Stitching A Photo Montage Quilt

This little photo montage quilt was begun by my students and teachers of Bluffview Montessori School in the spring of 2010.  The classroom  E2A--Upper Elementary Classroom A with myself as the lead teacher and assistant teachers, Susan Krageschmidt and Jena McCullough teaching children in 4th grade through 6th grade.

 The picture on the right is the students with our dragon puppets that we made with In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre , HOBT who worked with the students for a one week residency.  The students designed and created cooperatively with the help of two HOBT artists, these large puppets and then preformed a story about the importance of water for the whole school.  It was very exciting!

Close up of two students giving a report.

Some of these students, I see around town.  Some are getting ready to graduate from High School in the spring.  What amazing students; what amazing times.  This little quilt measures 14" x 14.75".  The students helped with the stitching.  I completed the quilt today with the binding and the hanging device on the back to hang it on the wall.

At my current school, Ridgeway Community School, we had a most amazing residency with In the Heart of the Beast and created a play called Pete's Great Adventure.  Check out what happened!

Ofrendas--Celebrating Life

My art students in 4th and 5th Grades created an Ofrenda to celebrate a loved one—person or pet—who has passed away.  Ofrenda creating is part of a Mexican tradition called the Days of the Dead celebrated November 1-3.  During this happy celebration, Mexican people celebrate those who have passed away.  They celebrate with music, dancing and special foods.  They tell stories of their loved ones.   

The fourth and fifth grade students learned about the Days of the Dead and talked with their families about those who have lived before.  Many students do not know anyone who has died; they learned about great grandparents and the stories about them.  They began with collecting stories and mementos and then artfully put them in a small box.

Brooke's Ofrenda is celebrating her cat, Hazel.

 

Colin created his Ofrenda to celebrate his fish, Fluffy.  He is just beginning in this photo.

 Landon created his about his grandfather and added jewels to the top.

Elena working with clay.

Julia's Ofrenda is about Smilely Kylie.

Smiley Kylie

Kylie was very happy and always smiling.  My connection with  Kylie is that she was my second cousin.  She lived in a very calm spot in Winona.  I liked that she was always smiling through her not so in awe life.  Her best thing that she did through her whole life was smile and laugh. .  So this was Kylie's awesome life!

 Clarice talked to her Dad to get some more information about a beloved dog, Dixie.

"My dad said that she was one-in-a million.  We lived in a green house in the country when she was still alive.  She did not bite us, she was also very funny.   She ran behind the four wheeler.  We played together."

Some of the children had only one precious picture that they carefully brought to school and I scanned to allow them to use a copy on the ofrenda and return the original back to them for safe keeping.  Some of the students used clay to create some items.  Jocelyn's grandmother liked to sit in a purple chair and knit.

"My Grandma, Sarah was 73 when she died on 9/2013.  She died of a cancer. She died when I was camping with Macy.  I am connected to my Grandma because she was sort of the center of my family.  My Grandma lived with my Grandpa in Winona, Minnesota.  Their house is very old.  I like my Grandma because she was nice, creative, sweet.  My Grandma used to knit stuff for everyone in my family and baked food for everyone."  
by Jocelyn

An exhibit of all the Ofrendas is currently in the Ridgeway Community School Library through November 20th. The photographs only show a limited reflection of the work of the children.  Seeing them personally is worth a visit.

To see more artwork of the children of Ridgeway Community School, go to Artsonia.
 

Art Show at Dakota Area Community and STEM School

Cat in the Hat was happy to be part of the Dakota Area Community and STEM School Art Show that opened May 14th along with the Spring Concert.

Abstract Art created from the children's names created by the third, fourth, and fifth grade artists.

The children created giant guitars to celebrate the culture of Mexico.  The children learned songs in Spanish, Russian, Japanese, and Chinese to celebrate cultures all around the world.

 

 

The Pre-K through Kindergarten artists created organic leaf shapes and  they colored  the leaves light and dark hues.

Looking into the distance, paintings by the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students.

Creating contemporary design with straight lines and primary colors inspired by Piet Mondrian.

Chengdu, the panda was created with chalk by the 1st and 2nd grade artists.  This art project was inspired by the book,  Chengdu Would Not, Could Not, Fall Asleep by Barney Saltzberg.  Very fun book and drawings!

Pre-Kindergarten to Kindergarten spring birds drawn with oils pastels and then painted with cake temperas.  Such careful and beautiful art.

The Pre-Kinders and Kindergarteners painted this huge earth  collaboratively together.  They were so excited.  They called it, "The Real Earth."  The school was very bright and colorful for the last weeks of school with all the children's fine art. This was a fine school that closed at the end of the school year,  June 2015.

Last Day of School 2015 Ridgeway Community School Part I

The last day of school is filled with finish up, clean up, awards, lunch and play ball--the especially thrilling kickball game: 5th Graders verses the Teachers. (See Last Day of School 2015 RCS Part II)

 
Elise during wrap up time in Mrs. Anderson's room.

 Ms. Ashley giving out 100% Attendance Awards!

Students participate in accelerated reading at Ridgeway Community School.  After they read a book, they can  take a multiple choice quiz and gain points depending on the difficulty of the book.  The students above received a Bronze Metal.

Silver Metal Award Winners.

Gold Metal Award Winners.

Crowning achievements for two of our teachers.

A special gift for our friend, Nyah, whose family is moving.  A canvas painting of thumbprints from everyone in our school creating a growing tree.  The leaves of the tree are Grades 2-5 students.  The trunk and roots are the Kinders and 1st Grade students. Three 5th Grade students added rootedness with their thumbs at the base of the tree.  All the fruits and flowers are the teachers favorite colors.  The red thumb prints are strawberries--one of Nyah's favorite fruits.

The canvas was provided by Mrs. Cindy Smith--a loving parent of one our 5th Grade student's, Nathaniel "Viggo" Smith.

Art Show at Ridgeway Community School 2015

Every year, Ridgeway Community School has an art show to showcase the work that the children in Kindergarten through Grade 5 have created over the year.  Art Show opened May 6 and continues through May 28th.  Art fills the halls, the library, the gymnasium and the art room.  The art is bright and colorful and happy. These are the bright faces of Ridgeway Community School hanging in the library.

The 1st Grade created pandas, cows, pigs, and sheep with chalk pastels, tempera paints, oil pastels and watercolors.

The second and third grade art was Splat the Cat, foxes, and sunglasses portraits.

The fourth and fifth grade students created one point perspective,  value studies from light to dark in one color, and an artwork inspired by Friedens Hundertwasser.

 Lots of art in the halls.

The Kindergarten art on the front bulletin board.

 

Art inspired by Piet Mondrian by the 4th & 5th graders. 

 A collaborative robot on the Art/Music room door by Tyler and friends.