Students in the Write

Second grade artists combined African textile designs with a traditional African folktale, “The Hatseller and the Monkeys.” The border around the illustration was created by combining Kente textile designs from West Africa with our own carefully designed patterns. The paintings on the inside of the project were created after we read the African folktale, “The Hatseller and the Monkeys.” When we created these illustrations, we experimented with a new technique using the idea of batik (a method of dyeing textiles). Drawings were traced on top of a special wax paper leaving a secret wax version of our drawings on the bottom sheet of paper. Then we painted with watercolors. The wax kept the paper white where we traced. We used mixed media—pastels and markers—to finish decorating the details on our pictures.

Examples of this art work will be on display at the Warner Library from March 2nd until the end of April. Students and faculty are looking forward to our visit from the Ishangi Family Dancers and their presentation, “A Journey to Africa,” on March 15th. This performance will be a wonderful culmination to our study of African Art. The art and culture of West Africa will come alive for students as they enjoy the Ishangi family’s program that is rich in stories, dance and music.

Click here to visit our gallery.

Every January, after studying masks from around the world, third grade students each cast, design and decorate three-dimensional masks. In our American culture, we use masks at Halloween. Special protective masks are worn by athletes, doctors and soldiers. In other parts of the world, masks are used for many different reasons. In anticipation of an upcoming visit from the Ishangi Family Dancers from West Africa, students paid particular attention to the mask-making tradition of Africa.

Click here to visit our gallery.

Mrs. Chulla’s class has been very busy learning about attributes in science. They read the book “The Important Book” by Margaret Wise Brown as part of a science lesson on attribute words. The students brainstormed important things about themselves, and then decided which was the most important. Later, each child wrote poems about their attributes following the pattern from “The Important Book.” Today, we are bringing those poems to you. So please, relax, listen, and enjoy!

To hear our first grade students explain their important attributes, click here.