MOONSTRUCK!

This Winter season, the Art Brains students have been dabbling in lunar geology. Each class spends a little time discussing the history of rock and soil samples collected from the moon and what those samples have told us. Then, they work on creating collecting and studying their own lunar specimens, which are placed on special rock stands and accompanied by detailed information cards. In this small sampling pictured here, you will find specimens formed from crystals, Oreos, fossils, dust, and pizza. There is a moon dragon egg, and a sorcerer's moon rock (whose discovery came at a high cost!). A number of other samples, discovered during this project and having traveled over 200,000 miles to be carefully examined in our lab, reveal that the moon is indeed at least partially made of cheese. I think we've all suspected as much in our heart of hearts, and as much is true in one of my favorite Italo Calvino stories, The Distance to the Moon, which, as it turns out, can be read online right here. 

CRYSTAL VISIONS

Many profound and uncanny acts of scrying were witnessed this past Fall during the Art Brains Crystal Ball project, in which students pretended they had the ability to foretell the future by gazing into their own "crystal" orbs. Behind each crystal ball (aka plastic lid!), was a spinning paper wheel that could be turned to reveal various illustrated future scenarios. In the little gif below, behold: visions of thunderstorms and roller coasters!

THEMES FOR WINTER 2015

We still have more projects from our Fall season to share, but our Winter session is already underway! Themes will include:

- Moon rocks
- Shadow Theaters

- Interactive Labyrinths to contain mythical creatures (a la the Greek myth of the Labyrinth    

  and the minotaur) moved by magnets!

- Tumbleweed Dreams

- Fictional Photo Albums

- Layer Cake (which has to do with re-inventing the layers of a planet)

- Collaborative city planning

- and more!

HOUSES FOR MOUSES

When I was a pre-schooler, I remember taking some kind of pre-kindergarten ability assessment test. Countless hours spent drawing and playing with little figurines and toys that I set up in miniature abodes meant I had fine motor skills that were well above average. I was, however, pathetically lacking in the area of gross motor skills. I remember having a ball thrown at me (to catch) and my response being something like, "Umm, what's happening? Why?" Sadly, my athletic prowess  did not increase much after that time, but my love of arranging tiny little things remained, and is present in one of this season's projects, A House for a Mouse.

After talking about personification, the Art Brainers used clay, boxes, paper, fabric, and other materials to create cozy little homes for mice, turtles, snakes, hermit crabs, fairies, ducks and other small critters. They were asked to consider what a personified animal might want or need in a home, hence the long skinny beds for snakes, nest alcoves, mini ponds, and the cheese safe pictured above.  I love when the kids make projects with which they can also play, and these definitely fit that bill. Long live tiny little homes for tiny little things!

A family of hermit crabs tucked into bed ^

A little living room pond for a turtle (left) and cheese wallpaper for a mouse (right)

That's an open fridge on the left with a fish in it, for the cat sleeping upstairs.

Thanks to teaching artist Naomi for contributing some pictures to this post!