The
arts can make you smart! Recent research demonstrates a correlation between the
arts and higher academic performance. In the report, “Learning, Arts and the Brain,” seven universities presented several studies discussing how visual
arts, music, and dance training and skill impact learning (The Dana Foundation,
2008). This is why I try to incorporate as much art as I can within my library programs. This blog entry talks about the Make It Take It program that I lead at 95th Street Library. Make It Take It is a weekly program that features a 15 minute storytime followed by a unique and fun craft. Activities are geared towards 3-5 year olds. This craft is specifically inspired by Alexander Calder's wire sculptures:
Alexander Calder | Elephant (c. 1928)
The craft will be done using a styrofoam base, pipecleaners, and beads and is meant to inspire creativity within children! Here is what the craft will look like:
Short Storytime Outline:
Opening Song Options:
My Energy by Laurie Berkner (Great action song to get kids moving)
I'm Me & You're You by Laurie Berkner
(This song has an excellent message about how kids are all unique individuals. Here is a snippet of the lyrics: "I'm me and you're you. I like green, you like blue. I use tape, you use glue. I stayed short and you grew. It doesn't matter what we do. 'Cause I'm still me and you're still you." I would sing this with Shakers and have lyrics on the white board)
Books:
Flannel Boards / Fingerplays & Songs
(This was a really fun story that was very interactive! This flannel helps children identify their colors and shapes and is also very funny!)
Clancy was a clown in a circus. Every day he put on a funny face that made the children clap and laugh. Then he did somersaults and rode a pig. Clancy blew a trumpet and that made the children clap and laugh too.
One day Clancy went to put on his funny face. He put on his silly eyes (place eyes). He put on his happy mouth (place mouth). He put on his crazy hair (place hair). But Clancy Clown couldn't find his funny nose. "I know my nose", said Clancy. "My nose is round and red. Where is my funny nose?"
Clancy found a nose that looked like this (put on a blue square nose). It was a blue square nose. Was this Clancy Clown's nose? (The kids scream out, "NO!") "No", said Clancy Clown. "This is not my nose. This is a blue square nose. My name is round and red. (remove blue square) I know my nose!"
Clancy found a nose that looked like this. (Put on a green triangle nose). It was a green triangle nose. Was this Clancy Clown's nose? "No" said Clancy Clown. "This is not my nose. This is a green triangle nose. My nose is round and red. (Remove green triangle) I know my nose!"
Clancy found a nose that looked like this (Put on a big yellow circle) . It was a big yellow round nose. Was this Clancy Clowns's nose? (Children scream out, "NO!") , "No." said Clancy Clown. "This is a round nose, but it is big and yellow. My nose is round and red. (Remove yellow circle) I know my nose!"
Clancy found another nose that looked like this (Put on a tiny purple circle). It was a tiny purple circle. Was this Clancy Clown's nose? (Children scream out, "NO!") "No" , said Clancy Clown. "This is not my nose. This is a round nose but it's tiny and purple. My nose is round and red. (Remove purple circle) I know my nose!"
Then Clancy found a nose that looked like this (Use red circle). It was a round nose. It was a red nose. Was this Clancy Clown's nose? (let audience scream "YES!").
Clancy Clown put on his funny nose and went out to turn somersaults and ride a pig and blow his trumpet so the children would clap and laugh. Clancy Clown knows his nose... and now so do you!
A Day With No Crayons by Elizabeth Rusch
Lines that Wiggle by Candice Whitman
Art by Patrick McDonnel
The Straight Line Wonder by Mem Fox
Clancy the Clown - A Flannelboard Story
Clancy was a clown in a circus. Every day he put on a funny face that made the children clap and laugh. Then he did somersaults and rode a pig. Clancy blew a trumpet and that made the children clap and laugh too.
One day Clancy went to put on his funny face. He put on his silly eyes (place eyes). He put on his happy mouth (place mouth). He put on his crazy hair (place hair). But Clancy Clown couldn't find his funny nose. "I know my nose", said Clancy. "My nose is round and red. Where is my funny nose?"
Clancy found a nose that looked like this (put on a blue square nose). It was a blue square nose. Was this Clancy Clown's nose? (The kids scream out, "NO!") "No", said Clancy Clown. "This is not my nose. This is a blue square nose. My name is round and red. (remove blue square) I know my nose!"
Clancy found a nose that looked like this. (Put on a green triangle nose). It was a green triangle nose. Was this Clancy Clown's nose? "No" said Clancy Clown. "This is not my nose. This is a green triangle nose. My nose is round and red. (Remove green triangle) I know my nose!"
Clancy found a nose that looked like this (Put on a big yellow circle) . It was a big yellow round nose. Was this Clancy Clowns's nose? (Children scream out, "NO!") , "No." said Clancy Clown. "This is a round nose, but it is big and yellow. My nose is round and red. (Remove yellow circle) I know my nose!"
