A recent Classroom Newsletter from one of our Junior Kindergarten classes.
This past Thursday, JK-West found out that our school would be expecting a visitor. An artist (writer/illustrator) and friend of our school, Elisha Cooper, would be coming to paint a mural in our multi-purpose room. Most kids know that it’s the room next to our school entrance. Some kids have had enrichment classes or projects during summer camp in this room. And for those who don’t know, we’d all be going to see the room soon. Before heading all the way down to our gym, we stopped off in the multi-purpose room to see it before the artist came to do his work. Here, kids and teachers had the chance to see the room, notice the plain blue and white walls and some of the prep that had begun to take place (step ladders, art supplies). We then had a quick glance at a photo. The artist had sent school an “idea” of what the mural may look like when it’s finished. Kids noticed certain parts of the room in the photo and shared other comments before we made our way out.
After gym and snack time, kids had the chance to glance at several of Elisha’s books and recall parts of one book we had already read as a group, A Good Night Walk. Kids were interested and curious, questioning, When did he paint all of these pictures? How did he do ALL of that?! Then, Melissa and Zoe from the office entered our room with a guest. The artist had come to join us at group time! Elisha pulled out supplies from his backpack and began to share his plan. He’d use some paintbrushes, but first, a pencil. He showed us the photo of his idea again, and explained his “concept” of using a tree, cubs and bears.
Even though he has all of these ideas, he mentioned that it might not turn out just like this. When kids began to question, Elisha said that sometimes new ideas, or mistakes happen while he’s working. Mistakes? What?! Kids were certainly curious about this and several commented, You can make a mistake? or Oh, well I never make mistakes (hehe). Elisha said that yes, he does make mistakes. What does Elisha do when he makes mistakes? Sometimes, I get frustrated and tear up the paper and try again. Sometimes, I look at it and decide to “incorporate” the change into my work. It gives me a different idea, and I use it! One JK kid playfully commented, Don’t tear down our whole wall! Oh, how we chuckled at that! Someone else repeated it, and Elisha reassured us he would not.
From there, Elisha showed us another technique he utilizes when feeling disappointed or frustrated. Circles. Elisha tries to remember the shape of circles when it’s feeling difficult to remember how to draw things. So many things can be made with circles, watch. Using our classroom dry erase board, Elisha then demonstrated how to make several animals using different sizes and shapes of circles. Some are small and round, some “pressed” together (oval-like shapes), some are like the letter C. Elisha then showed us some of the ways he draws faces and people, and we surely had quite a few moments of laughter!
Teachers then mentioned that Elisha knows a story about a beaver, a story we would be reading at story time that day! Elisha, will you please show us how you like to make that character, Beaver? Kids excitedly waited as Elisha began to draw, Oh yes! Beavers are actually one of my favorite animals to draw because their round shape is made up of so many circles.
As Elisha finished up his drawing, kids looked on and began to ask other questions such as When will we get to help you paint? I want to help..raise your hand if you want to help him paint. What a lovely offer, but Elisha let us know that he’d be using his pencil to draw and sketch the mural on the wall and the painting would happen on Friday (a JK red dot day). We will see it on a next school day. Our guest said he was off to start his planning in the multi-purpose room. JK said goodbye, and headed off to our own work at play time. Some kids, inspired by our group time Q and A, painted or immediately took to the concept of utilizing circles in their drawings. Wow!
At story time, we then looked at Elisha’s book Beaver is Lost. This book depicts Beaver’s adventure of finding their way back home through beautiful watercolor images. Kids noticed clues, That’s downtown! The skyscrapers, the zoo! (Oh, right. Elisha did say he used to live in Chicago, didn’t he?!) Finally, Beaver makes it “HOME.” For table time, kids were then invited to think about where Beaver may go next. Teachers reminded kids how Elisha used circles to create Beaver. Kids had a few options. On the table, there was a copy of Elisha’s group time drawing of Beaver. Kids could look on and draw their own version of Beaver. Or, there was a paper including a miniature version of that drawing, or a miniature copy of the watercolor painting version of Beaver from the story. Kids came up with such amazing ways to incorporate one or all of these into their work that afternoon.
Have you heard any bits of this news at home? Or perhaps seen any drawings full of circles these past few days? Inspired to do some doodling yourself? We hope so, and hope you can take a peek at the mural soon. What a beautiful new addition to our Park West building and community!
Happy doodling!
Jenna, Anita, Sarah