"All Around the Sites Newsletter" for May 2000.

ArtExpress

All Around the Sites

Volume 4

Issue 9

May 2000

Classroom Activities

Cheryl Pilcher (Lafayette Center Pre-K, Jacksonville, IL) says something they have really enjoyed recently is sparkle dough paint. (Mix equal parts water, flour, and salt; then add colored tempera paint.) Put this mixture into squeeze bottles (they used ketchup picnic bottles-69 cents for two!). Cut the stem big enough so the mixture will come out when squeezed. Cheryl says the children and the teachers did lots of experimenting. Cheryl cut pieces of tag board for the children to work on; but says construction paper works too. Try different background colors. The children loved spreading paint around with special paint tools, but forks would also work, or maybe cardboard scrapers or combs. It's really science exploration and art together and the finished product really sparkles when it dries!

Susan Docherty (MacArthur ECE Program, Macomb, IL) and the children in her classroom took their fairy tale dramas "on the road." They walked to the Macomb Public Library for National Library Week (April 12th) and performed their version of The Three Little Pigs (scenery, costumes and all!) for other Preschool classrooms and spectators. The National Public Library's theme this year was "Pigs" so it was appropriate! After the performance the children stood in a row and sang along with the Greg & Steve "jazzy" version called The Three Little Pig Blues. When the song ended, the children ran off rubbing their bottoms from the "boiling water!" Susan said, "The children all remembered their lines and did a great job!"

Shannon Kellogg (Northwestern ECE Program, Good Hope, IL) E-mailed to say that the children in her class have been working on a bulletin board in their room to go along with their gardening/flower unit. The children started by cutting out black seed shaped paper and designing their own seed. First they painted the design on a table top using dish wands, brillo pads, brushes, and fingers. When they saw something they wanted to keep, they did an impression using their seed shaped paper. Shannon also showed the children how they could make dots or stripes through the paper using tools too. A few days later when the "seed" prints were dry, Shannon attached them to brown paper and gave each child a straw and some thin white paint--you guessed it, the children blew the paint around with the straw to create the "roots" for their flowers. About a week later, they made pale green tissue paper "sprouts." Finally it was time for the flowers to arrive so the children could answer the question of "How does our garden grow?" Each child made at least two hand prints with their choice of pastel colored paint on green construction paper. They then used a special scissor (really sharp) to cut stems and leaves into the green paper. Now they have a beautiful flower garden in their classroom room and it grows "Handsomely." Everyone comments on how pretty it is.

An "Eggxemplary Egg Painting Eggstravaganza" took place in Ms. Shannon and Mrs. Ronda's classrooms Monday night, children, siblings and parents turned out for a wonderful evening of egg-painting and fun. Traditional egg dye was out to paint the eggs as well as a great variety of materials including lace, flowers, glitter, "jiggle eyes ," markers, crayons, ribbon and pipe-cleaners. "Eggcellent" eggs were made into race cars, whales, bumble bees and frogs as well as a fine collection of flower eggs and beautifully painted traditional eggs. Family members, teachers and children had an equally good time.

A Vehicle Project

Classroom Activities

Sue Craig's (Avon ECE Program, Avon, IL) class has been has been studying vehicles. They drew pictures of semis, two wheeled vehicles, and tractors.

The children toured the local Neff Company and the local Semi Trucking Company. After the tours the children made changes to their previous drawings of the semis and tractors to reflect their new knowledge.

A refrigerator box was brought to the classroom for the children to create their own vehicle. A parent, who happens to be a truck driver donated an old steering wheel and the children added it to the box vehicle. They painted the box with large paint brushes using lots of red, blue, brown, and black paint. The children decided it was going to be a dump truck. They taped on lights and wheels and used an old paper wrapping tube as an exhaust.

The children participated in other vehicle activities as well.They made vehicle collages using cut out photos. Children ran match box cars through different colors of paint and painted trails on white paper. They also used white paint rolled their cars on black paper.

Old tires were brought into the classroom and used to extend the children's curiosity. They used a magnifying glass to look at the tread of the tires. The children were given paper and crayons to do rubbings on the tires to see the different tread patterns.The large tires were rolled in paint and across large long paper to compare the tread design.

The children made license plate rubbings. They also made their own driver's license. A photo was taken of each child and then attached to the license and they drew a sketch of themselves on their license. Children noted the colors in their own hair and eyes and each child was measured and weighed.

"Clean" mud was made in the sensory table and small toy cars, a semi, scoops, and small tree branches were added to create mud roads. Some children discussed how the mud feels and made mud snowmen or mud balls.

Children made a "stop and go" sign by cutting out green and red circles and gluing them onto popsicle sticks. The class then played the game "Red Light-Green Light."

A school bus book was written and illustrated by the children after having read Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?, by Eric Carle. The children were asked what they saw when riding the bus to school and they illustrated what they said. For example: "Felisha, Felisha, what do you see? I see Kory and Chad looking at me."

The culminating event for this project was "Vehicle Night" for the families. The large box vehicle was displayed proudly. An obstacle course was set up along with a vehicle course. There were mats and hoola hoops for rolling and jumping. A tire center was set up and families could paint a tire if they wished. Face painting was also available. Lots of fun as well as creativity made this project exciting for the children and their families.