Our Fairy Tree

A few weeks ago I was walking around the neighborhood with my husband when I spotted this wonderful dead tree sitting on the curb -- it still had the roots!!  "Honey, pick up that tree for me."  My husband grimaced.  He knew all too well - another art project!

Trees are one of my favorite art forms!  Here is how I took a dead tree and had the children transform it into a Fairy Tree.  (It was a part of my recycling unit - we recycled a dead tree!! LOL!)

 I put our Fairy Tree into our Living Dollhouse.  It is so sweet. . .

The roots made a wonderful place for the fairies to set-up their home!

HOW TO MAKE THE FAIRY TREE:

 First, I put out three or four colors of paint and let the children paint the tree.  We let some of the wood remain bare.

 I love the gentle strokes of color.

 Second, I gave the children squares of tissue paper and tracers to cut out leaves.

Attach the leaves with a touch of a glue stick and pinch it to a limb.

Let the magic begin!

The "Living" Dollhouse. . .

So dang sweet, it is!  It could be called a large fairy garden but I love calling it the "Living" dollhouse because I put dollhouse dolls and furniture in it. 

Here's how I did it: I used a large box that I cut down to just 6 inches tall.  I lined it with a plastic trash bag and poured in potting soil.   Next we built a pathway with stones, planted flowers, grass seed (not yet sprouted), added wood stumps and a way we went!

Don't you love the mushroom/fairy furniture?  Found it on Amazon on clearance!  Score!

Shhh . . . I put a vacated wasp's nest in as a carpet!  Ohhh - so fun!

I think is so rich and full of live to provide a dollhouse setting that has flowers and grass growing and elements of nature.   We will continue to add to this dollhouse "landscape" until school ends. 

Learning links:  Next week I will begin telling stories with the little dollhouse people to demonstrate how to spin a story with these props.  We will discuss the beginning, middle and end of my stories.  I will offer storytelling for the children to do for the class much like a puppet show.   Finally, Thursday and Friday I will ask the children to write about it.  It is a full vibrant experience to take to paper.

Chinese New Year Around the Classroom

Every year I spend two full weeks inside the mood and inspiration of China.  Over the last ten years, I have collected many wonderful items for this exploration.   My daughter went to China at 13 years old as an exchange student and brought back many things for my classroom.  My family has hosted two Chinese students in our home.

Transforming your housekeeping to a Chinese Restaurant or home can be simple.  The two best resources for materials are your local Asian market and the fabric store.  Here are a few photos from around the classroom:

One year I wrote a grant and ordered these wonderful Evi dollhouse dolls  for my dollhouse.  I purchased several sets to fit the different fairy tales we move through during the year.

I always put out fabric in the block area.  During the Chinese New Year unit I place Asian inspired fabrics, strips of the colors seen in the Asian palette, and even place mats. This student took the Asian inspired fabric and covered the dollhouse.  I think it was quite a lovely touch!

She took some of the blocks and build a ladder to the upper level.  It is so cool when materials find new uses.  I value creativity thinking so much!! It is such a delight!

In Chinatown, I found so many traditional costume dress for children.  My local Asian market sells these as well.  I have a basket full for the children to dress-up in.

I have a nice assortment of fabric fans.  Paper fans usually do not withstand the play!

The housekeeping area is filled to the brim with assorted items that bring the mood of China.  I used two calendars from a local restaurant for a "screen" effect on my playstand.

My local Asian market sells Chinese restaurant dishes.  They are perfect for housekeeping.

I save Chinese tins, containers and any photos I might find in magazines and journals.

Winter Sparkle in Block Play and Dollhouse Play!

One of my favorite things to do is to add special fabrics and trims to the block and dollhouse during different seasons and fairy tales.  This week we are deep into the story, "The Mitten".   I have added sparkling fabrics and a wonderful iridescent garland for snow, ice and the mood of cold.  It is nice to keep these special additions in a basket next to the blocks.

I found the garland in the Christmas section of Hobby Lobby.  The fabrics are regular stock.

