HIGHLIGHTS the Lower Campus @
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016
Art for the Birds! Across the ages, birds have made their way into Art room activities. From nest building, to collages to feather prints to junk sculptures, its kind of a thing around here! We are bringing the phrase “Put a bird on it� (or in it) to new levels this fall...
Far left: Students help each other operate a printing press with inked feathers. Left: Students carefully examine attributes of real nests in preparation for handmade nest forms made from paper pulp, mud, grass, twigs and yarn (above).
On the Move with Migration The Purple Gallinules took a line on a migratory journey, otherwise known as continuous line drawings which then evolved into continuous contour drawings of faces and objects around the room. Monarchs! Each class designed a large class monarch and smaller life size versions and we sent them via mail to a sanctuary in Mexico for a parallel journey to live migrating monarchs.
Student collage inspired by the graphic style and work of artist Charley Harper
What is a sculpture? (PreK & K students learn by building together)
Students have been exploring the concept of sculpture through various avenues from abstract to representational forms. After exploring building with various media, the PreK & K students created group bird sculptures from recyclable materials, paper mache, paint and feathers. Left: PreK students observe all angles of their group sculpture of metal parts
Above: Students sort through recyclables in search of bird forms. Top right: Halloween costume inspired by the birds! Right: Perusing bird books for inspiration and references. Below: Students on a thematic field trip!
Observing & Making Art. Exploring Nature. @
El dĂa de los muertos- The week of Halloween and thereafter, we took time to learn about a cultural tradition and to honor those loved and lost by decorating skulls and adding them to our classroom ofrenda.
The Museum of American Bird Art- Canton MA
Above: Students creating a musical/artistic composition while listening to Carnival of the Animals, painting to rhythms with feathers, string, cotton swabs, brushes and hands.
M U S I C A L MUSINGS October was a fun month in the Music Department! The whole lower campus did a great Halloween song and put actions to it . This was especially fun when the students were in their fantastic costumes! The Snowy Owls and Hummingbirds have been continuing to work on matching pitch and rhythm, as well as learning more action songs such as 'I'm a little Teapot' with extra verses,  'Do your Ears Hang Low', and 'The Grand Old Duke of York'. Meanwhile, the Albatrosses, Mountain Bluebirds and Purple Gallinules have been working on a song called 'Bananas in Pajamas' in which they act out the lyrics, coming down the stairs in pairs on the musical staff of the music room. They also clapped out the repeated 'ostinato' rhythmic pattern, and did an octave jump. Lots of fun whilst learning about notation! I also taught them the structure of the 12 bar blues as we made up our own blues. The Purple Gallinules have also widened their knowledge of reading music and signs with an exercise in understanding sharps, flats naturals and time signatures. At the Soup and Cider event, we enjoyed singing “Yellow Submarineâ€? with many of the students from the Sparhawk Choir! To start the festive season off before the Thanksgiving break, we sang a lovely rendition of 'Over the River and Faraway' back at school. đ&#x;Žź We have also started writing a song together about migration, using information that the children have been learning. Stay tuned for further development on that. Winter Concert Coming in January!!