Learning about Dance

For co-op this week, my friend Melanie helped me (long-distance) in creating a lesson plan to teach the kids more about dance and movement.  Melanie has taught grade-school kids in a program for the Lincoln Center in NYC, not to mention the fact that she is a choreographer and professor in the dance program at University of Buffalo, so I knew she'd be the perfect person to give me some ideas!  And she was.

So here's what the kids ended up doing...

First they explored all different ways a certain action word could be demonstrated with their bodies... like BEND

or SWAY.

Then, in the style of famous choreographer Merce Cunningham, the kids all put together random motions built on action words (verbs) paired with quality words (adjectives or adverbs), and repetition.  The results were fun to watch! 

In teams of boys/girls, they also acted out specific scenes for the other team to guess.  Here are the girls doing "sunrise and sunset:"

(The boys guessed this right away!)

Finally, we watched a couple of professional dance pieces, to discuss, compare and contrast the styles and messages.  First up was one called "Beach Birds" by Merce Cunningham.

When the kids were able to get past their issues with the "costumes" the dancers were wearing, they were able to see how some of the random movements did actually look like birds on a beach.

Then we watched this video online of Melanie herself performing! 

Afterwards, we were able to discuss the very clear and profound message that this dance portrays.  "Those who hear not the music, think the dancer mad."  And the kids were really able to SEE this and understand it.  I thought that was pretty cool.  (I highly recommend this video/dance.... it's really good!)

What fascinating ways God has created our bodies and our minds, and our desires and abilities to communicate with one another.  We had a fun morning exploring the creative ways we could express concepts and ideas -- in ways we normally don't.

Project FAIL

If I were to make a list of the Top 10 Disadvantages to Homeschooling,  papier-mâché would probably make the top of the list.

I think it's become accepted that all American children have the inalienable right to make a papier-mâché project at some point in their childhood, and since my kids do not have access to the well-stocked art room manned by the unflagging, ever-creative art teacher, the task of providing the experience falls to me.  So.... since it was suggested in our Learning Calendar for this month that we do one of these projects, I gamely complied.

And, man was it messy!

 We got the flour-water mixture everywhere!  What a pain it was to clean off of all the surfaces.  Pete came home in the middle of the disorderly process, and before he even had time to sigh in exasperation, I assured him, "Don't worry -- we are never doing this again!"

(Later, after he had spent a considerable amount of time scrubbing out the pot we had used, he reminded me of my promise.)

The kids had fun... why wouldn't they?  And by the time we had finished with the first stage, I was able to eke out a smile of my own -- since the hard part was now over, I figured...

Then, a couple of days later, we excitedly popped the balloon that was the basis of our structure, and the kids ooh-ed and ahh-ed at how the shape still stayed formed.  We had decided to make it into a hot air balloon, so after a lot of contemplation and negotiations about design (stripes?  solid color?  horizontal or vertical orientation?) and color (red-and-yellow?  blue-and-yellow?  red-and-blue?), they finally arrived at a conclusion:  just put a bunch of paint on it.

(Extreme mess #2)

At this point, I am assuming all the expert papier-mâché-ers would gasp in alarm because, as we soon discovered, we had followed the steps in an incorrect order.  Apparently we should have painted before we popped the balloon!  Once the shape became all wet again with the paint, this is what happened:

So, our big hot air balloon never even got off the ground before its pathetic demise.

The moral of the story, then, is to paint the structure before you pop the balloon.

Or, actually, I think the real moral of the story is don't ever do a papier-mâché project at home.  At least at our home.  I wish the public schools would just let my kids come for art class!

Inspiration for teaching

"I dispense the honey of the Holy Scriptures,
the old wine of the classics,
the fruit of grammar,
and the dazzling splendor of the stars."
    -- Alcuin (an English monk who created a palace school, under the reign of Charlemagne)

Teaching sure sounds magnificent the way he puts it!  Much better than "I'm reading verses, making my kids read books, drilling grammar rules and math facts, and going through a science textbook."

 I need this fresh inspiration right around this time of year!  Thankful to be homeschooing today...

Homeschooling at its best

I walked into this scene yesterday.

Colsen was teaching himself some Oceanography, and Milo was reading some History.  (He's so smart he can read upside-down)

I love when they have their own little school while I'm busy teaching their older siblings!  Of course this has only happened once in awhile... most of the time they're busy destroying something.

If you've never...

... colored on paper with crayons on a hot baking tray, you're missing out!

The kids (and I, especially!) had a fun time doing this over our Christmas break.  I had heard about it on another person's web site (can't remember who now), and decided to give it a try.   I highly recommend this activity.

Just heat up the baking sheets in the oven (about 200 degrees or so), then take them out and give the color-ers an oven mitt so they don't burn themselves.  The crayons melt right on the paper so they glide much more smoothly than normal.  I love how bright the colors get!

Powerful book

Strider and I just recently finished reading Twice Freed by Patricia St. John -- and it's now one of my all-time favorites!  It's historical fiction, centering on Onesimus, the runaway slave mentioned in the Bible in the book of Philemon.  This sounds like it would be rather dry, and I did not have high expectations for it, to be honest, but once we got to oh, about the second page, both Strider and I were definitely sucked in!  The author's characterization of Onesimus was so realistic -- he wasn't the easily-redeemed, mamby-pamby wimp that is the typical protagonist in "Christian fiction."

 The historical and geographical aspects were fascinating to read about, as the story traveled throughout the countryside of the Roman empire, and ultimately even to Rome itself (which was not portrayed in a romantic way at all).  After studying the Roman Empire for the last couple of months, we found this to be a nice "living" way to see further aspects of this time period.  And, of course, running into the people from the Bible, such as John Mark, Priscilla and Aquila, Demas, and especially Archippus, added a whole other depth of interest.

As soon as we got to the last page, both Strider and I wanted to look up the rest of Patricia St. John's writings -- we already reserved a few at the library!

Meanwhile, the younger set here has been enjoying this book:

While not "powerful" in quite the same way as Twice Freed, it's been an enjoyable read nontheless.  And definitely more intense than the average children's book.  I love how my kids get quiet with anticipation as we read it!

Reading books such as these on the couch with the kids = one of the best parts of homeschooling for me!

Video illustrating Sir Ken Robinson talk

My Friend Alleyn pointed out this video -- I love it!
The content/topic is very thought-provoking (as is Robinson's book, The Element, which I highly recommend), and the animate technique (animation technique?) is great fun to watch.  Mesmerizing, even.  I'm in awe of people who can think  -- and draw-- in this way!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U