What about wire?

This is a Tuesday
Slice of Life.
All participants are writing about one moment, one part of their day. 

A big thank you to Two Writing Teachers for providing this unique opportunity

for teacher-writers to share and reflect.

The Big Cats are creating wire sculptures for our Phillips art project.
First, we need to investigate the wire -
How does it feel? 
What can it do? 
How does it bend and move?
We looked at a video of one of Alexander Calder's moving mobiles.
Could we create sculptures that move?
Yes, let's try this!

I have set the wire supplies up as an exploratory center, so that the children will learn more about how the materials work before they create their wire sculptures.

We have three different gauges of wire, and all three types are flexible enough for the preschoolers to manipulate. They quickly figured out that the thicker the wire, the more difficult it is to bend. I love that there are three types of wire - multi-colored fine wire, silver medium wire, and bluish thick wire. As they practice making loops, bends, knots, connections, and more, preschoolers are also reinforcing their understanding of small, medium, large.

We spent a couple days simply wrapping objects, to see what shape the wire would be once we pulled the wire out. So many questions arise,
What shape will the wire have if we bend it around a block?
What happens if we attach two wires together?
How can we make the wire curvy?

We are also working with a variety of beads.  The preschools love to finger these, picking out their favorites. They practice how to connect the beads to the wire.
How might we attach the bead so that it wiggles? 
How can we make it roll up and down the wire?
How can we make it stay in a more fixed?

It is a kind of slowing down.
Slow learning.
Investigating requires focus. And fine motor skills.
We become better and better at it.

I hear,

Can I play with the wire?

Look, I make a balloon!

Chains are made out of wire!

You can spin it.

I want to tie it.

I make it move.

This is hanging on it!

It's like candy.

Moving slowly like an artist,
an engineer,
a mathematician,
a scientist. 

It is language,
it is storytelling,
it is everything at once.
It is the best kind of learning.

My husband cut up some scrap wood to make simple wood bases for their sculptures. Tomorrow, the open-ended investigation of wire will end, and we will take our first steps at creating the sculptures themselves. The goal is to make a sculpture that shows 'freedom' -
Maybe it will move, bend, wiggle? 
Maybe it will reach high or flow to the side? 
What does freedom look like?  

The children will have the flexibility to go any direction they want with the remaining supplies. I will encourage the preschoolers to use the heaviest wire at the base and to add lighter wires as they move up. But, preschoolers always amaze me with their ideas and innovations, and I am ready to be surprised and enlightened. I feel certain that their sculptures will have a lot of individuality, that no two will look alike. 

The children are fascinated by the wire. I am, too. 

SOLSC #14 What happens when we put it all together?

During the month of March, I am participating in
the Slice of Life Story Challenge.
All participants are writing about one moment, one part of their day, every day for thirty-one days. My slices will be primarily about teaching preschoolers.

Check out the Two Writing Teachers website for many more reflections on teaching.

Our school partners with the Phillips Collection each year, creating an exhibit of our students artwork for their Young Artists Exhibition. This year, the preschoolers made their own paper and then they did a variety of art processes on this homemade paper. Our art processes included:

• embedding found objects in the paper,
• painting with watercolors,
• rolling toy cars through tempera paint, and
• stamping found objects with black ink.

The preschoolers had so much fun with this exploration. I believe they made close to a hundred sheets of homemade paper, and this allowed for many mornings of process art. I stayed at school this afternoon and created a paper quilt of their artwork, featuring one special piece by each child. I think it looks beautiful! I am excited for the families to see this work at our Learning Showcase this Friday evening. 

SOLSC #2 What if we made our own paper?

During the month of March, I am participating in
the Slice of Life Story Challenge.
All participants are writing about one moment, one part of their day, every day for thirty-one days. My slices will be primarily about teaching preschoolers.

Check out the Two Writing Teachers website for many more reflections on teaching.

The Big Cats have been immersed in paper-making the past few weeks. We are creating our own paper and then using these papers as a base to explore a variety of art techniques. I haven't made homemade paper in years...and I remember doing it with a group of adults. I don't believe I ever did it with a group of three year olds. What an amazing time we have had!

