3rd Graders Visit the Norman Rockwell Museum

On Friday and Monday Muddy Brook third graders are spending the day at the Norman Rockwell Museum in nearby Stockbridge.  We are on our second year of a wonderful community partnership with the museum, truly connecting our third graders with the art of storytelling through illustration and stories.  Later in the year Jerry Pinkney will visit our students thanks to museum and on Saturday, April 28th our students and families are invited to a free family day where our third graders will have their writing and artwork on display!

 Our docents Claire and Barbara shared lots of information about Mr. Rockwell's artistic process.

 The famous Main Street painting.

 We learned all about the Four Freedoms and how the museum layout was designed to highlight them.

 Students are reflecting deeply about these paintings in the classroom, it is an honor to see them up close in real life!

 Mrs. Williams was a model for Norman Rockwell!  She is now 88 years old.

 Rockwell's self-portrait often inspires other artists, like Tony DiTerlizzi (self-portrait on the left)!

 Patrick O'Donnell led the groups in a drawing exercise using shape and value to draw in the style of Tony DiTerlizzi.  

Tom Daly led classes on a walking tour of Main Street Stockbridge connecting the buildings to Rockwell history.  

Students also visited the archives with Venus Van Ness and viewed the Tony DiTerlizzi exhibition.  We had a wonderful day of learning!

Muddy Brook has an Attitude of Gratitude

Muddy Brook students and staff are kind, responsible, and hard working.  We are also thankful for many people, places, ideas, and abilities.  Children are sharing their attitudes of gratitude by adding a message of gratefulness to our coyote.

The First Snow with First Graders

Yesterday it began to snow.  Tiny flurries, but snow none the less.  It was exciting!  

 Immediately some artists sat down by the window, inspired by the view.

 Others went to tables and tried to capture their memories of snowy days.  

 Audrey titled this drawing "The Best Snow Day Ever!"

We had just looked at Grandma Moses's work, and closely at "Catchin the Turkey".  

I think Grandma would be proud.

Kinders and Cardboard

Last week kindergarten artists thought about the differences between 2D flat art and 3D sculptural art.  Students learned about cardboard and some basic attachments and were given the challenge to make their sculpture stand up on it's own.  They excitement in discovering ways to create with cardboard, wire, beads and paper strips was energizing!  After adding color with paint sticks, sculptures went home for display or to become a new toy to take apart and build again.  I'm looking forward to hearing from kids if they played with their creations.  We also started singing Hickory Dickory Dock to connect with music and the classroom.  Below are some pictures of problem solving in action.

Artist Books on Display

Last week was indeed busy!  Now that Halloween (and the full moon) are behind us we will be even more busy- November always flies by in a flash of holidays, thankfulness, and learning.  The school year is in full swing.  Students are confident in their classrooms and the studio.  Artists are stretching and exploring skills, techniques and media.  Great problem solving is happening as children create and navigate sharing space, materials and tools.

I installed an exhibit of artist books created in my Project Connection groups.  Project Connection bridges opportunity gaps, increases equity, and inspires students to be leaders in our community.  I teach PC two afternoons per week and flex part of my teaching day.  Students in grades 1-2 and 3-4 meet with me once per week to create art books this session.  It is great to share student work with members of our greater community!  Check out the art- and a book- at the Mason Public Library in Great Barrington until the 28th of November.