One Day Museum

     The One Day Museum was an impromptu idea that has hung on for the long haul through May and will be around through the end of the school year and into summer day camp. I have been pleasantly surprised at the interest and enthusiasm the One Day Museum has created with students.
     The set up is simple, an old aquarium turned upside down on a side table holds an item for a day. Sometimes we have a worksheet to go along with it. There are days when someone just answers questions about the item. I love days when we leave it to the kids to talk about the item and see what they think. We have a monthly theme at our program for the students lessons and activities to revolve around, the museum item may or may not correlate to the theme.

   In this photo the museum holds an antique key. There was a lot of discussion about locks and size comparison to present day locks. Then when told the key was handmade and each was a bit unique the conversations tool a turn. I am happy when the children engage in one on one conversations and small group discussions ( informal) over the item in the museum. Like all museums they appeal to different clientele. Some items appeal to our 1-3 grade kids, some really get the 7th and 8th grade students interested. We have had a taxidermy duck, tools, model airplanes for flight month, live pollywogs, fossils and so many more items.
  

   The day the One Day Museum hosted seashells we had so many questions about the different shells. We talked about the sea, ocean ecology, the different types of shells the shell purpose and the make up of the shells. We talked about Native Americans and Pilgrims using shell fish and about the catching and cooking of different shellfish.
     The glass enclosure protects out Museum exhibit from too many fingers but it also teaches the students that some things in museums are only to look at not to touch. We are learning everyday with our One Day Museum and hope other schools and after - school programs will enjoy this idea and try it, please feel free to reply what item you might put in a one day museum.

Paper City another activity you might enjoy trying with school children: http://carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2014/02/a-paper-city.html

Here is a fun way to interpret fairy tale content - or any book for that matter:
http://carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2013/05/chalk-up-student-fairy-tales.html

 

Chalk Up Student Fairy Tales

         What do kids know and understand of fairy tales? How do they interpret them? I, as a storyteller, was wondering and used sidewalk chalk as a way to begin exploration of the questions.

     I work in an after school program and thought the kids would enjoy a spring afternoon with sidewalk chalk. I began by  reminding them of our visit to a local art gallery. I pointed out how each piece of art had its own space and people walked by admiring them. I proposed we make a fairy tale art gallery on the front sidewalk for the parents to look at when they came for pick up.

        Sidewalks are broken by distinct cracks, this sure makes building a student art gallery easy! Each of the kids was assigned a segment of our walkway.  I said our art show subject was fairy tales they could draw a picture from any fairy tale they wanted, I then gave the example Cinderella or The Little Mermaid.

     Right from the example we have Cinderella in her beautiful gown and wearing the crown. Two of three step sisters are present but not as glamorous at all. The third step sister fell off the curb, I was told this! ( I titled the art for them so we could read it)  At 7 years old this young lady was focused on interpreting the happily ever after part of the story.

   This little lady, just 6 years old depicted the Little Mermaid, again straight from  my examples. She had many questions as to the requirements of the art before beginning to draw. I told them this was to be their art, anything they wanted to show from the story, no rules except stay in their square and physically on the sidewalk. The Little Mermaid is swimming into the cave in her picture. She chose to show a part that scares her, we talked about this and what made it scary, it was not knowing the outcome.

      I love this one, it has a special meaning. This young lady was 8 years old. She chose the 3 Little Pigs to draw. In this scene they are dancing, the wolf is gone. I asked why she liked this story and was told, "because the third pig is smart, he built a brick house". I know this represents safety to this little girl - all the buildings in this housing project where they live are BRICK!

      A 6 year old boy drew this rendition of the Little Red Hen. He is a very physical boy, in constant motion as he drew. The blue spirals were her fields and the pink is Mrs. Hen herself. He commented he wasn't good at chickens - he didn't know any! This tied in nicely with all the garden work we have been doing.

        This artist was 8 years old and chose Robin Hood to depict. I did  not go into the difference between fairly tale, folk tale and legend, I wanted them to have a totally positive experience and for me to leave it as much to their interpretation as possible.  Robin is drawn with a crown, I'm not sure that he would like to be part of the royal family but I believe her interpretation was of power and good. I am most interested in her using the form of a snake as the image for the "bad guy".  The evil serpent certainly has a frown, Robin isn't happy he is fighting for his money I was informed.

      This student is 9 years old. I thought it very interesting that she did not pick a particular story but singled out the common character from  many stories. In her words "they all have a mean guy". This was also her writing, it's boldness certainly showing some of the strength of the character. She laughed and commented he wouldn't be a mean guy when it rained.  What power it is to show what is scary and know it would be gone the next morning!

       This use of fairy tales was a fun project the children enjoyed and were proud of. They were very excited to show family members at pick up time. There was much more excitement over this art, than art on paper, I believe because it was so public a space. This few minutes of sidewalk time was a window into their world. Fairy Tales have a place in children's learning to give voice and interpretation of feelings that are complex. They have the power to give hope and wipe out evil with a single rain storm! This day at our after school was a happily ever afternoon!

 

Teach Storytelling to Middle School Students- YES!

Saying yes to teaching a spring vacation storytelling class was a "no brainer", as the kids say. I love helping kids discover their voice and the power of story.....


Day One

 Four rotations will come to me over the course of the day. Each group will have a high school aged guide. They will stay with me for one hour, then move on to the next art offered in this Vacation Arts Experience sponsored by EastConn  an educational service.  www.eastconn.org  I must introduce the stories and engage them in activities that bring them back wanting more. We need  to get a story framework in their head in under an hour.

A group arrives all the desks have stories on them in print, they all look alike from the door.  We introduce ourselves around and mention a favorite story we have seen, heard, or read.  They have  3 minutes to read the intro to the story." GET UP AND MOVE TO A NEW DESK AND STORY" We take several rotations and already a couple students are hugging a story not wanting to leave it. I allow them to keep what they have been attracted to. 4th  desk, if they haven't found one I make some suggestions and share some books that might entice a student.  Everyone has a story, now we can read through to the end.

Project Time - Getting our Hands on the Stories

This Play-Doh creation blew me away!

This is the story of the Christmas Truce during WWI near Ypres, France. Note the German's Christmas tree, wounded soldier in "no mans land" and soldiers in trenches. 30 minutes, start to finish and he understood the story! Try this link to read a version of event:  http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/christmastruce.htm

While some students worked in Play-Doh others were making cut and paste murals from magazine pictures. On the second day they will switch and make the other project.

            Here a student with a finished mural tells a friend his story, this one tells of El Coqui the little frogs of Puerto Rico  and the race where they earned their singing voice. Here is a link to the legend:
http://voices.yahoo.com/el-coqui-native-frog-puerto-rico-5306039.html 

                                                   
Here a student laid out her version of events from Chris Allsburg's " The Widow's Broom".  http://www.amazon.com/The-Widows-Broom-Chris-Allsburg/dp/0395640512

Felt boards were used for other students who again tried a different hands on the story project on day 2.

Come back soon or follow to find out about day 2 and day 3 of the Vacation Arts Experience/ Storytelling with Carolyn Stearns Storyteller.
www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.com


another post about story and education:

http://www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2012/01/school-day-and-story-night.html



                              

World's Best Writing Prompt

Even the student who never wore out a pencil is encouraged to write a full page for this writing prompt!

                                                                                     
  Have a story about a letter you wrote or read? Leave it in the comments.


another blog with a prompt:

www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2011/10/autumn-colors-assignment.html