Painted Paper Fish

I start this project by having each child make a "bubble painted" paper (technique is posted in painting techniques).  This time because of time constraints,  I prepared the painted paper but they could do that as well.
(To make the painted paper in a very quick and easy way I just paint the top of the construction paper with a large paint brush and tempera paint.  I paint pretty thick.  Then I press another piece of construction paper on top, rubbing it into the paint.  Lift it off and you have two painted papers!)

Step One:  I make fish tracers out of file folders.  Child picks out a tracer, traces the fish and cuts it out.  I also make fin tracers.

Step Two:  Add details with crayons.

Step Three:  Glue on fins.

Step Four:  Glue to the bubbly paper.  Add details to ocean.

Step Five:  This is the final detail - adding sequins and little beads. 

It's Bubbly Print Making!

This makes a great "ocean" (water) background for painted paper collages (make fishes out of painted paper).  It is super easy and  I do have some very helpful hints to make it a sure fire success.  I video taped the process of making a bubble print - for visual learners like myself (if I see it, I can do it!).   

What you will need:
liquid dish soap
paint
paper (heavy paper like cardstock or watercolor paper - Tip: construction paper does not work well)
plastic straws
a straight pin

Fill your basin with water.  Any size basin will work - it just needs to be bigger than the size of your paper.  Add a very healthy amount of dish soap.  Think of it this way - the soap bubbles carry the color pigment.  I probably add about a 1/4 cup or more (depending on the size of the basin).   Next add a healthy amount of paint.  I add about a cup of paint or better (keep adding paint if your prints are not showing the bubbles).  This is a very "intensely-soapy-pigmented" water!!!  But it works like magic!  (note - not all paints are equal in their vibrancy.  Play around with it to achieve the look you want.  I like to add a little cheap acrylic paint to my tempera to up its depth.)

There is no other way to mix the batch without putting your hand in the basin.  The pigment of the paint falls to the bottom and you really need to get your hand in there to stir it up into the bubbles.  You will see the bubbles change into a deeper color as you stir with your hand.   (Do this regularly as you print to keep it vibrant - I also use a paint brush to stir but you will need an occasional hand stir.)

Method:
Give the student a straw to blow bubbles into the water (tell them to "blow out").  Once there is a dense covering of bubbles, lay your paper on top of the bubbles.  Let the weight of the paper pop the bubbles.  Do not push the paper down!  This will dip it into the water and ruin the bubble prints.  Pull it out before it hits the water.

TIP:  Poke a hole in the straw to help keep students from sucking up the soapy water.

Watch the printing process:


Bubble Print Making from Fairy Dust Teaching on Vimeo.

New Diagnosis for My Daughter

This photo was taken the day of the new diagnosis a week ago.  

Dear Readers,
I wanted to give you the latest on my sweet daughter.  A week ago Wednesday the doctor did a MRI that came back with an alarming number of new lesions on her brain.  Immediately, the doctor called in a MS specialist and an Infectious Disease Specialist.  On Thursday, the Infectious Disease Specialist was talking to us about a fungus called cryptococcus neoformans that had shown up in blood samples he had taken.  He stopped all MS treatments (including the plasm exchange the MS Specialist had ordered) and began treating this fungus.  Because of Lizzie's rare manifestation of this fungus, he called the nation's leading specialist in cryptococcus neoformans to confirm we were treating it in the best possible method.  We are.

I wish I could report that this new course of action has restored her (it has been a week of the new med).   We have actually watched her continue to decline and it is very scary.  The medicines that treat this fungus is extremely toxic on the body and miserable to endure.   Today I saw a small glimpse of improvement.  As her mother, I grabbed on to that little morsel of improvement and held it tight to my chest.  Yes!  Tiny, tiny improvements are like huge lottery tickets.

What I have noticed in my own being is that life has a new leveling.  There is little that has significance when held against the well being of your own child.  Things that bothered me in the past no longer have power.  Those small petty annoyances disappear in the face of a loved one's health and well being.  My husband said to me that nothing at work stressed him out anymore.  He has found a new view of what matters.  

Tonight my youngest daughter, my husband and I all spent the evening rubbing and holding my Lizzie.  We prayed over her, caressed her face and cheered her on to battle the fungus.  She seemed to fall into a deep, deep sleep with such peace on her face.  She hasn't be able to eat or sleep very well lately.

Please keep her in your heart and prayers.  I have realized in this crisis that God's grace and mercy are often delivered through the hearts and hands of the people around us.  We are the instruments of God - it is so true.

