I love Children's Illustrated Books!

Hardly a Kindergarten session goes by without my sharing one of my illustrated books with the group.  Often I start the class off with a book that is a springboard for the lesson.  Sometimes, the lesson is a continuation of the week before so I select a book just for fun.  This week students were completing a lesson and I had a new book that I was eager to share with them.  I was fortunate to win this book in a drawing at an event this week.  The author, Susan E. Goodman was the guest speaker.  Entertaining and extremely knowledgeable would be two appropriate words to describe Ms. Goodman.  I thoroughly enjoyed her presentation peppered with antidotes and humor.  I loved this particular one and immediately chose it to share with my students.  Ms. Goodman takes the reader on a journey back through time looking at the parcel of land that is currently New York City.  My students were delighted with the illustrations and intrigued by the story line.  I was impressed by their very insightful questions as they began to grasp the message of the non-fiction book.  I loved sharing this book and my students were definitely engaged with the historical message.  Check it out and many of the other books by Ms. Goodman.

Fiesta!

In South America, artist paint colorful images on the bark of the amate or fig trees.  As a decoration for an upcoming Fiesta dance, 2nd grade students created their own amate.  The Fiesta decorations are a project each year for my students but I don't want to be caught up in just decorating for the dance.  I always try to bring in a historical or cultural connection for the projects.  In the past, students have created colorful fans, papel picado and pinatas.  For this work, students observed several examples of native Amata prior to designing their own.  A crumpled and smoothed paper bag was used to resemble the amate paper.

Ugly jug inspired cups

First grade students are experiencing their second exposure to clay in elementary school but the transition from Kindergarten has made them a bit more aware of the quality of their work.  I never want to create that "too critical" creative environment with my students; especially at a young age when they aren't yet too inhibited to experiment.  I begin the lesson by reading the book "Dave the Potter" by Laban Carrick Hill.  This is a historical account of Dave who was a slave, Potter, and Poet.  The book supplies a wonderful cultural and historical connection for students who have just begun to learn about slavery.  I always emphasize the fact Dave was a potter despite the fact slaves were not allowed to attend school.  The book and discussion takes up a great amount of time from the first class period and generally we only create a pinch pot before class is completed.  The second week, students are encourage to "grow" their pot as Dave did in the book by adding coils of clay.  We have successfully review two of the concepts they were introduced to in Kindergarten.  Next, the new skill of score, slip and smooth is introduced as students implement the additive process to actually create the face for their ugly cup.  I particularly enjoy the idea these are intended to be ugly because students aren't stifled trying to achieve beautiful at this age.  Needless to say, they LOVE making their cups ugly.  I do model all the add ons; insisting that students start with a ball shape and then manipulate the clay to form the finished appendage.  Enjoy their completed work here!