Ms. Donna Jonte, our mentor teacher for our arts integration work with the Phillips Collection, showed up with bins, buckets, tubs, felt, towels, screens, frames, sponges - every imaginable tool to help make the paper-making easier. She even brought some pre-made pulp, so that the preschoolers could immediately explore the sensory delight of pulp. And explore it, they did! They immediately rolled up their sleeves and immersed their hands and arms in the murky, cool slurp. Our sensory table is now home to this wet stuff, and children enjoy working with this material even without a plan to make paper - it is just fun to feel.

After only one morning working alongside Ms. Jonte, the children were at ease with the paper-making process - dip the frame, lift, shake and drain (chanting, “do the paper-making dance” as they remove the excess water), move to the table, flip the frame onto a sheet of felt, sponge off excess water from the back of the frame, lift off the frame, cover the new paper with a layer of felt, head back to the sensory table and begin again. I found myself being a serious student, trying to memorize every precise technique that Ms. Jonte shared, but the children taught me it's not an exact science. You can have a lot of fun in discovering shortcuts and new paths. Oh, how they laughed when water cascaded to the floor because they forgot to drain the screen frame. They were equally amused when a slumped paper piece - really, a ball not a sheet - appeared from a hastily emptied frame. The children loved poking holes, adding in extras, squishing two wet pieces together...none of these creative bursts were orchestrated by me, but simply the of joyful result of working in this structured yet free space. 

Since that first morning of exploration, we've added blenders and scrap papers to make our own paper, and this delights the children, too. They love to tear the paper into small bits, stuff the blender, add water, and hear the roar of the blender as it chews the scraps into the tiniest bits. 

Tearing up egg cartons to make pulp

Tearing up easel papers to make pulp

Over and over and over again, the children make paper.  I love how the children come and go – playing with the pulp, making a sheet of paper, running off to explore blocks or science or writing or painting at the easels, returning to make more paper. There is so much to do.

Painting with watercolors on our homemade paper

Once the paper dries, the children have been using the paper for painting, drawing, printing, and more.

Making paper - somewhat sloppy, super simple, superbly fun! It is early childhood play at its very best.

I will be doing this with preschoolers for many years to come.

SOLSC 2015 #6: What do we do now?

Each day during March, I am participating in the Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Story Challenge (SOLSC). All participants are writing about one moment, one part of their day, every day for thirty-one days. My slices will be primarily about teaching preschoolers. Check out the Two Writing Teachers  website for lots more reflections on teaching. Thanks especially to Stacey, Tara, Anna, Beth, Dana, and Betsy for hosting this writing challenge. 

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Over the past few days, we've been (or I have been) in Phillips project withdrawal (see yesterday's post)...and, for me, there is always a feeling of malaise that accompanies the end of this big effort. I decided we needed to do a couple of fun things to help us through the transition...some relaxing, open-ended activities that children could choose to do if they were interested. 

First, we got out the shaving cream! Yes, all that decoupage work left an art table covered with glue. The art table doubles as a lunch table, so it has really been bothering me that it is has been covered with this goop. Shaving cream does the trick. I can't believe it, but it was the first time I used shaving cream this school year...I don't know why I delayed the pure preschool pleasure of this. I put some in the sensory table, too. Come one, come all!

You can learn a lot about children when you observe them with shaving cream. Some took one glance and disappeared, not at all interested in touching something of that slippery texture. Others dared to touch, only to quit immediately  and beg, "it's on my hands!," disturbed by the feel. They went right to the classroom sink and were done. But, as always, there were a few stalwarts...children who could not get enough of it. 

The children drew letters and shapes in the cream, made snowmen piles of the cream, rubbed it all over with their hands, and even scrubbed with sponges. 

All the glue disappeared in the midst of all the fun!

Another fun activity, we are making our own school bus, to commemorate what might be the most memorable part of the Phillips field trip for the children - the yellow school bus we rode on. My husband gets special credit for this effort - we had a new stove installed at our house and he asked the installer if he could keep the box, "because his wife was a preschool teacher." Lucky me! Lucky kids! (The installer said - "Oh, this box has too many staples - I have an even bigger box from another delivery that is staple free; let me get it for you!") Tony and I had quite the time getting that cardboard box into our car and over to school, but now its fate is sealed.

