….thanks to Where’s My Backpack? for this week’s theme ‘detail’
Travel Themes: Detail
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Author Archives: Mama Cormier
Share Your World 2015 – Week 6
What was the last time you went to a new place? Two weeks ago, after my husbands post op appointment with his endocrinologist we treated ourselves to a dinner at a restaurant that I had never been to before. It was a BBQ place called Barque’s in the west end of Toronto. Delicious!
If you were or are a writer do you prefer writing short stories, poems or novels, other? And what type of genre would you prefer?
I guess as bloggers we are all writers but I prefer to write short stories and free verse poetry. I’ve often toyed with the idea of writing and illustrating children’s picture books.
Out of your five senses (touch, taste, sight, smell, hearing) which is your favorite? As an artist and photographer I’d have to say that sight is my favourite sense. I wouldn’t be able to produce the following pieces without my sight.
If 100 people your age were chosen at random, how many do you think you’d find leading a more satisfying life than yours?
Based on the people I know who are my age I’d say that there would probably be 20 people who might lead a more satisfying life than mine. I think I’m better off than most people my age but I wouldn’t be so cocky as to believe that no one has a better or more satisfying life than mine.
Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?
A few days ago my husband was in a bicycle accident and I’m grateful that his injuries weren’t more serious and that he didn’t suffer a concussion. He looks bad like he was in a bar brawl or street fight but he’ll heal and be as good as new in a couple of weeks.
I’m looking forward to a long weekend. We have parent teacher interviews Thursday evening and Friday morning. I’m off Friday afternoon and on Monday we celebrate Family Day in Ontario. We’re planning on going to Chinatown and partaking in some dim sum. Maybe we’ll even go to the art gallery which is just down the street from the restaurant.
It’s suppose to be very cold this weekend so it’ll probably be a good weekend to make art and snuggle up with a good book.
100 Day Museum
…..today we celebrate the 100th day of school
Every year the grade 1s make projects that contain 100 objects to celebrate the 100th day of school. Today they hosted the 100 Day Museum and invited their parents and all the students in the school to come and enjoy their projects. Here are a few of the highlights.
Sunday Trees – 169
….Becca’s tree was clearly shot on a warm spring-like day whereas mine was taken today during a light but cold snowfall
The Next Wave of Snow is Upon Us
…..last Monday we saw more snow than predicted but still no ‘Snow Day’ in Toronto
Luckily everyone else stayed off the roads so driving to work on Monday wasn’t as bad as it could have been. About one third of our students stayed home and made their own ‘Snow Day’. All the other school boards around Toronto closed schools for the day. We only cancelled buses. It’s funny how conditions for school buses are too dangerous but it’s okay for teachers and parents to get out in their cars to get to school. Go figure!
Anyway, I didn’t intend to rant about last Monday. Today we’re experiencing more snow but I’m not sure that we’re going to get as much as predicted. I’m trying to get out and walk more so late this afternoon, when the snow started I went out for a walk and on my way home I took a few photos. They’re a little grainy because it started to get dark but some of that graininess is the snow that’s coming down.
I went out again a little while ago to walk the dog but she wouldn’t go further than around the block so I think I’m going to be about a thousand steps shy of my 10 000 step goal. Maybe I’ll go out one more time without her and shovel some of that snow.
some of
Kindergarten Klimt Patterns
….Gustav Klimt created beautiful patterns using gold leaf along with red and black paint
My kindergarten class created their own prints with inspiration from Gustav Klimt. I gave each student a sturdy piece of cardboard. Last year one of my parents donated a whole box of these 9 x 12 pieces of cardboard. You might remember that the grade 3s last year made looms from them and created amazing woven wall hangings (Weaving Our Way to Happiness).
On the first day I gave each student shapes, (i.e., squares, rectangles, circles) cut out from foam board and red, black and orange paint. They painted the shapes and then randomly pressed them onto the cardboard. Once they were finished we put them away to dry.
On the second day I gave them lids and corks and stamps that I had made with students in another class. I also introduced silver and gold acrylic paint. I encouraged them to stamp the new colours inside the shapes they had printed the week before. There’s something about metallic paints that children love.
On the third day we talked about adding texture and detail using a fine tip black Sharpie. Their work went from wonderful to WOW. Here are a few of the finished prints.
another class
Cee’s Black and White Photo Challenge – Chairs and Tables
…..not sure that I have any table photos but I do have chairs
The Beauty After the Storm
…..once the sun came out I was inspired to brave the cold and walk toward the lake
Freshly fallen snow is so beautiful and when the sun shines the snow literally sparkles.
Weekly Poetry Haiku Challenge #30
…..Ronovan Writes gives us the prompts force and free
Teaching Strategies
I am free to teach
inspire, motivate and mold
Young minds without force
***
Sometimes a small bribe
captivates the young learner
to focus clearly
***
Is it wrong or right?
Freedom to experiment
Brings results sans force
***
Today’s poem came as a result of a nutrition lesson I presented to my grade 5 health class today. We were examining the nutrition labels on bags of salty snacks. I told the class if we covered everything in my lesson they could sample the contents of the bags if they still wanted to after learning how to interpret the information on the nutrition labels. The lesson went well and the students were very focused. Amazing how the lure of receiving three or four chips kept the class engaged. Some of the students actually turned down the chips as they were passed around.
Image courtesy of: http://www.kettlebrand.com/site/files/traditionalChips.jpg
Sunday Trees – 168
……posting on Monday
After today’s snowstorm. By late afternoon the sun came out and our world became a winter wonderland. Check out Becca Givens’ site for more Sunday trees.
