We tried a new location kind of midway between 2 towns that have many participating families. The building was adorable - an old restored school house - but wasn't big enough to meet all of our needs. PE was able to meet outside for this gathering, so it suited us okay for this month, but we're seeking other avenues for the future. :) What a blessing to need a bigger space!
Ready to go! We were on time!
We divided the children into 3 ages groups. PK-1st, 2nd-4th, and 5th-8th. Both younger sections had around a dozen children, and the oldest group had 4-5! The youngest 2 groups did a 3 class rotation that were 45 minutes long each...music (taught by a homeschool graduate), art (planned by me), and PE (led by a husband/wife team who were troopers - it was steamy outside!). At the end, all of the groups got together for 15 minutes of sign language introduction.
When I plan art, I try to plan something that involves and allows for the following:
- paint, because I don't get it out enough at home and kids love it
- light instructions
- introduction of a new medium or technique
- self-expression
It's funny that I kind of love planning art, because I'm not an artist. When it comes to actually teaching art techniques, that's better left to other friends with more experience and expertise. I do love to make a good mess, though, and have fun with kids. I also try to plan more than I think is necessary because young children move fast!
For the PK-1st grade group, I did finger dot paint hot air balloons, and straw blown fall leaf trees. For 2nd-4th grade I planned pumpkin texture rubbing and had intended to do painter's tape splatter paintings BUT so many of them loved the other groups hot air balloons when they were drying that I let them vote and balloons won out so we did it instead.
PK-1st were to draw a hot air balloon or have help from an adult, and then use a variety of paint colors and one finger to fill the balloon with beautiful colors. It was so sweet to watch them work. Some made lines of colors - a red line, a blue line, etc., some worked slowly, some worked quickly, some wore a lot of paint, some were very careful.
I really like for art to involve choices and self expression. One little girl was totally unable to stick her finger in the paint. That's ok, dolly, here's a paint brush!
The next project involved drawing a tree with branches and blowing globs of fall colored paint with a straw to make the leaves.
I started the 2nd-4th grade off with pumpkin rubbing. I had each child draw a large pumpkin on their paper and then showed them how to take 'naked' broken crayons to different surfaces around the building to experience different textures. After they were done with that, I let them move on to hot air balloons.
We chose a favorite of each child's art for the day to display on the refrigerator...
Xavier used his texture lesson to add a sky background to his hot air balloon picture.
Since I was busy teaching art, I didn't get a lot of other pictures. I snagged a couple of the group sign language lesson.
It was bittersweet that Zayden was a big boy and pretty well participated in the other 2 classes even without me along. He went out to PE like a big boy, although when the teacher gave him an instruction he did tell her "I'm only 2." LOL. He did follow through, though, with a little prompting!
We stayed for a carry-in picnic lunch so we could visit with our friends before heading home! It was a really great morning!
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