Trees - Dance

What a wind we had yesterday, the trees and leave blowing and bending. 

The children demonstrated how trees move in different types of wind and this 

inspired us to express their idea in the form of dance. 

The children watched a video of dancers using fabric and movement to express the idea of the ocean. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48BEHwzz4ZU

The children used fabric and danced to music that alternated between fast and slow tempos, representing different kinds of wind. The fabric represented the branches and leaves and Simone used brown fabric to become the trunk of a tree which is why you can't see her face in any of the photos.

Everyone was very engaged in this activity and they asked to listen to the music twice. 

Each child displayed creativity as they moved their bodies and fabric.

Trees - Painting

TREES

Trees are important to Johnathon because climbing them makes

him happy.

Artists who paint trees use colour and shapes to express feelings.
What feelings do you think are being expressed?

Paint a picture of trees and tell us what feeling you are expressing in your painting.

Painting trees

"This tree makes me feel yum, yum yummy"

"These trees were happy but then the dark came and it was scary"

New Unit: Express Yourself!

Central Idea:

We express ourselves in many ways and this helps us connect with one another.

Lines of Inquiry:

• How language, music and visual arts help us express ourselves and build connections with others (connection)
• Sharing ideas and being good listeners helps us build understanding (perspective)
• Taking time to reflect helps us practice slowing down so that we can make connections with what we see and hear (reflection)

The children shared their beginning understanding of what the words "express yourself" means:

"don't go away"

"think about things"

"don't give away your ideas"

"fly"

"drink water"

I explained that expressing yourself is sharing ideas, thoughts, and feelings and there are many ways we can do this. I asked "If I had a really important idea to share with you how could I do that?" The children's beginning knowledge is "Tell us (with words)" "Take a picture of it" (photography). 

Two great ideas! 

We explored other ways we can express ourselves: literature, poetry, songs, music, dance, and art. Why do we care about expressing ourselves? "It's like being generous." said Pippa. Sharing important ideas, thoughts and feelings helps us connect with one another, helps us understand each other and strengthens our relationships to each other and the world. 

The next 7 weeks of inquiry the children will be choosing topics and ideas that are important to them, researching and learning more about it, and then exploring different ways to express this to help them grow their sense of the arts (performing, visual, written).

Child Initiated Investigation

During our visit to Musqueam Creek the children were keenly interested in hearing about how salmon used to return to spawn here. The journey of the salmon from creek to river to ocean and back again spurred many questions.

Today we researched and read about the life cycle of salmon and all the dangers they encounter along the way. Some predators of salmon are bears and eagles and us! "I love salmon!" said Simone.

The children created a scene of salmon swimming against the current as they return to lay their eggs. "The eggs are soooo cute!" said Sofia.

 They used round dabbers to replicate scales.