Kindergarten Leaf Garland

Here's an old standby with a new twist.  This project is always a big hit with the little ones and is also my kindergartners first introduction to collage. This year we were given a HUGE bag of pre-cut tissue paper strips in  all the colors of the rainbow and we put them to good use.
To make their leaf kids drew or traced a leaf shape on a piece of white or colored paper.  They chose six strips of tissue and tore them into smaller pieces to get them ready for their collage (easier to do when hands are dry).  They brushed a little liquid starch onto their paper added some tissue colors and painted over the top to smooth the papers down.  We used the "Dip, dip, wipe" chant to encourage good brush handling and prevent glue from dripping on table tops.  After the leaves dried they carefully cut them out.

I love the leaves, but wasn't in love with how they looked pinned on the board so this year I brought them home and ran them through the sewing machine pulling the thread to form a "spacer" between each additional leaf.  Now we have a beautiful leaf garland ready for draping or hanging from the ceiling.
There are lots of wonderful children's books to pair this project with.  This year we read "Fall Leaves Fall" by Zoe Hall, "Have You Seen Trees" by Joanne Oppenheirm, and "Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf" by Lois Elhert.
My garland is in one very long string right now.  I'll probably snip it into smaller sections and hang it in front of windows.  When we're done displaying I'll snip and add a paper clip hanger so each child can take home their single hanging leaf.
Have a great day!

Happy Diwali

Blogging is so much fun for so many reasons, but the most wondrous thing is the connections I have made with people I would not otherwise encountered.  My original intent was to share my school art experiences with families in my own little community so it brings me unending happiness that people from the wide world over take a moment to drop in and check out my little blog. 

Today is the first day of Diwali the Indian Festival of Truth and Light.  Here's a link to a cute little Indian Elephant to help you celebrate.  Print it on card stock or use it as a template to trace. 

Happy Diwali!   

   

Mexican Skeletons

 

An overabundance of rocks washed down our rivers during the floods and we're putting them to good use.  

These little guys are on their way to becoming Mexican style whimsical skulls like those used in the Mexican Day of the Dead celebration.  They're still in their early stages and have many embellishments to come....paint markers, glitter paint, sequins will turn up the heat.

Couldn't resist sharing a sneak peak.

Children's Hand Mandala

If you're looking for a quick and easy sub plan for your kids this may fit the bill.  I had to be out one day last week and while I was out kids began work on a community mandala.  Now our "Handala" is coming together and almost ready to hang.  In this lesson kids learned that a mandala is a circular design.  The word mandala comes from the Sanskrit language and means "circle".  Sanskrit is an ancient Indian language.  Mandalas aren't just found in India.  They are found all over the world and in many diverse cultures.  They are considered sacred designs.  The round shape of the mandala represents the whole world, everything in it, and the universe beyond.  It also represents our inner world of our heart, thoughts, feelings, emotions, understandings and experiences.  Each of us is an important and unique member our school community.  In this project kids were to trace their hand and fill it in with a design that represents their interests and personalities.  Their hands came together to form our precious mandala.
I can't remember where I first saw this project, but it may have been at the Hanigan Linwood Art Room blog.   If you have this lesson posted and would like a link to your blog or image leave a comment and I'll hook you up.

Printmaking with Kids

Kids showcase their printmaking skills.

Another beautiful vehicle from this artist.

You may have to live here to recognize this guy!  It's our beloved "Champ" frequently sited in Lake Champlain...see those beautiful mountains behind him.

Aliens and stars.

Inking the printing plate.

Placing the paper.

Rolling the print.

And do it again.

Navajo Weaving

I really hit the jackpot when I entered "Navajo Textile" into my search engine and performed an image search.  I found a gold mine of woven textiles that would inform any weaving unit.  I feel a lesson plan coming on and know a certain group of kids who love to weave.
These blankets are called "chief's blankets" even though the Navajo didn't have chiefs.  Plains Indians have chiefs and they traded for these blankets.  Perhaps that's where the name comes from.  The blankets are meant to be worn like a mantle.  When the blankets wrap around the body the edges come together to in the front and repeat the diamond pattern on the back of the garment.  Like a walking piece of artwork, don't you think.
Can't wait to get all our October shenanigans wrapped up so we can get started weaving.  Here's the link to a past post on weaving.  Lots of good info and a compete how to do it if you want to try it, too.

Los Camperos de Valles Demonstrate Instrumental and Vocal Techinques

When I lived in Costa Rica string groups like this would congregate in park in the evening.  If you liked their music you could hire them and bring them home to serenade your sweetheart.

How romantic is that?