Arrow to the Sun "Kiva" (challenge chambers) sketches
We listened to Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Tale by Gerald McDermott. It is a hero story of sorts with a young boy who attempts a special and personal quest. The Kindergartners reviewed the sequence of the story by designing the four "kiva" chamber challenges. The boy had to master these challenges in order to prove who he was to the Sky God. The children had the opportunity to also create and design their own kiva challenge.
While observing the illustrations of Arrow to the Sun, we noticed one icon was repeated throughout the story. Mr. McDermott used a cross- section of a cob of corn as the symbol of "life." McDermott noted that historically, the Pueblo people cultivated corn as a major crop. Later, we used slices of a corn cob to stamp paint. Other cobs of corn were sliced and added with other chopped vegetables to create "Cactus Soup" by Eric Kimmel (yet another type of "trickster" tale.)
Corn Cob paintings resembling the cross-cut section design for the boy in Arrow to the Sun.
We read the story Cactus Soup by Eric Kimmel during Circle Time and discussed its setting, Mexico. We noted that it was another Southwest trickster tale and was similar to Stone Soup. Mexican soldiers tap into a village's kindness and hidden food storage in order to create a meal fit for a fiesta. Kindergartners chopped potatoes, carrots, and celery and even added a cactus thorn graciously donated by Teacher Elaine. We later added onions, garlic, broccoli, red and orange peppers, and shallots. We even added some of the corn on the cob used in our art activity. The scent of soup permeated throughout the building all afternoon. A special thank you to Mrs. Carpenter for the use of her crock pot. We served up delicious "Cactus Soup" and crusty bread for P.M. snack.
On Thursday "K Buddies" began with yet another trickster tale, Monkey: A Trickster Tale from India retold by Gerald McDermott. Some giggled as monkey outsmarted a very hungry crocodile over and over. First and Second graders worked with the Kindergartners to compose their own trickster stories and draw Buddy illustrations. Pairs then "read" or acted out their tales to the group. It was exciting to listen to the creativity and watch the tricky teamwork in action.
Totem Stories
On Thursday, Kindergartners listened to Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest by Gerald McDermott. This book also received the esteemed Caldecott metal of honor. (The children are very quick to point this out!) This story empowered us to use our skills with identifying symbols, comparing names of Supreme beings, identifying American Indian "plank" houses, and the art of depicting stories and capturing family history on "Totem Poles." Afterward, we wrote our own "totem" stories with one child pointing out that stories can be told not just with words on a page but by using pictures! We also discussed the "oral tradition" of telling stories by mouth and passing them down from generation to generation.
Speaking of which, the Kindergarten Class desires that any Parent or Family come in and share your Family's Tradition throughout the month of December! Just let me know what day and time works best for you!
Andy's (Warhol) Can Count-33 (11/22/11)
Thanksgiving Feast!!! A special Thank You to all of the Parents, Grandparents, Friends and SK Staff and Chelsea (our Project Outreach volunteer ) who attended, brought/sent food, feasted, prepared dishes or just wished us well today!!!
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