Upon entering the Lower School art room last Friday, one was greeted with upbeat tunes, bright string lights, colorful drawings and high energy! In the center of each table sat a paper palm tree and, in the corner, there was a bright yellow beach ball complete with a smiley face sporting sunglasses.
All of this fabulous décor was part of Kindergarten’s “summer juice jam.” With only 3 ½ weeks left in the school year, LS art teacher Lauren McCarty decided to host a special celebration for Kindergarteners to reflect on all their hard work this past year.
The section gathering on this particular day was Ms. Ellis and Mrs. Weiss’ class, each of whom donned a pair of bright-colored sunglasses. (The other two sections would have their own parties the following week.) In front of them sat their own hand-made clay creations – a cup and a dish made in the shape of their hand.
“Who wants more lemonade?” asked Ms. McCarty, who was aptly outfitted for the occasion in a red dress with colorful shapes and a checkered bucket hat. She poured some of the sweet liquid into the Kindergarten-designed cups and added a small umbrella garnish. Even Lower School Head Thérèse Cruite joined the fun, sporting a flower in her hair.
As the lemonade dwindled and cookies were eaten, Ms. McCarty prompted students to start cleaning their spots, asking them to place their dishes on the designated rack. “We’re going to get ready for our painting activity,” she explained.
As the students cleared their tables, Ms. McCarty passed out watercolor paper (half of a full sheet), a pencil and large eraser. “Think about the ideas you planned in your homeroom,” she encouraged. “What is your favorite memory from this school year?”
Ms. Ellis, who was also present for the party, read a list aloud to remind the Kindergarteners of their choices, which included: Watching the chicks hatch, Dot the puppet, candy counting in math, tag in P.E., color wheels in art, a walk about for the Chapin study and lunch in the classroom with friends, just to name a few.
The students were instructed to sketch their chosen memory onto their papers and were informed that the incoming Kindergarten class would get to see these special drawings in the fall. “Do you remember way back when you were brand new to Chapin?” Ms. McCarty asked. “What do you want students to know about Kindergarten?”
The students got straight to work, carefully drawing lines, shapes and figures to depict their happy memories. Once finished, they traced their sketches with a fine-tipped black sharpie. “No need to color it in, we’re going to use watercolors!” reminded Ms. McCarty.
As she circled the room, admiring each student’s drawing, she prompted them to fill up the entire page. “How can you set the scene here?” she asked. “What friends were there? What room were you in? Was it the Assembly Room, classroom or maybe the gym?”
For their third and final step, the students erased the pencil lines beneath the sharpie and began to fill in the drawing with watercolor paint.
Vibrant paintings emerged as the students thoughtfully brushed paint across the paper and inside the black lines. “I can’t wait to see these up on the wall on the Kindergarten floor!” Ms. McCarty cheered.
As the class wound down, the students put away their tools, placed their pieces on the rack to dry and happily headed out to their next adventure.
