

S.P- what about stairs? Paper won’t work because when he steps on it it will go down

K.B- he needs a basement, how are we going to get a basement? Maybe we can get the popsicle sticks and make a little square with it

A.B- maybe he could have a stove to cook, maybe he could have a little pond and he could have his own little library

D.K- how can we make a little pond? 

K.B- how are we going to make the weeds in the pond?

D.K- how will be put the water in?

Working together to create the house

Sketching the windows

Creating a motorcycle for Floppy

Creating furniture and objects for Floppy's house

Working as a team

Floppy in bed

We eventually found Floppy hiding in blocks and the students have since been adding to his house, creating motorcycles for him, writing books and stories about him and designing costumes for him! 

Floppy has been writing messages to the students encouraging them to engage in different activities around the classroom. 

It has been exciting to watch the students learn to work collaboratively and to watch their creativity come out in a variety of different ways!

We are wondering what he will be up to next! Be sure to ask your child about Floppy's adventures!