Session One - 11/02/09

Close to 30 second, third and fourth graders showed up to the first day of ArtSpace at Moya, excited and ready to learn. Right from the start, everybody joined in a game of “Use or Be.” Mr. Ben demonstrated how to “use” a lawnmower by pulling a pretend rip-cord, revving an imaginary engine and cutting some make-believe grass. Soon the entire classroom was full of students driving or riding or pushing lawnmowers. Then Mr. Matthew demonstrated how to “be” a lawnmower and almost instantaneously the entire classroom was full of whirring lawnmower blades. After only a few minutes, the grass in that classroom was very short.

Next, the students began working on nametags. They chose paper and magic markers from a variety of colors and decorated their first and last names with favorite numbers, animals, plants and foods. The nametag project is ongoing, and Mr. Matthew and Mr. Ben will have their hands full learning the names of all of their students.

The main project of the day required a little bit of introduction: Mr. Matthew made a list on the board of storytelling elements such as “setting,” “characters,” “audience,” etc. Then the students broke into smaller groups of 4-6, chose a setting (such as “the sky” or “a castle), characters (such as “bird” or “clown”) and created a short play that they presented in front of the entire class. The dramatic presentations included “A Game of Tag,” “Thumb-war on a Volcano,” and “Fire-breathing Dragon Cooks Chicken in Mid-Air.” Each group was heartily applauded and took multiple bows.

Coming up next time: tales from Halloween.