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“The Catapult” model by Leonardo Da Vinci

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Mehinovic’s Fifth Graders Becoming Renaissance Men (and Women!) 

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Mehinovic’s Fifth Graders Becoming Renaissance Men (and Women!) 

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Thanks to the generous MEA GRANT received at the start of the year I was able to purchase about 15 Leonardo da Vinci models for the fifth graders at LGV to construct prior to STEAM Fest. The students faced certain challenges and found these wooden models to be trickier than anticipated. Despite the additional time and in some cases, necessary re-thinking, the students persevered and saw their projects all the way through to completion. So proud of these kiddos from classes of Mehinovic and Patterson. The models were completed just in time for their prominent display during the STEAM Fest and art exhibition. They will remain on display for the next couple of weeks, so if you haven’t had a chance to check them out in person, you still have time!

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For those of you that were unable to attend the event last week, we missed you- but, we had BIG fun. Among the activities there was a "stop-motion animation station," snap circuitry, engineering a roller coaster and even some friendly competition amongst teams attempting to build the tallest tower comprised of marshmallows and spaghetti sticks.

Kids made clay model figures and marbled colors to add to our Chihuly library of flowers, (currently in place of the former snowflakes, now hanging from the ceiling in the Lower Elementary hallway…)

The older kids produced some great abstract paintings too, also on display, located in the Upper Elementary hallway.

Finally, we explored natural art-making resources including rocks and semi-precious stones and metals, ending the day with a geode-busting exercise that enabled students to each head home with at least a piece of a freshly-exposed geode.

Overall the festival was a success and, with your support, I hope to make this an annual tradition at Longview for years to come!

STEAM FEST 2023!

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Beige Modern Trendy New Exhibition of Art Flyer

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Kinder kiddos at PKS knocked our socks off with their lively rendition of “The Lorax” for Dr. Seuss Week.

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Storymaking and character-building was the catalyst for these beautiful illustrations in Kinder and first grades at PKS.

After reading the book aloud to students, I distributed a  canvas to each student, blank except for a pre-drawn character from the story named "Alpert."

The task was to build a setting around Alpert to altogether tell a story. The completed works were creative and each very unique. The kids had a blast, definitely a character that we should revisit in the future!

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Kinder kiddos at PKS played with pattern, color, and design using our classroom stamps and supplies. With an emphasis on bulding rowns and columns, the kkddos were very pround of their work amd were thrilled to take the masterpieces home for a change!

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Math story problems, complete with answers on the back, by Findlay’s first grade class at LGV. 

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K-2 classes fused art and math this week to review counting in Kinder, place value in 1st and introductory multiplication in 2nd. After creating a beautiful “school” of fish, the students authored their own story math problems to continue the learning fun.

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When the Legislature went into session earlier this year I decided to use this as an opportunity to create, practice gratitude as well as use their "voice" to take action.

I explained to the students that the BTS Visual Arts class they participate in with me this year is made possible thanks to the Legislature and their decision to provide funding to schools so that students may have access to more arts integration educational opportunities.

The kids were then given complete creative freedom to make thank you cards to those legislators, which subsequently brought the program to Murray District.

Here are just a few example of the beautiful cards made by Kinder-5th grade students.

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This year I used the attached video to kick off our MLK celebrations and launch black history month.

This video was so powerful and really served to resonate with the kids- so much so that upon reaching the end of the video, students immediately erupted into applause and gave a standing ovation.

For this reason, I wanted to share the video and message to parents and families, in hopes of continuing the conversation in homes and perhaps instigating new open dialogue around the topic.

I hope you enjoy the clip as much as the students.

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Following the MLK lesson the kids began the art component to the day's learning. The project was to use the vocabulary terms (equality, respect, leadership and diversity,) discussed during the lesson to create "protest artwork."

Inspired by signs used at MLK rallies and speeches he made, the kids learned the art of creating "bubble" letters to write out the word in this "graffiti" style using water-chalk over black card stock.

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Pumpkin Patch Perspectives, Grades 1-3. 

