Shells and cups were the provocation at the literacy (or science) center this week. One group were interested in drawing the shells and cutting them out. One child drew a lot of crabs (or small lines) on his paper and covered them over with the cups and shells. He decided he needed some bigger covers. " I have an idea," I said and went to the home center and found a pot and lid. He asked if he could go and get another one, which he did. Independence, decision making, fine motor skills, communication, invention, discovery to list a few of the skills being explored from such a simple provocation.