Herbal Correspondence Course, “Optimum Winters Health” Blazing Star Herbal School Now accepting students http://ow.ly/3cM1r #westernma
Week 24, Day 47: March 24, 2009
Spring is here, albeit brief reminders that we live in New England, and the sun and warmth are still very sporadic! In the morning, we still have fire in the wood stove, but by afternoon, we are outdoors for 30 minutes or so, playing among the rocks, forsythia huts, the fairy (fire) circle, and the beech grove.
We are using our number lines in math to solve number sentences in addition and subtraction. Friends work in pairs to solve problems, check their work, and make progress. We are working on focus—being able to sit for 20 to 30 minutes and work on various tasks, and not be distracted by other friends and their words/work. It is a challenge, but needs to be learned!
We have started our story about Japan that we will perform for Ruth on Friday, April 3rd, at our next visit. (It is a collective story that friends each contribute to, and it incorporates some of the aspects of Japan we have learned.) Today we also began assembly of our Emperor and Empress puppets (I suspect some of them will be villagers for the puppet show, as not everyone can be the BIG cheeses!), adding color to their faces, and collars so they can be attached to their kimonos.
We have been singing and signing together each day. Ask your friends about the songs, “Heart of the World,” “Valley of Vegetables,” and “My Teacher’s got a Skunk on her Head.” (The first is by Sarah Pirtle, the latter two by Laurie Berkner.) We are getting ready for a show/concert at Elmer’s on Saturday, May 30th. (Mark your calendars and invite your friends and relatives!)
Our reading of Gaia Girls by Lee Welles continues. Friends are learning about the factory farming of pigs, its impact on the environment, and how the earth is the recipient of all of our collective blunders. The story has some very poetic and magical aspects (The main character, Elizabeth, can travel through the root systems of trees, has been transported to a fairy circle filled with concentric circles of violets and buttercups, and converses with Gaia, who has transformed herself into a talking otter.), and friends are learning to listen to the song of the trees and the babbling snow runoff.
April is National Poetry Month, and we’ll be playing more rhyming games with small words, and working on our Peace Travelers Alphabet Book.
The Future of CAM-A Sale
As many of you know already The Children's Art Museum is undergoing some transition. Due to financial stress we have decided to let our physical space go (as much as we do love it) We will continue to run/sponsor all kinds of family friendly Arts events in the Hilltowns and our Blog Studiocam will stay current (just as soon as the transition is over) As we are downsizing we have lots of excess Art and craft supplies and Children's book for Sale. The sale is a fundraiser to help us catch up with some overdue expenses. If you have any good quality toys, games, books and art supplies that you would like to donate to the sale please contact me. I am also looking for some volunteers the day of the sale to help keep things organized. If you are interested please contact me. Thanks in advance...... -Tony(a) Lemos (and everyone one else who is invilved with CAM) The Children’s Art Museum Buckland Side/Shelburne Falls, MA (same building as the trolley museum) Art &Craft Supply & Children’s Book Sale Sat May 17 9:30am-1:00pm For more info 413.625.2030 This event is a fundraising event to help us transition tour next stage of being. If you have quality art supplies or children’s books that you would like to donate please email me
Celebrate Japanese Girl’s Day with a Mother/Daughter Tea
Hilltown Families and CAM present a special Mother/Daughter Tea this Friday, February 29th at 4pm, just prior to Japan’s National Girls Day at the Children’s Art Museum in Shelburne Falls, MA (same building as the Trolley Museum).
This Mother/Daughter Tea is a community celebration to honor happiness and health of our girls. Peach Blossom tea and symbolic snacks will be served. Participants are encouraged to dress festively and to bring a snack to share, especially snacks that are pink (implies peach flowers), white (implies snow), and green (implies new growth) foods, fruit, sweet rice cakes, and vegetable sushi.
Collectively, participants can create a display to honor girls with small objects, pictures or poems brought from home. All are welcome to add to the display and to offer a word or two about their contribution.
Japan’s National Girls Day is also know as the Japanese Doll Festival, or Hinamatsuri. Girls are welcomed to bring along their favorite doll. Our craft will be Kokeshi Dolls, traditional wooden Japanese dolls (pictured above). All ages are welcomed. Pre-registration is required ($). Click here reserve your spot, or call 413.625.2030.
