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Tangram Tales Residency @ Strehle Elementary – Day 7 – Thursday, January 22, 2009

4th grader in Ms. Creecy's class makes a mountain Tangram - 1-22-09

Friends:

Today marked Day 7 at Strehle with my Tangram Tales residency. I began in Ms. Creecy’s 4th grade class. They were a great group. They created a fantastic rap with beats for the story chorus, with Nelbert leading on the beats. It was so much fun. Congratulations to Gavin and Chase, who performed their parts without a script. Ms. Dianne is so proud of you! Ms. Creecy’s class did a phenomenal job today! Yay!

Ms. Clausing's Kindergarteners listen to "Tiger's Tale, Anansi's Stories" - 1-22-09

From 4th grade, I went to Ms. Clausing’s kindergarten class. They were as enthusiastic as ever, participating in the story. They enjoyed manipulating the Tangrams and were more skilled since it was my second visit to their class.

I then went to my second Kindergarten class, Ms. King’s class. I told “Tiger’s Tale, Anansi’s Stories,” a tale from the West Indies. Ms. King is a delight and the kids had so much fun, rocking to my story chorus “Hey mon, hey mon. Feel the story beat! Hey mon, hey mon. Feel the story beat.” They enjoyed it so much that nearly the entire class got up to dance to the story beat!

Ms. King’s Kindergarten class dances to the story beat! 1-22-09

Ms. Till’s 3rd grade class was right before lunch. They did a great job rehearsing their story, “The Cat and the Rooster,” a tale from the Ukraine. I loved the way the story chorus came together on their parts. One of the students showed me a Tangram that she invented on her own, outside of the classroom. Wow!

Diamond flower invented by 3rd grader in Ms. Till's class - 1-22-09

After lunch, I went to Ms. Walter’s 5th grade class. The students were wound up and unfortunately, one of the students had to be disciplined and sent to the office. After that, the class was great. They made it through their entire script. I love their story, “It Could Always Be Worse,” a Yiddish tale. We had so much fun with the story chorus, which the students gave their own flavor by rapping it and adding a fun beat. I can’t wait to see how their class performs on Tuesday!

After 5th grade, I went to Ms. Hoadley’s 2nd grade class. They were so much fun, really getting into the story and their Tangram creations. Ms. Hoadley was so inspired by the Tangrams that she told me she is going to create a “Wild About Tangrams” bulletin board. How cool is that?!! Thank you, Ms. Hoadley!

Ms. Dianne & Ms. Hoadley, 2nd grade teacher - 1-22-09

My last class was Ms. Lankard’s 2nd grade class. They also enjoyed the story and invented some very creative Tangrams. Check out this rocket!

2nd grader in Ms. Lankard's class invents rocket Tangram - 1-22-09

One of the highlights of my day was when Carla Short, a 1st grade teacher, delivered a sweet treat to me… homemade pralines!! Mmm. Mmm. Mmm! They were so delicious – the best I have ever tasted. Ms. Short, did I ever tell you that you are sweeter than pralines?!!

Carla Short, 1st grade teacher & Dianne - 1-22-09

Then, Ms. Pat, a pre-K teacher and the coordinator of the arts grant that brought me to Strehle, showed me some extension lessons that one of the teachers had done with her students. 1st grade teacher, Ms. Hervey, had her students trace their Tangram shapes and color them, creating gorgeous Tangram pictures.