The World on Turtle's Back...

... or The Woman Who Fell From the Sky.

There are many versions of this wonderful creation myth that can easily be located online. I told my students the Onondaga version. It seemed a nice way to start the year, which we are beginning in our combined 4/5 grade with a nature studies block essentially, focusing both on plants and animals that can be found on our beautiful rural campus.

Our first painting of the year was a color circle, out of which emerged a tree. Maybe the tree uprooted in Skyland. Maybe Yggdrasil. The life force. That which sustains us. 

This week we painted Tolba, on whose back the world sprang forth. I asked the students to start with a page of lively blue, darker toward the bottom. We then placed the turtle in the water using yellow. From her back brown (mixed on the paint board) tree trunks sprang up crowned by yellow and green foliage. One student preferred a brown turtle with "rainbow trees."

'Twas 4th Grade

4th Grade Waldorf work. Time flies. I can't believe I will be taking my class to 5th grade this autumn! 

Local History/Geography

Flounder (from "The Human Being & the Animal Kingdom")

Sometimes all it takes to express the essence of an animal is a poem. 

Watercolor Painting

I love seals. I loved reading more about them in Penguins, Seals Dolphins Salmon and Eels by Karl Koenig. I do believe that the best lessons are based on things that live deeply within us as teachers.

Somethin' Different

I have always loved the Waldorf curriculum for the archetypes presented to students meet them where they are developmentally. Rather than always sticking to the "classics," I try to find similar archetypes from other cultures to include in the curriculum I present to my students.

Having read some Maori Mythology, I always wanted to share these stories with my students. They had a fourth grade feeling to them, but I just wasn't sure. Over the summer a former colleague shared a blog post (You have to scroll down a bit!) with me & it was all the encouragement I needed!

I only had about 12 morning lessons and during this time we also started covering the eight parts of speech. Nevertheless, I enjoyed teaching this block very much. I would do it again! - Of course my memory card was full just as I was snapping the pictures of student work. Nevertheless, here's a wee taste

Maui Goes Fishing (Student Composition)

Maui Slowing the Sun

Pukeko

You might remember me announcing that I'm going to stop blogging. I obviously have addiction issues. I will probably go back into hibernation for a while once school starts again next week, but since the world is ending in 2012 I better blog 'til the very end - literally. :-)

The Days In Pictures

A drawing by the artistically-challenged Waldorf teacher - Take one.

And two. (Not sure why this is so blurry.)

 Gifts for the Gods by 4th graders.

Iduna by a 4th grader.

Skadi by a 4th grader.

Making Mead with my students using kefir grains.

Nathan made yummy apple-pie. Nuriel is ready to eat. 

(She has her very own blog now. Since I mostly blog about Nuriel anyhow - Noah & Nathan don't like me blogging about them - I might shut this blog down and just try to keep hers up as a "baby book" kinda thing. We'll see.)

Another one from the State Fair. Crawl-away baby. She had so much fun. There was no way I could have kept her strapped into the stroller.

Lovin' to play with leaves & dirt & such.

Trees

Watercolor by Nathan (4th Grade)

Cherry

It's been a busy day. I had a parent evening at school & decided I would "sneak" some pictures of Noah & Nathan's work. Nathan's cherry tree is currently decorating the hallway in a frame. He is very proud of this tree - painted using watercolors on dry paper. Then on to the woodworking room. One of my favorite places. I love woodworking. Noah has been working on this pentatonic lyre all year in woodworking class. In the beginning there was a solid piece of cherry wood... Pegs & strings still needed. I can't wait to hear the sound! The tree cut-out he actually made into a Christmas ornament back in December.

Unlike their watery Mama, my boys are both solid earth children. - A bit of it is reflected in their work. I'm just so proud of them. And after this long day I came home to two children practicing soprano & alto recorders, playing beautiful music. Yay for me!

Tuckahoe Plantation

I got to be a "real" parent for half a day today, being a chaperon for Nathan's field trip to Tuckahoe Plantation. - They are studying Virginia History in their final block of the year. Tuckahoe Plantation was the boyhood home of Thomas Jefferson. Unfortunately no picture-snapping is allowed on the inside. It was marvelous, though.

The photo from the front turned out not-so-nice, so I give you the picture of the back. It's and H-shaped house.

Kitchen.

Pretty garden.

More garden.

Even more garden.

Rosebushes by the cemetery.

Platypus

Here are some excerpts from Nathan's 4-page Platypus report. (Thanks for the reminder, Paula!) He joined 4th grade a few weeks ago & he loves it there. The basic idea was "do something, or nothing." The assignment directions gave suggestions, but there were no requirements to do anything at all. Nathan chose to do a kind of "traditional" animal report. I think he did a fine job. He really took his time with the research, writing, and - most of all - the illustrations.

The first page with the map of the habitat.

Venom gland detail.

A platypus by the riverbank.

Gratitude

This week I'm grateful for...

... all the wonderful comments left on my blog & Rhonda's post. I was quite touched. Thank you so much!

... the smile that a lovely stranger brought to Nathan yesterday when a platypus coin & other lil' treasures arrived in the mail. His report turned out great. I must post about it soon.

... Spring weather. The boys have been outside playing football with the neighborhood-kids for over 4 hours. So glad it's that time of year to be outdoors.

... memories - although sometimes they are painful. A year ago today, Good Friday, Brent & I had walked from our B&B to South Street where I got pretty tipsy on one Long Island Iced Tea. Yeap. One is all it takes. Then we went back to the B&B and walked across town to the theater. I remember the white dress I was wearing. We saw "The Complete Works of Shakespeare - Abridged." It was a great, fun play. We went to the theater a lot when we were together.

... the wonderful Waldorf education my children receive - an education where art is alive. Here's a clay frog & a clay elephant Nathan brought home today.

Have a lovely Easter weekend!

Poetry

Here's a poem Nathan wrote a few days ago in class. He joined the 4th grade after the midwinter break (long story) & things are going well for him there. Knock on wood! They are currently in a "The Human Being & The Animal Kingdom" block.

A Salmon (by Nathan)

How big you are
In the rivers of Alaska
From where you go
Down the river
Over the rocks
Up the stream.

Leaping above the water
Until you reach the ocean
And back, back, back again
To come to where
You were born,
And then you go
In a different direction.

Any Australians?

Nathan is doing a kind of animal report on the platypus. In researching this animal he learned that the Australian 20 cent coin has the image of a platypus on it. He'd love to have one when he presents his project, which is soon... April 1st to be specific. We can't get foreign coins at the currency exchange here.

Anyone willing to send such a coin in the mail? We'd send you a little surprise in exchange. Please e-mail us at chocolatelilies [at] gmail [dot] com or leave a comment with your contact e-mail.

Nathan is so excited about this project. This would make his day! Thanks!