I have continued to post on my blog - it is so dear to me.  I told Lizzie that when she walks again I will take her to Paris, France.  She has been 10 times.  Travel is one of her passions.  This promise has prodded me to get a few of my e-course ready for unveiling.   I will post information about my first e-course on June 2, Lizzie's birthday.  It is a four week course and very special.  The proceeds will be my toast for her future - to walk again in Paris, France.

I am so grateful for all the love and support.

Sally

Word Rings

I love Word Rings!  Each student is given a loose leaf ring for their very own words.  Every day they are given three index cards that I will write down any words of their choice.  These are words they want to have on a card.   Although I don't always do this - some years I have had the rule that they had to be able to read the words they have before they could get the next ones.  It depends on the time I have to dedicate to this.  :)

What I love about this process is that the students are taking ownership and these are the words that are meaningful to them.  It can even become a challenge to see how many words they "have."   Love it!  I let the children be in charge of asking for more words.  I like it to be totally "kid-driven" because if the process is to be meaningful - it will be from their desire for the cards.  And honestly, most of the children eventually want one of those word rings!

I keep a stack of index cards (5 x 7) and a single hole punch ready to go!

Kindergarten Art Show!

Every year, I like to end the school year with a special gathering for the families.  This year I decided to put together an art show to showcase our work.  Each student painted a self-portrait on a canvas.  We put out the tiki watercolors, the painted paper fish, a classbook of story plays, a few written pieces, their photo album, portfolio and a photo frame the students painted with a photo of the student.   It was such a joy to see the children share their work and the delight of the parents to have this opportunity to come to the classroom.

Painting the self portraits is really easy.  I purchased the canvas boards and paint at Michael's.  I selected the cheap acrylic paint in the bottles for 99 cents.  Do allot a few days.  It is really a four day process.

Day 1.   Have each student paint the background color.
Day 2.   I made a tracer of a head and shoulders.  (I noticed Michael's carries a cardstock head cut out that would work great for a tracer).   Each child traces the head on the canvas.  Then they paint it in with flesh color paint.  (These cheap paints have all the skin colors).
Day 3.   Paint hair, eyes, nose, and mouth
Day 4.   Paint shirt and background details.

So cute!!

Notice the yellow picture?  A student made this and added it herself to the show!  So cool to see the ownership!

End of the Year Kid Interview

I found this interview several years back and love capturing the children's responses.  Some of the things they say are priceless.  It makes a great glimpse into the way they were thinking at this age.  I put it in their class photo albums.

Examples of their responses:


What would be the best thing someone could give you?

• a magic door that leads to everything
• love
• a chocolate bunny
• a turtle

Who is the most important person in your life?  Why?

• Mom and Dad because they love me
• Jesus of course!
• the video game "Sonic"
• Grandma

All About Me in Kindergarten

Drawing Tiki Masks

It has been so crazy with my daughter in the hospital and trying to get things done at work.  I did not capture the completed tiki masks.  Just looking at their drawings - you can imagine - they were so cute. 
What you need:  white cardstock, sharpies, watercolors

 Step One:  Draw two circles for the eyes.

 Step Two:  Draw another circle around those circles.

 Step Three:  Draw a triangle with curved corners for the nose.

 Step Four:  Draw a mouth in the shape of a banana.  Draw a line in the middle.

 Step Five:  Draw a line across the top.  Make design like diagonal lines.

 Step Six:  Draw a line at the bottom and make a design.

 Step Seven:  Watercolor your mask!

Coloring Shells

This was a clever idea from my friend Sue Tarr.  She went to restaurants that sell oysters in a half shell and asked to have the leftover shells!  Free shells.  Then she drilled holes in them for hanging.  I thought this was such a great idea for a cheap craft project.   (Be sure to clean the shells well before using.)

 I provided an assortment of seashells for the children to color.

 The children used basic markers to color the shells.

The shells can be colored and enjoyed as is or you can hang them on a string or wire.

Ocean Block Play

This week the children reminded me of the incredible value of providing materials for block play.   With each change of theme - I like to put out new cloth and items related to our stories.  I put out blue fabric for water, green for earth and brown as well.  I had an assortment of sea creatures that I added.  

This is what one group of boys created earlier in the week.  It was such a wonderful cooperative play moment and they literally created a world with the materials.  

Adding materials to block play and keeping it fresh and related to the classroom conversations provides a whole new level of play experience.  I love to listen to their conversations as they "play" out what we have been learning.  It is pure gold.

Fish Glyph

This is such a cute glyph that Mrs. Goodroe did with her class.  Mrs. Goodroe has the best ideas!  I have posted her Fish Glyph that summarizes what each element represents.  The handprint fish are super easy to do. 

Fish Glyph