Highlights From My Week...

I had a good week!  Ahhh... That feels so nice to say!  I mean, I truly, truly love my job.  I feel blessed every week to be able to do what I LOVE as my profession....but let's be honest...Not every week is a "good week."   But this week... I had a lot of just plain "fun!"   (And it was even "Assessment Week" believe it or not!?!)   Let me share some of the highlights from my week with you....

#1)   Artist of the Month

If you have followed my blog for a while, you already know that every month my class participates in a special art enrichment program that I call "Artist of the Month."   It's a program that I developed myself, with the help of one of my friends, to provide my students with the opportunity to learn about master artists.  Ya' see... I LOVE art.  Not that I'm an expert myself... I'm just a skilled "doodler" by nature...but I do truly have a deep appreciation for art!  And...  I wanted to share that with my kinders!  So... with a "love" in my heart, and an idea in my head, I "recruited" one of my BFFs to help me make my dream come alive!  Well... over the course of a year and a half, the program has continued to grow and improve... and my BFF... well that wonderful gal has literally taken on the entire project and made it IN.CRED.IBLE!  So now, every month she magically just shows up in my room with an AWESOME multi-media presentation on a different "master" artist.  She often dresses up in costumes (or recruits other school parents to "suit up") to spark the kiddos curiosity, and then presents a background on the artist, a show of his/her artwork, discussion of the artist's style/mediums, and then walks us through a step by step re-creation of one of the artist's most famous works.  The kids LOVE it!  It's amazing.  They beg for "Artist of the Month" day!   This month we learned about Edgar Degas.  Check out a few pics from our "Artist of the Month" day....

 

Mrs. Koenig (best friend...turned instructional assistant...and art specialist) and our guest ballerina model.

Isn't she beautiful?  So blessed to have a talented ballerina at our school who is willing to come in and model for us!  She taught us a few ballet positions too! The kids were amazed to see how she could stand "on point!"    (Wish I could do that!) I was too mesmerized to remember to take a picture of that!

 

First we learned to sketch in pencil.  Then we outlined using Sharpies.  (Do you know how many kiddos said, "My mom says I'm not allowed to use permanent markers!"  LOL)

 

 Next we used chalk pastels to color onto scrap paper...then used tissues to transfer the chalk onto our drawings.

Almost done!

 

Shucks! I forgot to snap a pic of our completed projects in our classroom "Kinder-Gallery!"  (I'll get one tomorrow and add it!  Check back!)

 

#2) Fun-Friday Theme: Walking with Jesus... Palm Sunday

First of all, let me remind ya' all I work in a private Christian school.  (BLESSED!)  Ok... now another note for ya, in case you are not familiar with my weekly schedule, I have a incredibly rigorous (yet VERY hands-on and differentiated) Monday - Thursday schedule.  (Do you know about our LEAP program?   More on that in another post!) So I deem my Fridays "Fun-Fridays."  Now don't let the name fool 'ya...they aren't just fun and games.   Ok.... they are a LOT of fun and games....but all of the fun and games practice curricular skills and standards!  Not to mention when you just call the day "Fun Friday" all the kids just inherently believe it is FUN....even if you are working them hard!  Gotta love 5 and 6 year olds!  Each week I select a special children's book or learning theme to focus on and we do ALL of our activities (cooking, science, social studies, math, computer lab...you name it!) around that theme.   Well... I had today's activities all planned out. It was supposed to be "Community Helper Day".... but at about 7pm last night... I changed my mind!  (Do you ever do that...or am I the only CrAzY one?!)  I was thinking about how our spring break begins next Thursday and how the timing of that really limits what I am able to do in regard to "teaching" about Easter.  So... I decided to totally re-plan the day to "teach" my lil' darlings more about Jesus' journey to the cross....specifically about Palm Sunday.   I won't go into every detail, as I know that many of you teach in public schools and can not teach these things (I taught in a public school for the first 10 years of my career), but I will share some highlights....

Easter Art Project

The kiddos painted the background with bright watercolors, then cut out the black silhouette hill and crosses.  BEAUTIFUL!

We watched this very age-appropriate Easter video on YouTube.  (This video is very child friendly/developmentally appropriate in regard to Jesus' death on the cross.)

This was our "highlight" of the day.  We re-enacted Jesus' journey into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. 

Here we are at the beginning of our journey into Jerusalem! 

When I look at this picture, the first thing I think is, "Nice donkey." LOL.

The second thing I think is, "Seriously, Holly?  Why did you think you could pull off bright blue Rockstar jeans?  Hee!)  

The third thing I think is... Thanks Mrs. Kidd!  You rock as Jesus!  Nice beard!

Thank you to my teaching-buddy, Mrs. Kidd, for playing the part of Jesus in our skit.   (That woman will do anything if you give her a costume! LOL!)

Here we are waving our "palms" as Jesus

enters the city.

Our 6th grade "buddies" helped us out by playing the parts of the Pharisees and other Jerusalem townspeople. 

 

"Jesus"  is getting ready to turn over the tables in the temple where people

are selling and cheating others out of money.   It was quite dramatic!  The kiddos will definitely

remember THAT part of the lesson!

 
 

Well... considering it was VERY last-minute... the skit went incredibly well.   When the kids go to church on Sunday.... they will totally understand what "Palm Sunday" is all about! If you are interested in having the script for the skit, just comment below.  I will send it to ya!  

 

What were your highlights

from this week?