Clancy found another nose that looked like this (Put on a tiny purple circle). It was a tiny purple circle. Was this Clancy Clown's nose? (Children scream out, "NO!") "No" , said Clancy Clown. "This is not my nose. This is a round nose but it's tiny and purple. My nose is round and red. (Remove purple circle) I know my nose!"
Then Clancy found a nose that looked like this (Use red circle). It was a round nose. It was a red nose. Was this Clancy Clown's nose? (let audience scream "YES!").
Clancy Clown put on his funny nose and went out to turn somersaults and ride a pig and blow his trumpet so the children would clap and laugh. Clancy Clown knows his nose... and now so do you!
Rainbow Colors
Tune: Hush, Little Baby
Rainbow purple, rainbow blue
Rainbow green and yellow, too
Rainbow orange, rainbow red
Rainbow smiling overhead.
Come and count the colors with me
How many colors can you see?
One, two, three, down to green,
Four, five, six can be seen
Rainbow purple, rainbow blue,
Rainbow green and yellow, too.
Rainbow orange, rainbow red,
Rainbow smiling overhead.
Rainbow green and yellow, too
Rainbow orange, rainbow red
Rainbow smiling overhead.
Come and count the colors with me
How many colors can you see?
One, two, three, down to green,
Four, five, six can be seen
Rainbow purple, rainbow blue,
Rainbow green and yellow, too.
Rainbow orange, rainbow red,
Rainbow smiling overhead.
Source: King County Library System
Rainbow Colors
Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Start by putting all the rainbow shapes out on the flannel board - as you sing the song, point to each colored rainbow. (Center the red rainbow in the middle of the board). Build the rainbow starting with red on the outside working into purple as you sing the line "Rainbow smiling overhead." Pause until the rainbow is assembled then continue singing.
Rainbow purple, rainbow blue,
Rainbow green and yellow too
Rainbow orange, rainbow red
Rainbow smiling overhead.
(Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple... assemble rainbow at this time)
Come and count the colors with me
(Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple... assemble rainbow at this time)
Come and count the colors with me
How many colors can you see?
One, two, three, down to green,
One, two, three, down to green,
Four, five, six can be seen
Rainbow purple, rainbow blue,
Rainbow green and yellow too
Rainbow orange, rainbow red
Rainbow smiling overhead.
You have counted the colors with me
All of the colors that we see.
You have counted the colors with me
All of the colors that we see.
Our Shapes
Tune: “Did You Ever See a Lassie?”
Did you ever see a circle, a circle, a circle?
Did you ever see a circle?
It looks like a ball.
Did you ever see a rectangle,
Rectangle, rectangle?
Did you ever see a rectangle?
It looks like a door.
Did you ever see a triangle,
Triangle, triangle?
Did you ever see a triangle?
It looks like a sail.
Did you ever see a square,
A square, a square?
Did you ever see a square?
It looks like a box.
Source: Addison Library
Wire Sculpture Craft Instructions:
Materials:
·
Styrofoam Base
·
Multicolored Pipe Cleaners
·
Multicolored Pony Beads / Assorted Beads
Instructions:
1) Put as many or as little beads of any color onto a pipe cleaner
2) Bend, curl, and twist pipe cleaners into any shape you like. Poke each end of the pipe cleaner into the Styrofoam base.
3) Intersect the pipe cleaners and make them tall or short and twist them into whatever funky shape you like! The purpose of this craft is to be creative. No two sculptures should look alike.
Early literacy tips:
By encouraging the child to use their fine motor skills to put pony beads on the pipe cleaner and bend it, they are developing the muscle strength needed to be able to write successfully someday. The children will also feel that the art is more their own when they are completing it themselves. Instruct children to bend pipe cleaners into different shapes. Parents could help children make more complex shapes. Older children may want to make people, animals, trucks, or anything they’d like, or they can just make an abstract work of art.
1) Put as many or as little beads of any color onto a pipe cleaner
2) Bend, curl, and twist pipe cleaners into any shape you like. Poke each end of the pipe cleaner into the Styrofoam base.
3) Intersect the pipe cleaners and make them tall or short and twist them into whatever funky shape you like! The purpose of this craft is to be creative. No two sculptures should look alike.
Early literacy tips:
By encouraging the child to use their fine motor skills to put pony beads on the pipe cleaner and bend it, they are developing the muscle strength needed to be able to write successfully someday. The children will also feel that the art is more their own when they are completing it themselves. Instruct children to bend pipe cleaners into different shapes. Parents could help children make more complex shapes. Older children may want to make people, animals, trucks, or anything they’d like, or they can just make an abstract work of art.
Coloring Sheet:
Pass out an art-themed coloring sheet inspired by famous artists after the activity! There are free printable sheets here:
http://makingartfun.com/htm/art-masterpiece-coloring-pages-index.htm
Display:
Since it is Fall, I also have a display of art books in the J Non-fiction section. Here is my display:
Display:
Since it is Fall, I also have a display of art books in the J Non-fiction section. Here is my display:
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