Lets go Fly a Kite...........

A couple of weeks ago we invited Year 6 in to school and this year I decided to make paper kites. We only had 45 minutes and three groups to see.

There are many tutorials on the Internet to make these little paper kites but I made this years ago as a little introduction project to get to know my new tutor group. I can not remember where I got the idea in the first place but it went down really well.

They were put on display for parents to see in the evening and then collected to go home.

Those not collected were packaged up and taken to the schools by the Liaison teacher.

Hope to see them all again next September!

xx

Mini Beasts- The sequel.....

I spent a lesson yesterday and one today with my second primary mini beast group and I think they turned out very well. We tried some caterpillars this time too just to see how they turned out. What do you think?.....

I love felt anyway, but it is a really good medium for youngsters for making things such as these bugs. They really enjoyed making them and were so keen to take them home. Perfect!!

There were six in the group and we also asked them to have a go at drawing either the bug they made or one from their imagination. These are so cute.....

Only small children can draw like this, it can not be truly copied by an adult. It has been a lot of fun the past couple of weeks and I shall be going back with a different year group next term. I am waiting for a project list from the school so I can link textiles ideas with the work that the youngsters will be doing, but if not then something Christmasy will be in order.

Who else was woken up at 4.30am by the blasted rain this morning? Just me? Gave up at 5.30am and made a cup of tea then just snoozed until 6.15am. So a little bleary eyed, but school breaks up tomorrow and I have to say that I am on my knees and it can not come soon enough. The fact that I am going into school on Thursday and Friday to sort out a work space, displays etc is neither here nor there is it? But I have been promised egg and chips Thursday night cooked for me by my in-laws as a reward so it could just be worth it!!

Must dash and get some beauty sleep.

xx

Mini Beasts.....

Twice this week I have been into one of the local primary schools (Sophie's!) to try out a little workshop. Now I wanted it to link to a topic that they are already doing and Sophie happened to mention that they were doing mini beasts this half-term. It has not been easy to organise with everything that has been going on in both schools which included an Ofsted for one and a review for the other, plus illness etc, however this week we managed it.

I had a group of 10, 6 year olds and a TA. The bug bodies were pre-cut but the rest was gradually put together by the youngsters.

Using big needles is often a necessity at this age but can also be awkward if trying to go through several layers, but there were no complaints at all. In fact at the end of the first sessions we had a range of half made bugs and I was called 'lovely' by one of the girls!

The googly eyes set it all off and I managed to get some google eyes with eyelashes so we could make boy and girl bugs if they wanted to, which went down really well! I used a glue gun to attach them. We used some funky coloured extra hairy pipe cleaners and plenty of stuffing.

Now, there were 10 little children who really only knew me as 'Sophie's Mum' yet they were friendly, funny, asked lots of SENSIBLE questions, keen, did not want it to end and said thank you and good bye!!! Do I feel that I am working in the wrong school/age group? You betcha!

Went back again this morning to finish them off and they came in with beaming smiles saying hello, saw one earlier in reception and she waved and said hello. We ended up with the colourful group of bugs that you can see above. As we were walking out of the classroom to take them back to the group they were keen to find out if I would ever come back. I found out later that they all did a show and tell after break on their bugs and two of them raved about the whole thing to their friends ( info via Sophie). My TA and I going back to work with another small group early next week and she can not wait to come with me. It is certainly an experience that I and the primary head want to develop. On the whole it brightened up what has been a very dull, bleak and soggy week.

xx