Three of Beatrix Potter's stories were catalysts for a scientific experiment by the Kindergartners. Although Peter (from the Peter Rabbit story) was too ill after his adventure to enjoy milk, fresh berries and currant loaves, his three sisters had their fill not before, however, their mother gave them an unsuccessful charge not to stain their aprons! In Benjamin Bunny, Peter and his cousin Benjamin attempted to carry a red handkerchief full of fragrant onions freshly picked from Mr. Mac Gregor's garden. The third story, Mrs. Tiggy Winkle, written a few years later, introduced a prickly but gentile launderer who had the task of attempting to remove the berry stains and the onion scent from those very same garments!
Using carrots, yellow and red onions, black berries, strawberries (fresh and overly ripe), and beets and stems, Kindergartners chopped vegetables and fruits, ground them into paste using a mortar and pestle, and began some natural "fabric dyeing" of their own. The results were quite interesting. Ks commented on how some of the produce emitted more stain than others and some pigment was very difficult to extract. Our end result, however, was nothing short of pocket sized works of art!
Kindergartners also used vegetables (cabbages, beets, radishes and red onions) sliced lengthwise as stampers to create beautiful India ink canvas prints!
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| "Cabbage Prints" on canvas |
None of our produce went to waste either. The leftover vegetables (except the onions, goats do not like onions) went home to Kindergartner Etienne's Farm and provided a delicious meal for their goats!
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Considering that Beatrix Potter was an artist, innovator, naturalist, and caretaker of award- winning Herwick sheep, I think that she would have been pleased with our Author/Illustrator to Circle/Cycle of Life theme units which contained so many of her passions!
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| Scottish Blackface ram, Beatrix Potter, 1895 both sketches from Beatrix Potter's Art by Anne Stevenson Hobbs |
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