Back To School Sale

It will be here soon!! Back to School Sale at Teachers Pay Teachers!! www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/Gean-Mcwilliams

Christmas in July Sale for back to school

Hey Y'all! I'm having a Christmas in July Sale 10% off my back to school and beginning art projects!
WHEN? July 26-28. WHERE? www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/Gena-Mcwilliams
Here are a couple examples:

Fun Activities for Grandparents to do with their Grands

Summers are too short in my county. The children get out of public school at the end of May but they will be back in school the first week in August. A week in June is set for a vacation with one parent and the grandparents and another week in July is for vacation with the other parent and the other grandparents. Whew! With only3 weeks in June and July there isn’t much point in doing an enrichment camp, particularly since their school does an excellent job with providing plenty of enrichments during the school year.

My grands went to Camp GaGa (their name for me!) While at Camp GaGA, they have made a rocket ship, a pirate ship, a vending machine, a “ball” room, and now paper bag puppets. They have drawn landscapes and birds in their sketchbooks.  They studied science and wild life studies by catching fireflies at night, moths, and tiny baby tree frogs, put in jars with holes for air to breathe, and let go back into nature before going to bed.  They watched a pair of hawks soaring and hunting in the front yard and a fawn running all over the yard. The hummingbirds have been plenty!

While at two beaches there were sandcastles to learn how to build and tiny fish to hand catch in the tidal pools. Hermit crabs were found in seashells.  This grandmother had to hold a small jar of water with a conch shell and a hermit crab named Fred while the grands’ mother went in a store to learn how to take care of it. We did have to put Fred back onto the wild beach!

Camp GaGa  is coming to a fast end. Now is the time to review reading skills and number skills to get ready for back to school. Don’t forget those sight words, too!

Here is a  photo of the art we made at Camp GaGa!

How to Draw a Bird

Our elementary and preschools are teaching the recognition of geometric shapes. Art teachers also teach looking for shapes to draw and paint. Some art teachers have children put on their “shape” eyes when looking at an object to draw or paint.

Parents, grandparents, child keepers help reinforce children’s learning of shapes in school. The following is an example of one of my interactions with my grandson.

Yesterday Bishop sat in front of our picture window and said he wanted to draw a bird. He had gotten his sketchbook out and his crayons.

Bishop asked, “ GaGa, will you help me draw a bird?”

Me: “First draw an oval.”

 He did.

“Next draw a circle for the head.”

He did.

“Draw triangles for the wings.”

 He did.

“Draw another one for the tail.”

He did.  He added the legs, eyes, and beak without directions from me. He also added the limb and the tree on his own and colored it!

For another directed drawing lesson click here:

www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Drawing-with-Beginners-398360

Directing children to draw using lines and shapes not only reinforces math concepts of geometric shapes that are taught in school but also demystifies the act of drawing for some.

Mizz Mac has taught children's art for over 25 years and sells art projects and art lesson plans on her store:

www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/Gena-Mcwilliams