The Honeybees have been singing, dancing, painting, spinning, and hunting for rainbows as we create our way through our art unit. I hope you’ve been following along on instagram as we learn about the rainbow, primary colors, and some famous artists. The children are excited to have their art show and give their families a tour of some of the things we are creating. We are focusing on the language of art and the process of making. We have been asking questions such as what is an artist? What is a maker? We are doing lots of collaborative pieces for the show. Did your child tell you about the Bowerbird? It is an Australian bird who collects beautiful things to arrange around it’s nest. We are going to be Bowerbirds when we return to school after Thanksgiving. I’ll send you a Remind to have your child bring in something to add to the Bowerbird Art Piece.
This week we’ve made some art work in the style of Eric Carle and we had a chance to feel what it is like to use a pottery wheel. Starting and stopping with the foot pedal was very exciting. We read a book about Alexander Calder this week and learned about mobiles and stabiles. We are making a mobile inspired by Calder’s tiny wire circus that he kept in five suitcases.
We are committed to following the Artemis Project in the Honeybee class, and I’m encouraging the other teachers to share the Orion launch with their children. Why is the project called Artemis? Artemis was Apollo’s sister. The Honeybees know that this project is going to send the first girl to the moon. Of course, they can’t even believe that hasn’t even happened yet. I think we had a few volunteers. I showed them portions of this video from NASA, and we’ll watch parts of it again after our break. Our daily charting of the moon might help them connect with this project. At recess today they found the “day moon.”
The Honeybees have been very playful and loving with each other as we really have become that class family we have talked about.
The transition to colder weather has been a little hard for all of us after such a long glorious fall. Please remember to send good gear for your kids. You know that adage about no bad weather? We really have to have mittens and a hat when it is in the thirties. I have a few spares, but kids are happier with their own. We will always go outside except in soaking rain. Just getting out for a quick hike makes such a difference.
I hope you have a wonderful break and a Happy Thanksgiving. We’ll see you in a week, and we’ll be learning about Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, and Picasso.
Sally