 During Christmas, there are always a wonderful selection of snow people ornaments.  I buy them to put in blocks and the dollhouse.  I look for those that are soft.  They make them in families as well!  So easy to keep a stock for winter units.  Just snip off the tags and strings.

 

During block play, this group of children used the garland as snow outside their "house."

It is also nice to keep extra dollhouse furniture handy for block play.

This dollhouse has been through a snow storm!

Easy Peasy Santa

Children love to have little people in their play to retell the stories of the season.  What fun to have Santa!

It is quite easy to make simple little folks based on seasonal impulses with wooden bases, wool roving, and wool felt.  I do not use patterns to make my wooden base dolls.  Here I explain my easy method.  You can adapt this for any character you like!

 

What you will need:  wooden bases, red felt, white roving, tacky glue.

 

Step One: Measure felt around the head to determine the width.

  Cut out a rectangle.

Step Two:  Trim into cap shape (triangle).

  Set aside.

 Step Three:  Dot glue over top of head.

Step Four:  Gently put a piece of roving on head.  Make sure roving is not too long.  Roll a tiny piece of roving to make mustache.  Apply with glue.

Step Five:  Next, put on cap while glue of hair is still nice and tacky.  Add a strip of glue along inside back seam of cap to seal.

Step Six: Measure width needed for cape and how long it will need to be.  Cut and glue to wooden base.

Step Seven: Twist a thin piece of roving.

 Step Eight:  Apply a strip of glue to cap at edge.  Apply roving by gently tapping it into the glue.

Add wisp of roving for beard.  Adhere with glue.

Step Nine:  Repeat for the bottom of the cape. Tuck the ends of the roving on the other side of the cape with a dot of glue.

Optional:  Put a generous dot of glue on side of head and press cap down.  Roll a bit of roving into a ball and glue to tip of cap.

Sewing Little Elves

This week my class began sewing little elves.  We have been learning the tale of  "The Elves and the Shoemaker."  This is a wonderful tale about the spirit of giving.  It also offers a great opening to discuss wants and needs.

I used a traditional pattern for gnomes and altered it a bit for the elf.  I adapted the pattern found in the book, "The Gnome Craft Book" by Thomas and Petra Berger (page 9).  It is that pointy hat that gives the children the feeling it is an elf. 
(Disclaimer!) This is my first attempt to make a basic pattern in digital form and then link it!  If it fails - let me know!

Elf Pattern

Materials needed:  needles, embroidery thread, wool felt, wool batting, wooden discs.

To sew this little elf, use the whip stitch.  I double the thread and knot the ends.

 Cut out wool felt.

Fold in half.

Stitch from bottom to tip of the "upside down" L.   Then, sew from tip of hat to end of that edge.  (see pattern link for specific place to sew)

The pattern is "Push in, pull out."  The needle will require a little "push" to get through the wool.  The child will have the sewing when he/she gets the "rhythmic" movement of the stitch.

Let each child sew at their own level.   Do not demand too much at this point.  I like to engage the "love of the task" to build desire for future projects.

Stuff with wool.

My colleague, Mrs. Finch had a great idea!  She purchased wooden discs for the bottom of the elves.  This gives them the ability to stand without having to sew on the bottoms. 

I hot glued on the discs for the children and we wrote their names on the bottoms.

 These little elves are great for dollhouse and block play.

STANDARDS:

Math Standard 1: Algebraic Reasoning: Patterns - The student will analyze simple patterns.
2. Explain verbally and extend simple patterns (e.g. push in, pull out )

Math Standard 3: Geometry - The student will explore the relationship of objects in the environment.
3. Model and use words indicating relative position or direction (e.g., students describe the relationships between self and objects in space using on, above, below, beside, under, on top of, behind, and over).

Small Motor - Standard 1: The student will participate in activities that involve small motor skills.
1. Demonstrate increased control of hand and eye coordination.

Visual Art Appreciation - Standard: Demonstrate thoughtfulness and care in completion of artworks.

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES:  Visual Spatial, Body-Kinesthetic, Musical-Rhythmic, Intrapersonal

BLOOM'S TAXONOMY: Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, Creating.