Wrapping Up Session 2 at Beeman!

It is hard to believe that we are wrapping up our second session of ELP this year, where has the time gone?! We have really enjoyed learning new games, songs, and about different cultures for these first two sessions at Beeman Elementary. This week we will be celebrating our time together by bring both Travel to Africa and Card Club together so that we can share our learning with one another.

Card Club is going to be teaching the K-3 group how to play 21! We are really looking forward to playing this game together and hearing from the Card Club all of the cool games they learned and played this session!

Travel to Africa is going to teach the Card Club an African game called “Mbube Mbube”. This is a game where students are in a circle and two volunteers go to the middle. One is blindfolded while the other is not, the circle then quietly chants mbube increasing their volume as the blindfolded person comes closer to the person who is free. Students really enjoyed this game and learned about it’s origins in Africa.

Well, Look At THAT!! 

The optical illusion class are doing so many cool projects. Every time I visit this class I am amazed by the focus and the excitement for what is being created. This week the class was making their own kaleidoscopes. The finished product was amazing and beautiful - they really worked!

Check out the pictures below to see them in action.

Beating the Temps :)

Brrr! This week we had our first day where we were not able to go outside due to the below zero temperatures... Fortunately we had our awesome teachers leading us in alternative activities that helped us to forget the cold! Mr. Flood's group focused on students selections this week and I was excited to get in on a very boisterous game of UNO. Students have grown really close in this small group of students, many of whom have been in both sessions one and two. They are courteous and positive about both winning and losing and have gained some serious skill since the fall, bravo!

Africa put the finishing touches on their drums this week and made some seriously cool art! They used their hands to print on black paper and then filled in the hands with designs similar to parts of Southern Africa where this is a large part of their culture and their style.

Both groups are really looking forward to next week when we will join together and share games and songs from our workshops this session!

December Festivities at Robinson

We've had some amazing weeks so far in December at the Robinson ELP Program.  Workshops like Violin 2, Crazy 8's, and Spanish Theater have been churning right along and some impressive things have been created, discovered, and learned!  We wrap up Session 2 next week and are looking forward to the 3rd Session that starts up on January 9th after the break.

BREAKING NEWS!!!  There will be a performance from the musicians in Violin 2 at MARS on Wednesday, December 21st at 8:00 AM.

Here are some shots from the past few weeks, enjoy!

Dream Catchers starting to take form in Mixed Media Art

Dos chicas getting taking a break between scenes in Spanish theater.

CRAZY 8 SUPERSTARS!!!

A glowing creation from Olders' Crazy 8's....what is that???

Stay tuned for more from Robinson ELP and have a wonderful Holiday Break!

Beeman Catching Up

Last week was another wonderful week at Beeman! I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of time with the card club and play some of their games with them. They have been learning Spit, Gin Rummy, 21, and by popular request War. Students have been really enjoying working together and sharing their new games with other friends in school! Travel to Africa has been learning new games and songs as well as making projects. I love that each workshop I spend with this crew they are always involved and invested in what they are doing. This past week students worked with paper mache and paint to create their own drums!

This weeks spotlight on Movement and Nutrition at Bristol

This week we visit our Movement and Nutrition class taught by Kristi Bedard. Each time I visit this class I have a hard time leaving because I end up having so much fun, I know the kids are enjoying it as much as I am! This week Kristi introduced vegetable twister, favorite food memory, and yoga.

The favorite food memory game gave the students a great opening to talk about the fresh food that they enjoy eating.  All the kids felt proud that they had a favorite healthy food! 

 

Vegetable twister!!! The kids enjoyed twisting their bodies while learning their vegetables, so fun!

 

 The kids ended their day with more movement by learning some yoga. With soft music and dimmed lights the children learned yoga poses to help them center and calm their bodies.

 

 

Engaging in Our Workshops

Greetings Everyone!

This has been another fantastic week at Beeman. Students are excited and talking about their workshops throughout the week, so COOL to hear! I have been struck again and again with how much the students are enjoying their time in ELP and, because of that enjoyment, they are learning a lot too! It sincerely warms my heart to see and hear students so excited to spend time as an after school group, whether it is chatting during snack, playing at the recess, or listening to their instructors lead a story, I see engagement. It is a great reminder that we are good at what we love and we love what we are good at. Beeman is an extra fun place to be these days.

Spotlight on Mindfulness workshop at Bristol ELP

Great things are happening in the Mindfulness workshop in Bristol Elementary!  

Masanori Kayoi introduces ways for calming the body and mind in a fun, engaging atmosphere. The children practice various breathing techniques, movement, and creative play. Upon entering the Mindfulness classroom I was instantly at ease due to the experience of aromatherapy Masa set up for the students.

Samples of coffee, lavender, cinnamon, ginger and lemon. The kids were asked to sniff them all and decide what made them feel good!

To help the children settle Masa handed out "glitter jars" to shake.  As the glitter settled so do the students. This was such a beautiful and peaceful thing to watch. Students went from up and excited to laying on their bellies calmly watching the glitter settle. Try this at home!!!!

Paper helicopters!! A great thing to try at home, the students made their own paper helicopter. Throw it up in the air and watch it slowly twist and settle down to the earth. Another great way to focus attention and move the body!

At the end of class the children picked a "breathing buddy" and chose a place on the floor to lay comfortably and safely, They placed the stuffed animal on their bellies to watch rise and fall with their breath. The room was quiet, Masa's voice was soft and the children were reminded that this feeling was always accessible.

 Learning these tools to obtain relaxation helps students become better prepared to handle stressful situations and gives them confidence in themselves. This is such a valuable class, thank you Masa!!