Paper airplanes is one of my favorrite classes... it always turns into shreiking and laughing once all the hard work of folding is done and the planes get to take flight.  I love the book below because it has so many differnt types of airplanes to fold. We folded some "Standards", some "Masters", and some of the PC1's even tried a "Hog nosed plane". I tried to capture some of the flying on video, but I didn't get great shots, oh well :)
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This week we tried to settle into our new space- the foyer near the library. It's not ideal, but none of the kids seem to mind and it.
This week we did accordion books, so named because instead of being bound, the books' inside pages are folded back and forth and expand/colapse like an accordian, I guess...?
I expected more variation of styles but everyone in both classes chose to use the same paper and more-or-less the same ideas. This was a good project for us to practice following step by step instructions, along with measuring, folding, cutting, glueing and decorating.
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Fiesta! 12/15/2010
 
So we had our last class- it was awesome!
Unfortunatly, I have no pictures to share becuase I droped my camera at the begining of class and broke it :(
But I will give you the highlights...
In PC1, our beautiful square shaped pinata was unvaieled. One side had a big multi-colored peace sign, and the other side had the words "I love MX" , it was truely beautiful. This was a pull string pinata, rigged to be opened as the children pulled the stings at the bottom.... There were 20 something strings hanging from that thing, and wouldn't you know it that Zoe, on the very first turn, picked the sting the opened the pinata! Sort-of anti-climatic, but fun none the less.
In PC2 our fluffy pink bunny pinata met its end with a broom stick handle and lots of whacking. The children took lots of turns each trying to break it open, while Laurens dad held it up for us (did i mention that it was raining and we had to be inside?) the whole time- thank you super dad!
Both classes were wonderful, I had such a great time planning all the projects and I learned so much from each session. I can't wait for spring 2011, I've got l've got lot's more ideas and I can't wait to try them out with all your wonderfully creative children...
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So these pinatas turned out to be way more work than I realized. I guess one of the reasons it's going to slow is because each week I always want to do not one, but 2 projects. The kids need to be kept interested and sometimes large, detailed projects can loose them. Oh well, live and learn...., I think next time (spring 2011) I will not do a long, drawn out project but instead focus on mini-long projects that may take 2 or three weeks to finish. Also, we will for sure be making our own paper in the spring, something we just didn't get around to this time.

....Because we have been so busy getting ready for our holiday party! I'm a sucker for entertaining and it only seemed natural to end this session with a bang! This week we continued working on our pinatas (btw, the kids are overly excited about candy, but I keep telling them that I never said the pinatas will be filled with candy. I said that they will be filled with "treats"...) and started some stellar invites. We're in the festive mood and the kids will be sending out invites to anyone in the MX community that they want to invite. It should be fun, we will have some festive decorations, good eats, and of course, crack open these darn pinatas.

Save the date:
What: Our last class and 1st Annual PaperCrafts Holiday Party
Where: Outside in the yard and in Ms.Cannon's rm 112
When: Tuesday December 14
PC 1 from 1:45 to 2:15
PC 2 from 2:45 to 3:15

I had the hardest time with the slideshow this week, the photos are not in order and some of the captions don't show, but enjoy anyway!


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Beads and Dolls 11/19/2010
 
Pinata update- we are took the week off from working on them.
PC1 will definitely do the messy paper mache part next week.
PC2 will work on adding ears and limbs and repairing a tear!


PC1 did paper "doll", or peeps as I like to call them, this week. I brought a variety of papers and let them choose a pre-cut out person shape in the skin tone of their choice (every one but me tried to pick a peep that "matched" their own sin tone...?).
The challenge was to not use any markers/pens, but only paper for the details- similar to the masks. We ended up using markers to trace shapes, but all in all I thought they did really well using their imaginations and only the paper for details.
PC2 made paper beads from colorful magazine pages.
Everybody did so well with this craft. It is a little tricky to start out the beads, and you have to hold them tight in your fingers while you are rolling.
Nile was a superstar bead maker and made like, 12 or 15! Because this craft is simple and a tad monotonous, the group got a little loud and wild. I wish that they made a few more beads each so that we could have made full necklaces, but what we have is great and is still impressive.
You can do this craft at home with old magazines- just cut the pages into long isosceles triangles and use a chopstick or a bamboo skewer to wrap them around (start with the wide side). Seal the tail with a dab of glue stick and you can coat with "modge-podge" (available at any craft store) for a glossy finish.
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Papel Picado 11/02/2010
 
Today was a gorgeous fall today. Almost too warm to be November. In both classes our project today was papel picado- a festive Mexican folk craft of "punched paper".  The cut sheets are stung together to form banners are are used to celebrate all sorts of different occasions. We made both large pieces and small pieces which I will string together and use for decorations for our end of class party (PC1 got their small ones strung already, I will have PC2 small banners by the next class, 11/17).

