My Square Mile Grant/ Lesson Five: Building!
Recently our class was awarded a $400 grant from the Temecula Valley Foundation for Excellence in Education, which was used to purchase loads of building kits, books, and more for our classroom. This year we have had a huge emphasis on architecture and it is so exciting to meld the study of our surroundings with the science and art of building. Thank you to TVFEE for allowing us this awesome privilege! :)
Lesson Four - Our Houses, Our Homes
November is the perfect month to discuss the theme of "Our Houses- Our Homes." Each child interpreted what "home" meant to him, and represented it with a multitude of materials. The results were exceptional! :)
Future Architects Read On...
Iggy Peck is my kind of student! He is incredibly masterful at building all kinds of things. Unfortunately his teacher does not appreciate his talents ... until he builds the bridge that saves the class.. and his teacher! Fabulous book for my budding architects!
My Square Mile Project
This year I am piloting a project called "My Square Mile" that began with the schoolchildren of Wales, United Kingdom. It is a project designed to help children become more aware of their surroundings - i.e. the square mile that surrounds their neighborhood and school. It also helps children study their local architecture, history, and sustainability issues of their community. We began with an artist-in-residence, Mrs. Reshma Solbach, who led our study of art and elemental design. We will continue on now with an architectural perspective with an in-class visit from a local architect, as well as a focus on building our own structures.
This year we will also go on monthly walking trips and will study all facets of our local area. After sketching outdoors in sketch books, we will come back to the classroom and process what we observed by doing follow-up projects based on our original skteches.
A special thank-you to Carol-Anne Davies, Director of Design Commission for Wales, for your unending support from thousands of miles away! Thank you also to BBC News and to BBC Radio Wales for making public our efforts to bring The Square Mile project to every mile in America :)
Square Mile Lessons
Lesson One - working more detail oriented. Sketches of animals and follow-up paintings using watercolors.
Lesson Two - study and sketch of Paloma Elementary School. Follow-up with pigments.
Lesson Three - Walking field trip to sketch Linfield House. Follow-up with charcoal sticks from India!
Lesson Four - Our Houses, Our Homes - Interpretations of what "our home" means to us using a multitude of materials..
This year we will also go on monthly walking trips and will study all facets of our local area. After sketching outdoors in sketch books, we will come back to the classroom and process what we observed by doing follow-up projects based on our original skteches.
A special thank-you to Carol-Anne Davies, Director of Design Commission for Wales, for your unending support from thousands of miles away! Thank you also to BBC News and to BBC Radio Wales for making public our efforts to bring The Square Mile project to every mile in America :)
Square Mile Lessons
Lesson One - working more detail oriented. Sketches of animals and follow-up paintings using watercolors.
Lesson Two - study and sketch of Paloma Elementary School. Follow-up with pigments.
Lesson Three - Walking field trip to sketch Linfield House. Follow-up with charcoal sticks from India!
Lesson Four - Our Houses, Our Homes - Interpretations of what "our home" means to us using a multitude of materials..