First Grade Tap Root Prints: Pinkalicious

These are the artifacts of a first grade investigation into tap roots. Looking at all that glorious pink, I'm guessing beets were involved. Take note of the compositional variety between each print and think about everything these first graders must have learned about a beet's inside and outside! It occurred to me that it is not that often you see a large board displaying so much pink in a school. Lucky us. 

It got me thinking about how pink often inspires passionate commentary. Either in favor or against. I love pink but bemoan that it is stereotypically relegated to girls. My son loved it until he hit 4 and my husband wore it at our wedding! I remembered a refreshing essay by David Byrne about pink that I read a few years back. In it, he discovered that pink was a color designated for men prior to 1950! (Similarly blue was the color for women-thanks to Queen Victoria who loved indigo-until I don't know when). Gender biases and assignments aside, Byrne also discovered an interesting fact about pink: in a study, it lowered the heart rate of prisoners. Whether you like it or not, pink is a pretty powerful color! These prints, whether its the pink or the thought of the children engaging with beets in this way, definitely lower 

my blood pressure. 

Pre-k Paintings

In Jacqueline and Pauline's room they hang student's paintings vertically on the walls in stacks. Each stack belongs to one student and each time a student makes new painting, it is placed on the top of the stack, becoming the new image seen. The display is dynamic, ever-changing. I love these daily changes but I especially love the endless variety of the individual paintings. 

For example, some children love edges and symmetry. And they might explore the viscosity of paint.

Some children stick to the center, mixing colors. They might become aware of the marks made by the motions of their arms. I think I see a blue face too!

Some children work in layers.

Some work fast and energetically.

Some keep their shapes separate and use the white of the paper like its a color.

Some make all shapes touching and they fill the whole page.

Some create dense masses.

Some explore lines and shapes. Circles usually come first. Dots are often popular at this stage.

I'll bet some of these paintings have a story. But I know some of them don't. Some of them are about the joy of paint. Thank you, pre-k teachers for providing ample opportunity for our children to paint. 

Do you paint? What are your paintings about?

First Glimpses: Finished Leaves

Leaves still in the kiln, freshly fired! Thank you, Janine Sopp, for lending your kiln expertise. Installation coming SOOOON.

Portraits of K

Picasso famously said, "It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child." I sometimes wonder how Picasso would explain what he meant by these remarks. I imagine it had something to do with the unselfconscious truths drawings like these kindergarten self portraits reveal.  In all their variety- 

wild, self-contained, minimal, expansive, chaotic, dense, elegant and simple-we see a glimpse of how these children are so much the same and also so very,very different from one another. 

Thank you, Janine Sopp, for sending these.  Thank you, Kori, for providing this opportunity for our children. 

What creative expressions are your kids engaging with in the classroom? Please tell us about it! Contact me at bnsartsalive@gmail.com 

Third Grade Africa Museum: 2013

At the Third Grade Africa Museum last spring there was so much to see: poems, books, collages dioramas, murals, diagrams, paper mache, clay, watercolors and more. Through these diverse media third graders explored Africa as a habitat and ecosystem. Animals and plants filled the hallways in a dense tapestry reminiscent of the rainforest itself. Here is a glimpse of the treasures:

 

 

 

                 

If you are interested in blogging about YOUR child's classroom please contact me at bnsartsalive@gmail.com. 

LEAF-o-rama@ECORAMA 2013

Clay leeeeaves! 250 clay leaves were made by BNS students during Ecorama last spring- each one a celebration of their makers' individuality. Eventually they will be an installation celebrating the life force of our community. 

This project was devised by parents Janine Sopp and Josh Sarantitis in collaboration with the Arts Committee and made possible by the PTA who provided a microgrant to bring clay to Ecorama. Here are some "Leaf-o-rama" highlights:

Josh showing the kids one of the cutters they could bend and use to cut a leaf shape.

Parent volunteer Mia Barker working with students to help them  cut their leaves with as little wasted clay as possible.

Students are texturizing the clay.

Students added color (underglazes) and the leaves were carefully arranged on trays for drying.

Images of the fired leaves to follow!

Thank you to all volunteers who made this great project possible: Gilly, Kelsey Ann-Marie, Lyn, Melissa, Elise, Nurit, Mike, Mia. Who am I missing?? You were all wonderful. 

Thank you to Shelley, Johanna and Barbara for helping us organize and for sharing their space. 

Prektiss, Prektiss, PREKTISS! Third Grade Trip to Carnegie Hall!

We know very little about what is actually happening in these photos except what we see: Our third grade kiddos jamming with a live orchestra at Carnegie Hall! Can it get more awesome than this? 

Thank you, Jonathan for making this trip a possibility!
Were you there? Please tell a story! Add a comment below.