The box is so big, we have placed it in our early childhood common space. We are creating the bus with our other preschool class, the Giraffes. Each day, teachers take a small group out into the hall to paint it during centers time. Some of the children work calmly, as if transfixed; others take bold, fast strokes and you have to caution them about soiling the hallway carpet. I have delighted at the look of children who dare to paint the interior - lots of yellow-orange paint in their hair, from the ceiling. Did Michelangelo look like this?

Soon, the bus painting will be done, wheels and other details will be added. I predict this sturdy bus will provide plenty of good play for a long while.

And, the children and I will be ready to take on new adventures!

What did we do for the Phillips this year?

This week, we are celebrating the conclusion of our arts integration project with the Phillips Collection. The children worked very hard throughout the month of February on this effort. I thought I'd share some photos and documentation of their work, so that you might see the fun that they had.

Though in previous years, our work has been displayed for a few weeks at the Phillips (in their basement level educational wing), this year our school's population has grown too large for the Phillips to display all these works. As a result, the preschool classes and several other grades will not be included in this exhibit; however, we will display our work at our school's Learning Showcase later this month. When I first heard this plan (last summer), I was disappointed. I have enjoyed working with the children to create art pieces for the Phillips display - typically, the whole class works together to create 2 or 3 panels. (I've blogged about these efforts in previous years.) Over time, I realized, there are some real benefits to this new plan - hey, I'm not limited to 2 or 3 panels! I can take up as much space as I want…we can create any type of art that we desire!

So, what did we create? Let me share.

First, did a field trip to the Phillips…the big thrill being the ride on the yellow school bus.

At the Phillips, we did a couple of art activities...on the floor, in front of masterpieces of art. I love this. Preschoolers in an art museum! The children's (and my) favorite activity this year was related to George Braque's painting Round Table.  This painting depicted many different objects grouped on a table. 

The children were given paper versions of their own Round Table, and separate pieces representing the objects that they were free to place on their table. This was an ideal lesson for young children, allowing them hands-on work. 

We teachers realized that the children share Braque's fascination and love of  the physicality of objects. We decided to create art with this masterpiece in mind.

It is not enough to make people see the object you paint. You must also make them touch it.—Georges Braque (1882–1963)

In our preschool classroom, we work a lot with found objects and recyclables. We love to imagine and re-purpose small, inconsequential things from our homes in many different projects. The children love touching, exploring, counting, sorting, painting, and creating with these found objects.

Additionally, we are crazy about storytelling. In recent weeks, for our read-alouds, we have been immersed in folktales and fairy tales. I often dramatize parts of the books with children (they love to use their bodies - and I know this movement helps them recall the story), I have many felt board and other story pieces for them to re-tell the tale, and I often use story "containers" with small figures and objects to represent the story. The children have become very interested in "characters" and beginning, middle, end of stories. Of course, I also work with the children on their own stories - "How does your story begin?"

All these curriculum tangents were pouring through my mind as I searched for a Phillips artwork idea. Then, of all things, a friend gave me some coffee cans she had saved...imagine this, she had 21 to share with me! Exactly the right amount for each child to create something special...

So, for our Phillips artwork, the preschoolers created story cans, with clay characters and special found objects from our classroom collection.

We spent several weeks creating a decoupage exterior for the cans... a process that involved a great deal of trial and error. For example, the preschoolers spent several mornings cutting out small pieces and images of scrap book jackets. Then, it was time to glue these onto the cans. It turns out, it was nearly impossible for the children to adhere glossy, heavyweight scraps to a cylindrical metal surface. I stepped in to help them and I couldn't do it myself. I began to wonder if I had imagined the very worst project idea. But, of course, I'm all about modeling persistence....

We used a variety of other special papers - tissue papers, cut up easel paintings, and even created special effects on old newspapers and discarded scraps of paper by dipping them in watercolor paint.

We layered the papers around the sides of the can, over and over, using lots of glue.

Our decoupage work became an on-going center in the classroom for several weeks...children worked on their cans whenever they desired, as much as they liked.

With our cans complete, it was time to think about our individual stories. What objects would represent the stories the best? The preschoolers searched through the found objects, trying to find five treasures that would fit into the can. 

I also introduced Model Magic for the children to create characters - though, in the end, I wasn't excited by the quality of these figures...the 'clay' was not easy for the children to mold (sometimes, it seemed to spring out of the desired shape); the final 'air dried' pieces broke quite easily. But, the children had no complaints...they loved working with this clay.