Suggested Titles:
- Japanese Celebrations: Cherry Blossoms, Lanterns And Stars! by Betty Reynolds
- Tea Ceremony: Asian arts & crafts for creative kids by Shozo Sato, Alice Ogura Sato, Masturah Jeffrey (Illustrator)
- Best-Loved Children’s Songs from Japanby Yoko Imoto
- Girl’s Day in Hawaii with Yuki-chanby Tokie Ikeda Ching, Sets Arai (Illustrator)
This week at CAM- VACATION WEEK!
MONDAY 10AM-NOON
PUPPETS AND STORY TELLING
A morning of Simple Puppets and Storytelling. $8
All ages welcome (under 7 years must bring an adult)
***Call to register 413 625 2030 and check in about the weather***
MONDAY 2-4PM
CREATE AND MAKE A SOFTIE CREATURE $12
All ages welcome (under 7 years must bring an adult)
***Call to register 413 625 2030 and check in about the weather***
WEDNESDAY 10-12PM
ART AND CULTURE: Paper Dolls Around the World. Come and Make paper dolls while exploring colors and textiles from around the world. $10
All ages welcome (under 7 years must bring an adult)
***Call to register 413 625 2030 and check in about the weather***
This week at CAM
Friday Feb 8th Valentine card and Gift Making
4-6pm $10 per family
All ages (under 7 years must bring an adult)
Sunday Feb 10th Matryoska Madness (co-sponsored by Hilltown families)
10am-12:30pm pm $18 (per doll set made)
Spend an afternoon listening to magical stories and making your own Matryoska Dolls(these are the Russian Nesting dolls)
All ages (under 7 years must bring an adult)
**A few spaces still available**
A Bilingual Concert
3pm $10 per family All ages
Performing traditional and original songs in English and Spanish, Canto for Kids engages young children and their parents in an interactive program that is both fun and educational. The program encourages participation through catchy melodies, simple phrases, and movement. Come sing along and have fun!
Please call to register for all classes and events
413 625 2030
Sand Mandalas and Prayer Flags
Here are a few photos from todays class creating Sand Mandalas and Prayer Flags.Here is a list of some of the books we read (thanks Erica!)
POSTPONED AND RESCHEDULED:Exploring Tibetan Culture with Sand Mandalas
Exploring Tibetan Culture with Sand Mandalas
NEW DATE ANDTIME
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 3RD
10AM
SEE YOU THERE!!
Peace Birds on MLK Day
This coming Monday , MLK Day we are going to have a special crafting session at CAM (It will kick off our Monday afternoon series but youattend as a one off class)
Monday Jan 21, 2008
2-4pm
$10 per family
(All ages welcome)
Birds for Peace
We will make a beautiful bird “Peace” garland for post holiday home-decorating. We will also create a beautiful bird scene applique that can be sewn onto a child’s item of clothing. (Don’t forget to bring an item of clothing to embellish……it can be a wool sweater (felted is fine) or as weatshirt, a dress. Ideally something thicker than a cotton t-shirt butif that is what you have we’ll make it work)
No sewing skill is necessary.
If you have a sewing kit bring it.
If you have fabric/ felt scraps, we’ll use them!
“LOVE IS THE KEY TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE WORLD” MLK
Homeschool Wednesdays
I thought I would share some of the activities we have been up to recently in our homeschool coop. My daughter and I recently read the book “Me on the Map” by Jane Sweeney. A very simple and sweet book that encourages the cartographer in everyone! A great introduction to the world and maps. Thus this lesson plan was created. First we read the book………..It was a hit! Next I gave the group a list that looked something like this
- A airport
- A dump
- A train track/station
- A residential street
- A CSA
- A soccer field
- A horse farm
- A pond
- A hospital
- A school
- A church
and a bucket of toys. Their task was to create a village / town that included all the above. Once the town was created, they were given a large piece of paper and some markers to draw a map of the town. Once this was completed I pulled out this 24 piece “Our world floor puzzle” made by Barefoot books which they worked together to complete. Once completed with talked about the Countries and the Continents and looked for various sites that were pictured on the puzzle.
The next book was
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“My Granny Went to Market A Round-the-World Counting Rhyme” by Stella Blackstone
Next we began making a”Papier-mâché” globe.
What is “Papier-mâché” you ask?
It is French for “chewed up paper!”
We began layering a balloon with our newspaper scraps and using a simple flour water paste to adhere. Once this dried it was painted to look like a globe.
The last book we read was Marjorie Priceman’s “How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World “
The last activity we did was play a round of “Great States Jr”
Our group consists of 4-7 year olds. We are presently looking for a few more families to join us.
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