We have been having a wonderful week at Folktale Fiesta!! Students have been 'traveling' all over the world learning stories, music, and food from different cultures. It's been a blast!
0 Comments
On Thursday, we took a different approach to our day and heard animal tales from around the world. The Beardsley Zoo came to share a program about the diversity of snakes! Jim Knox read the story, Snakes! to the students prior to letting them see some beautiful slithery creatures! Students learned why the elephant got their trunks and created elephant masks using exquisite patterns from Africa and Asia! Students made delicious dirt pudding with chocolate pudding, graham crackers and pineapple and melon flowers. Sciencetellers came during the afternoon to share some SUPER Science Stories filled with amazing experiments! We had a great day!
On Wednesday, students visited the exciting continent of Africa! Storyteller Eshu Bumpus visited us in the morning. Students made and tried African slush and trail mix. Students learned about the BeadforLife organizations and made paper beads. Mikata came in the afternoon to share Drum Tales with the students. Everyone was singing and tapping their feet! :)
Tuesday we visited the beautiful continent of Asia. Students made a lovely magic pot and planted lucky bamboo. They tried fortune cookies, sushi, and miso soup. Students climbed the Great Wall of China in Movement and Games and they learned how pandas got their spots in Dramarama! We had two special guests visit us! Motoko told us stories from her homeland of Japan and Li Liu demonstrated amazing acrobatic feats!Welcome to Folktale Fiesta! Our theme for the year is based on the Governor's Reading Challenge: Every Hero Has a Story! Many of our friends (students and teachers) wore Superhero Costumes or T-shirts! I encourage many of you to do it throughout the week! We had a great day today exploring Central America and South America. Students made and tasted guacamole, learned about Worry Dolls and made their very own. Students also played Peruvian Musical Chairs and Soccer. Ginga Brasiliera joined us this morning to teach us Brazilian dances and to demonstrate Capoeira. The students were amazed with their dancing and loved clapping along to their amazing drumming beats! Musical group, Sucari, joined us this afternoon to teach the students about the instruments and musical styles brought to Latin America throughout the years. The students loved participating with them this afternoon! :)
See you all tomorrow when we travel to Asia for another day of exciting folktales! :) I can't believe today is our last day of Folktale Fiesta. We had such a blast with all of your children this week! And I truly hope they had a great time learning folktales, fables, and fairytales from many different cultures. Today, we focused on stories from any culture about animals. As always, students heard stories and tried to pick out the lesson in each one. In Arts&Crafts, students heard the story of the Lion and the Mouse. Ms. Fallon and Mr. Dean acting out the story as they read it. Students made mouse bookmarks that they can use when doing their Summer Reading! Justin from Sciencetellers came to tell students the story of the Bugs of Blackwood which . He is a Scientist AND a Storyteller! What a cool combination! He even brought volunteers up to the stage to help with his experiments! Students took a nature walk in Movement & Games and searched for animals and plant life along the way. Students in Book Cooks read the story Cinderella's Rat by Susan Meddaugh and made little rats out of cheese, strawberries, and white and semi-sweet chocolate chips! How cute! Larry Hunt came at the end of the day to share his love of animals and movement. He showed us another way to tell a story -- through movement, masks, and with music! We had a blast with your children at Folktale Fiesta and look forward to seeing your children again at another EDUCATION CONNECTION inter-district program! :)
Have a great rest of the summer! Today we packed our bags and traveled from North America all the way to Africa! In Arts & Crafts, students heard a fable about Anansi (pictured above), the trickster. They heard Anasi and the Magic Stick by Eric Kimmel. Students learned that Anasi is a West African god. He often takes the shape of a spider and is considered to be the god of all knowledge of stories. He is also one of the most important characters of the West Africa culture because his stories teach important lessons. Tammy Denease came to share African fables, including stories of Anasi with us. She also taught our students how to focus and mimic to prepare for a storytelling performances. Students read Chinye, a West African Cinderella story, by Obi Onyefulu. Students prepared traditional fruit and vegetable ka-bobs that are popular in African culture. Mikata is a word from West Africa meaning "all of us" explaining that it takes a full community to make music and participate in dance.
We had a great day in Africa today. Tomorrow, we are learning animal tales! Parents -- please remember to return your Parent Survey that was sent home before the program. If you need another copy of it, please ask in the morning when you drop your child off at Folktale Fiesta or email me ([email protected]) and I will attach it for you! Today our students traveled from Asia back to North America to learn Native American fables and stories from the Old West. Students learned about the significance of the Totem Pole in Native American culture, and what each shape, animal, and color symbolize. They made one of their own in Arts & Crafts. Shane Long, also known as White Raven, shared a true Native American experience with our students this morning. He greeted the students in the Algonquin language, the native language to Quinnehtukqut (Connecticut). Quinnehtukqut means land of the long river. He explained each piece of the regalia that he was wearing for his program today. He told our students that Native American stories were shared to teach a lesson. White Raven started by telling our students the Story of the Corn Husk Woman, who lost her face due to her vanity. White Raven showed students how to do a Native American traditional dance and he asked the students to join in with him. Students thoroughly enjoyed his performance! This afternoon, we left the Native American villages and headed to an Old Western town. Calamity Jane joined us to tell us stories from her small Western town and why she became known as Calamity Jane. She invited a few friends up to the stage to join her in some storyAtelling and American singing! What a fun time! We had a great time visiting Native American villages and spending time in the Old West today at Folktale Fiesta! Tomorrow we are traveling from North America to Africa!
Today, we traveled from Latin America to Asia. Students read Wishbones, the Chinese Cinderella story, by Barbara Ker Wilson and made and sampled delicious cuisine! Students read Eliza'a Cherry Trees (Japan's Gift to America) and discussed what Japan's gift. Students used paint and 1 liter soda bottles to make their own cherry blossom paintings! Example below. Students learned about focal points and were about to become mirror images during Writer's Theater. Students did a long obstacle course across Asia climbing up mountains, scurrying in the valleys and even crossing the Great Wall of China in Movement & Games! We ended our day with Taikoza, Japanese Drumming Group showing us that you can also tell stories through music, dance, and acting, as well! Pictured above.
We had a blast today at Folktale Fiesta! As your child/ren what they did at today's program! Tomorrow, we're traveling back to the United States as we learn about Native American culture and the old West. Today was a GREAT day at Folktale Fiesta as we traveled to Latin America! Students learned about what a folktale is and that they are important in every culture. Students read folktales, fables, and fairy-tales, played games, and learned songs from different Latin American countries. Students learned Brazilian Capoeira with Matica Arts. Pictured above. Students read the story Domitila, a Cinderella Tale from the Mexican Tradition adapted by Jewell Reinhart Coburn and compared it with the traditional Cinderella story that they know. Afterwards, they sampled Mexican cuisine. Students also sang with and danced to songs from various Latin American countries with Fiesta del Norte. Pictured below. Students read the South American story, “The Boy and The Violin.” and made their own special cardboard-box guitar!
It was a fabulous day! Looking forward to what the rest of the week will bring at Folktale Fiesta! Tomorrow, we're visiting ASIA! :) |
Archives
July 2016
Categories |