In PC2 we had enough time to also cover a couple of balloons in paper mache. We'll see how they dry up and take it from there next class.

I fear that I picked too many projects for this session. I wish I had each group for a whole hour! Then we could really get some amazing things made! But, I have to make do with what time we do have, and it looks like our pinatas are going to take up most of our time in the next 4 classes (last class is for partying).  We'll see......

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Well Halloween is in the air..... I don't know how the regular teachers can stand it! There is so much excitement about costumes and candy it is hard to focus those little minds.

We finished our masks today. In both groups all the kids could of/would of used more time if it was available. They seemed to really get into selecting bits and pieces to carefully arrange. It was hard to get them to stop and clean up so we could talk pinatas(we started the frame in PC1 and PC2 decided on a bunny- paper mache mess next week).

Enjoy the pictures below of their mask creations. I love how even though some of the shapes are similar they are all so different. The next time I teach this project I will use pencils, challenge the children to cover their entire surface area in paper and limit the amount of paper scrap choices (there were just too many!).
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First things first-
The outstanding pinata vote from last week has been resolved.
PC1 will make a square shaped pinata with designs on both sides.
PC2 will make an animal shaped pinata, species to be determined later.

Today we started some paper masks. A Halloween inspired project for sure. The challenge was to use paper to decorate the masks entirely- no markers, no paint or other additions. Just paper.
I gave PC pre designed templates because we have what seems like so much less time than the next class. Also I thought it would be good cutting practice for them and I didn't want to stress them out about having to come up with something all on their own. PC2 had to design their own templates and then trace them on to card-stock.
Both groups got a little stuck for ideas, so I think next week when we finish them up I will bring more examples of how we can use paper to embellish them.
Check out what we have so far:

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So week 2 went a little smoother, everyone knew where to go (room 112) and what to expect. the only difference this week was that it was soooooooo hot.
Both PC1&2 started with a group discussion of possible pinata plans (say that 5 times fast!). Neither group was able to come to a decision (turns out that the kindergartners don't know how to take a vote yet....). I will narrow the choices for them next week and we will definitely choose something so we can get started.

PC1 folded two different paper airplane models today-
The Standard (aka plane #1), and The Master (aka plane #2). Both folding instructions and the names were taken from K. Laux's "The World's Greatest Paper Airplane and Toy Book"- a must for any paper airplane enthusiast, I highly recommend it (best for ages 7-12 though).
After folding each plane we took them for a spin with a casual "race" (no winners/losers- just for curiosities sake).  We started indoors but then realized we needed more room, so we tried again (with the standard plane) outside- see video clips below. General observations were that the "standard" was easier to fold and flew straight and far. The "master"  took us a little longer and performed loops, rolls, and hovers (Ian's plane even flew in a circle back to him, like a boomerang!).
In PC2 we started with origami.
Many of the kids already had some experience folding and were eager to share, which was nice. Together we folded balloons (aka "the box", or water bombs) and cups, which we then used to have some snack from. There was some free form folding as well, including Lauren's "tables" and Corina's crowd pleasing cootie-catcher (an age old toy that still delights! Via the cootie catcher today it was foretold that I will "live forever". Yes!).
After snack we moved on to paper airplanes, but didn't have enough time to fold both models. We just did plane #1 and then had a blast throwing them all over.

Up next week- masks in preparation for Halloween (I am changing it from the syllabus which listed paper mache bowls)
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The first class is always a little confusing..., just the how, and the who, and the where, and the why- you know? But we got through it, everyone made it on time, no one got lost and we were even able to actually make something!

I choose pinwheels because they are colorful, fun and *easy* (I had to do the pinning part). I was really impressed with well and how quickly everyone in both classes  followed directions. Unfortunately, the pins I chose are too short, so the wheels don't really spin..... if you happen to have a small nail or a needle at home you could redo them for some real spinning action.

I told all the kids to think about good pinata shapes, we will sketch some out next week and then take a vote on the designs.
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