Welcome to Mind Move Make: Session III!
I started the first class of Mind Move Make's third session by sharing our new Central Idea:
We live in an interconnected world
Then I read Elin Kelsey's mind blowing, magnificent book: You Are Stardust. Here is a description of it from the app that goes with the book:
From the water they drink to the trees
they climb, kids are connected to the natural world in big and surprising ways. With simple, poetic text and exquisite artwork, You Are Stardust does more than introduce kids to these connections. It sparks their imagination. It starts conversations, and it delights all ages.
The book is filled with interesting scientific facts that connect humans to the natural world around us and within us! As an artist and an art educator, the illustrations by Soyeon Kim combined with the poetic text truly make me swoon with excitement! I hope the Mind Move Make students felt the same way.
After discussing the book, we morphed into relaxation time. The students found a comfortable position on their yoga mats and followed the path of their breath while listening to the sound of the singing bowl. Many times I have told my students that I would have LOVED the chance to relax for a few minutes after a busy day. Such a great opportunity to clear the mind after it has been used to its capacity during a long school day.
During the movement part of our class the students played Yogi Says. The last few students who didn't get the chance to become the Yogi (the same role as Simon in Simon Says) got their chance in the spotlight. Once again I was impressed by the way the students instructed the rest of us in finding the poses. One child decided to lead us in Surya Namaskar A which is a complex series of movements. She did a fantastic job!
Then it was art time! I explained to the students that we would be creating a diorama in a similar style as Soyeon Kim, with multiple layers incorporated into one piece of artwork. We are starting this artwork using thick, high-quality watercolor paper. We will use cardboard to build up the various layers so that they are more three-dimensional. The visual art concepts of foreground, middle ground, and background will be used to create this piece. Many different types of media will be incorporated into the final artwork. One of my "requirements" is that each student incorporate him or herself into the artwork. It will be fun to see the completed pieces! Here are the beginnings of several of the artist's works:
