Tuesday, January 20, 2009

New Bridge and Our First Winter Snow

Wooooo-Hooo! It's been a long wait but overnight it began to snow. At five thirty a.m. I looked out the window, and there appeared to be over an inch of snow. By 7:00 a.m., there was at least two inches. It's continues to snow... our area could get as much as three or four inches... another big wooo-hooo~!



It's below freezing temperatures, so I'm expecting that even by tomorrow, the snow will still be with us. I'm more excited for the kids in our area than myself. The last significant snowfall we had was years ago... and an overnight dusting a couple of months ago.
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This month, kindergartners are painting a snowman scene with tempera paint, and first graders are painting a polar bear scene... also using white tempera paint. This is a convenient arrangement, as I have the kinders before the first graders, so I can leave out the plastic disposable cups with white paint out for the next class. Here's a tip to save money in the classroom: I get the disposable cups from the cafeteria... before the kids can toss them in the trash I collect them in a dish basin. Then, with about 150-200 cups, I carry them to my classroom, and as soon as students leave the building, I wash them. It's my contribution to reusing and recycling of plastic.
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When I asked a group of kindergartners to raise their hands if they had ever built a snowman, nearly all of them raised their hands... an unexpected response as we really haven't had much snow during the past five or six years. How could they have built a snowman, I wondered.
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When I repeated this story to my friend and her daughter, they reminded me that we'd had enough snow to build a snowman the last time it snowed, but it had to be done late at night because it was gone by end of the next day. Okay, so I missed that one. I don't build snowmen in the dark anymore.
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Things have been warming up pretty good in my classroom, though. Second grade students have finished their warm hues painting... actually, an oil pastel and watercolor resist. The various suns and star-like images are hung throughout the school.


Some kids added facial features to their sun image, as this student (above) is doing here. Oil pastels are not tricky to work with... they are a leap above crayons when comparing quality of color and blend-ability. Oh, but I do love crayons, the marks they can make on a paper, as well as their clean convenience, however, oil pastels can spread like butter. Despite that oil pastels can be messy, they certainly do leave vibrant colors on the paper, and allow for a variety of applications. You can draw with oil pastels in much the same manner as with crayons, but you can also develop a painting style with them by blending the colors with your finger or with a paper towel or wax paper.


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After they drew their sun/star image, they had to continue radiation-like lines or shapes that filled their paper, all the way to the edges. Only warm hues were used because that was our focus in this lesson. Black watercolor was the final treatment. The reds, oranges, and yellows just popped right off the page!



Sometimes art teachers will model a painting or drawing before students paint to show them how it's done. There are times when we don't like to model a particular drawing or design because we don't want to encourage copying... we'd like them to rely on their own imaginations. In this case, I did model a sun image to show them the steps of watercolor resist. However, the results of their own work surpass the one I did by a long shot. The one above and this one below are two examples that stand out as being spectacular!


Yesterday, though it was cold at 48 degrees, Alyson, Marlene and I walked to the new bridge. We are now calling it "Our New Bridge"... we walked across it for the first time since the road/bridge crew started working on it in August of 2008. It's less than half of a mile from our homes, but it's a very hilly walk... good for the legs and heart.


You can see in this photo (above) that the concrete 'floor' is completed, as well as one metal rail (on the right). Close-up below, and the only construction vehicle is this great shovel at one end of the bridge. Further back is a port-a-potty, a huge box, and a few odds and ends of materials. For the most part, the bridge looks completed. The bridge builder happened to be there, and he answered our questions. He told us our bridge cost a million dollars...! That's taxpayer's money at work. I'm not even going to get into the discussion the three of us had about that. I have no idea why we needed such a grand bridge out here in the country, but it may have something to do with future expectations for the area. I'll have to look into that.


We love our new bridge, and plan to continue taking walks from time to time for our own good health and friendship. Can't wait for it to open up to traffic, possibly by early May.

Speaking of new bridges, I am so excited that it snowed today for one reason: it's Inauguration Day! That means I can watch the event on TV... had we been in school I would probably have missed it because I had my tv removed back in December. I didn't feel that I needed a tv when I much rather would have the space it occupied for other more practical things, like storage space. So it was removed.

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I know some of you are chuckling about our miniscule snow fall, especially if you live up north and east, and you Canada folks... but here in North Carolina, we love our little snowfalls. It feels like a real winter when we get snow, unlike those fake winters where it just gets cold and rainy.

