We Have Been Busy

The Spring Art Exhibit is coming in May. Finally you will get a chance to see what our students have been working on. The exhibit will be open before the General Assembly Meeting. Mark you calendars.

Kinder and Grade 1 March 28-April 1, 2011

Sumi-e All of our Discovery School art classes have been practicing the art of Sumi-e painting. This unique Japanese art uses only four brush strokes to express all of the shapes and forms in the universe. It was built on the knowledge ancient Japanese scholars brought back from China. They developed an art form that reflects Japanese culture and philosophy. This art requires complete control of mind and brush. Because of this it is often used as a way for the artist to enter a peaceful, meditative or prayerful state. Our classes are practicing this art as a way of showing their respect and concern for the Japanese people. Works from each student will be put together in a scroll to be sent to the Japanese Embassy. This week Kindergarteners and Grade 1 students will learn the first brushstroke – Bamboo Leaf. They will learn the variations of the leaf and make bamboo stalks, lizards, butterflies and spiders. Parents are invited to observe and participate in this activity. Kinder A - March 30, ___ will meet in the art room next to the computer lab Kinder B - March 31, _____ will meet in Miss Vivian’s Preschool room. Grade 1 A Grade 1 B

Nursery PreK - March 28 - April 3, 2011

Last week we had fun using BIG brushes and buckets of water to make BIG lines and shapes on our sidewalks. Just for fun we used straws and bubble solution to make lots of “mini” bubbles. Don’t tell them it was really a way to study the shape of the sphere. They thought it was just for fun. Cars and Trucks – Seeing Shapes in Shapes. This week preschoolers will be creating a busy street scene. They will take squares and rectangles and turn them into trucks, buses and cars. They will learn and easy way to cut a circle to make all the wheels they will need. Then they will use markers to add details to the vehicles and draw a background behind them.

Grade One - March 7-11, 2011

Grade one students will add the finishing touches to their Vase-Face still life compositions. If there is time they will enjoy expressing themselves with some "free drawing".

Kindergarden - March 7-11, 2011

The art of time! Humans have always been trying to find ways to measure time, from hour glasses to Big Ben to Swatch Watches. After they look at a variety of time pieces they will create their own "grandfather clock", complete with moving hands and a mouse to run up and down when it "strikes" the hour.

Nursery PreK - March 7-11, 2011

Now that we have made a variety of "things that go" we will create an environment for them. What do we see at the side of the road? Using chalk and a very long piece of sidewalk students will draw the road and all the things they see when they look out of their car windows. Then they will have fun driving their "vehicles" along the road. Thanks to parents for all the great boxes they donated for this project.