Ms. Kim worked with each student individually, listening to their story and writing it down. This week, at Storytime, in addition to our daily book read-aloud, we are sharing the children's own stories from their story cans. This has been very special.

To help you imagine the final artwork, here is one story can. This one is made by Ellis. 

And here is Ellis' story:

His name is George (clay). He is a monster. The monster put the girl (blue) in a tank (yellow). He put them into the trap (purple). He trapped him with a rope. Then, then, there was  four monsters coming. Then the mommy didn’t ask because he didn’t have mommy. So, so he just came out. Then he asked his mommy for help. Then, then the monster put him in a trap. Then the monster’s mouth broke. He force him away so he couldn’t get passed. So, so, so he just put the girl out of here. He just put them in a jail. The girl is made out of the glass. So, he, he putted in then. He didn’t get stuck. Um, so, he (blue) just put it in like but he couldn’t because he didn’t fit. So, so it just got away but he couldn’t because he was just made out of the glass. So it was squeezy but he couldn’t get out so he went out so he get passed. Bristick came to help. Then then he smashed in then cut it out. That was a good idea. And he took him to his mom.

I'll share all of the children's work in another post...but, I thought it was important to share one here so that my description of the story cans made sense. I know it is a rather unique "artwork" - a far cry from a painted panel, such as my previous preschool classes have made. But, I love that the children will each go home with their own individual treasure. I think it is exciting that our art is "repurposed," taking something and changing it. The story cans are each so 'robust', so 'sturdy' - I see the children filling and re-filling these cans with special stories for years to come. 

I love how much work they put into these!

SOLSC #14 Our Phillips Artwork

I am posting every day during March as part of the annual "Slice of Life" Challenge for Two Writing Teachers.  Check out their website for lots more reflections on teaching.

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I want to share about our Phillips art project. Our school partners with the Phillips Art Gallery each year, creating an exhibit of our students artwork for their Young Artists Exhibition. This year's theme is storytelling.

Our Ezra Jack Keats focus has dovetailed beautifully. The children created a beautiful process art background and then collaged city buildings on top. Their personal photos were inserted into the windows of the city buildings, adding a whimsical Ezra Jack Keats touch! (And making it impossible for me to share the final artwork here, because I want to respect anonymity of children in this blog.)

Working on one smallish, single panel was a real constraint for us - we have 23 preschoolers to involve in the art process. We sought ways to integrate the art experience into many other aspects of our classroom work - for example, many process art panels were created, although only one chosen. Over several sessions with our art teacher, Brianna, the children painted beautiful "skies." These were created using a variety of colors and "channeling Ezra Jack Keats." (The backgrounds of his collage artwork in his picture books are so beautiful.) One of these bright pieces became the basis of our Phillips panel.

Brianna took the children in small groups to her third floor studio to observe our city neighborhood from this perspective.  Since Brianna typically comes down to our classroom for art, this was an exciting adventure!

From this higher view, the children drew cityscapes.




After creating these observational drawings, several were photocopied and reduced in size to fit the Phillips panel. The children painted these, using sponges, paints, and pastels. A beautiful city skyline was created.

Here's the story that the children wrote to accompany this art panel:

Big Cats in the City

The Big Cats live in the city. We have a train coming down the train track through the tunnel.  An underground tunnel. And there were little houses and tall apartment buildings. And a school. And there is a great, big, giant fire truck going down the road so fast. And they put out a fire in the offices. There is a doctor in the building and there is his office and there are Mommies and Daddies and a Grampa. A baby is born. Shhh! We have to have gentle hands and play gentle music. And then the baby is sick and the doctors are coming. And then she has to go to the hospital and then she will get all better. And then there is a big party and a tea party and cookies. Would you like some pizza, please? And we go on an airplane! The End

Yes, this artwork was tremendous fun!

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(A daily share by a preschooler, in their own words)

A Story Collage by Hugh

     The little boy starts with the tiger. And the tiger was fighting the little boy and then the boy grabs the tiger’s tail. The boy dives into the diving board and then he accidently falls into the water with the tiger and then the tiger ate him all up. Actually, he didn’t get eaten up, he escaped! And then the tiger chased him up and he got out of the lion exhibit and the boy climbs up a tree. The tigers don’t get him. The End