20 comments:

  1. Thanks for getting us back to normal Bea..I do love seeing what the children have been up to. I think that first picture especially would make the most lovely wall hanging...
    Glad that you have had a wee fall of snow..it is the kind that I don't mind...I sure wouldn't like to be living elsewhere in Canada and US where they are almost froze to death..poor things..
    It will be good when they get the "new" bridge open in the spring...will save you a few miles driving. But at some cost !! as you say I think you should watch out for plannng applications in the surrounding area..
    Keep warm. I have had a wonderful few hours watching the inagreation of your new President. It was really wonderful. I wish him every blessing. he is sure going to need every bit of his faith in the comming months. We must ALL help him by loving our neighours...whatever colour, religion, etc.
    Love Sybil xx

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  2. Gee Bea!Happy New Year and Happy Innaguration Day!
    Thank you for being my dear friend here!:)
    You make my heart shine!:):)
    I love you sweetness and light!:)
    Your students' suns are stunning! The work is cleverly executed, very unique and it shows plainly what great cre you take in helping these geniuses along!love,natalie

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  3. Well you got more snow than we did! I'm glad you got to be off today and had a nice day. I love when you share your kids' art projects with us, too. Thank you for your kind comment about our dog, Fancy. I really appreciate that.

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  4. I'm so glad you had the day off so you could watch the coverage! I'm just a mess, but I wept much less than I expected to. LOL

    I remember really enjoying oil pastels, too. They were so creamy.

    Hugs, Beth

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  5. Oh those sun paintings are vibrant and beautiful. I love your photos of art work the kids do. They are inspiring. After seeing photos of snow in places like Cape Cod I think it is quite all right that your snowfall is more modest. I can only feel sorry for so many people. Utah was sort of in a long drought in the last years I lived there so no snowmen for us either. I spent an early October in Utah when my mother died, and the fall colors in the town were so glorious, it looked like all the trees had gotten dressed up for a long time citizen's last trip home. And then the beauty of snow, if I could just tolerate cold better, but I can't. Good that you were unbusy enough to say hello! Gerry

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  6. I did get to listen to a lot of the coverage on the radio. Glad that you finally got to cross the bridge :o)

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  7. Do you put lemon or milk in your tea?
    Joyce

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  8. Snow is even rarer in the Scottish islands, Bea. I'm pleased your bridge is nearing completion.

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  9. We received 4 to 5 inches of snow in Raleigh! It was so beautiful as it fell. What a timely pairing with your upcoming art assignment!

    The oil pastels and watercolor resists are lovely. I continue to be bowled over by your creativity and the wonderful works that you inspire your students to complete.

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  10. (((Bea)))
    I also think the snow is beautiful! Living here in Las Vegas I have missed the cold weather & snow storms (Reno/S.Lake Tahoe, NV). But we did get our freak storm this year around Christmas. Even making national news! (lol)
    You have some very creative kids there. There pictures and colors are awesome!

    Take good care & sorry I haven't posted a comment sooner :)
    Huggers, Gayla

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  11. "Snow days" are for teachers, too! Glad you got to enjoy yours.

    Caregivingly Yours, Patrick
    http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/

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  12. I just wrote you and should've checked over here first. I'd missed you. I so love seeing what you've done with the children. I would love to try that one with Katie. She loves painting so.

    Your new bridge would have caused me questions of who's thinking of building out there later, why call tearing up the countryside progress.

    I miss the snow in NC. Here in Cartersville, we only got a dusting. Do you remember the winter of '99 where we got three feet of snow then ice on top? I was there then and it was bad for many. I miss depth of snow. Glad you measured it. I used to measure.

    I had missed you very much,
    Nelishia

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  13. You do realize, don't you, that you wrote about a new bridge on your New Bridge blog...lol...

    The art work you show us is inspiring.

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  14. Our snow last month, many parent woke thier children up in the middle of the night to see it. Some let them play in it in the night. Folks were calling people before dawn saying "Look outside, it's snowing!" It was an EVENT. ;o)

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  15. I admit, when I first started reading I was thinking...."First snow? An inch? In Jan...." but now I get it. I'm glad snow came to your world and you got to enjoy it and our new Presidents day.
    I adored the art you shared of the kids.
    Rebecca

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  16. Snow, kids, new presidents....and a comet heading our way in February. Life is lovely.

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  17. hey ! How's that big bridge going!
    love,natalie

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  18. Psst...are you coming back??~~
    I hope all is well in your parts.
    Rebecca

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  19. Nice blog, and I love to make things too. Among other things I love to do carpentry, wood carving, welding, and Journalism. I write a Christian based Journal which also helps other disabled combat Vets struggle against the corrupt VA system.

    Cordially,
    Tom S
    tschuckman@aol.com

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  20. hugs Bea! Happy Easter! Hope you have a great church service and a nice holiday!
    love,natalie

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