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Pumpkin Patch Perspectives, Grades 1-3. 

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After teaching students about Horizon Line, vanishing point, and one-point perspective, students created these pumpkin patch scenes to practice the methods learned.

Here are just a couple of examples of the finished works, from both PKS and LGV.

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Just as the Wit & Wisdom curriculum's unit on space exploration was getting underway, so was our concurrent use of learning about all things beyond our hemisphere.

The Project: Produce Short Films that teaches others about a space-related topic.

Part One: Work in a small group to research  your selected topic and draft your "script."

Part Two:
Develop artistic skills to best tell your story and make an engaging movie. Kids created dioramas to serve as movie sets, complete with props, etc.

Part Three:
"ACTION!"  Put Part One and Two together to make your movie! Rehearse and film your production.

This project is multi-faceted and therefore required more time, carried out over more weeks in order to do, but the kids never seemed to tire of any part of the process, genuinely eager to discover more about our universe at every class.

Stay tuned for the final cuts before the end of the year!

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The PKS mission features a comet, constellations, two black holes, the solar system, mysteries of our moon, a meteor shower and a closer look at Saturn.

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The Longview mission features the solar system, a black hole. exoplanets, and possible alien invasions!

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Architecture v. Engineering in 4th Grade

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Architecture v. Engineering in 4th Grade

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The task: Design an amusement park and create a model to capture your design.

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Learning about Utah, Landscape and Color

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Learning about Utah, Landscape and Color

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Teaching the art of capturing the color we see in Utah’s famous “red rock.”

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Learning about Utah, Landscape and Color

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Learning about Utah, Landscape and Color

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4th graders at both schools continued to develop their artist card portfolios with this assignment, creating hoodoos using colored pencils. Here are just a few examples of the fantastic results by PKS and LGV students.

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Snowy Woods Watercolor Paintings by Fourth Graders at PKS

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Snowy Woods Watercolor Paintings by Fourth Graders at PKS

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The sequel to the paintings made by students at LGV.

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The fourth graders of Mrs. Kjqr’s class at LGV completed this beautiful collaborative wall installation. The finishing touch: students pasted their own New Year’s resolutions around the border of Rosie. An awesome piece, I hope it remains to adorn the halls of LGV for years to come. Nice work!

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STOP Motion Finales by Fifth Graders at PKS 

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STOP Motion Finales by Fifth Graders at PKS 

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Part of the Stop-Motion productions, this little monster was one of my favorites!

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5th Graders Tweak Their Projects in for Submission to Film Festival

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5th Graders Tweak Their Projects in for Submission to Film Festival

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Check out Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition on @filmfreeway https://filmfreeway.com/TumbleweedsKidsFilmCompetition

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/// Film Competition Purpose
The Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition connects Utah's K-8 students and educators to meaningful film and broadcast opportunities. The competition is part of the Utah Film Center's (UTFC) Tumbleweeds Film Festival in collaboration with the Utah Education Network (UEN). Films submitted to the competition should be aligned with the mission of these organizations, which is to connect Utah districts, schools, and higher education institutions to quality educational resources.

UTAH FILM CENTER
The competition supports the Utah Film Center's mission of connecting people, stories, and ideas through film, artist support, and media arts education.
By amplifying diverse perspectives in Utah through the medium of film, we help set the scene for a richer understanding of our neighbors, fellow human beings, and the world around us.

UTAH EDUCATION NETWORK
The competition supports the Utah Education Network Strategic Plan in the areas of broadcast and professional learning and meets KUEN's (UEN's public television station) requirements for outreach, career opportunities, and mentorship.

/// Film Contest Do's

Rules
DO follow all the rules if you want your film to be eligible for Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition screenings and awards.

Theme
DO choose your own theme! There is no set theme for the Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition, so you are free to create films about any topic.

Categories
DO submit your film in one of two categories:
* Fiction - Fictional films are those "created from the imagination, not presented as fact, though it may be based on a true story or situation" (Britannica.com). All films on a fictional topic should be entered into this category. Submissions to the fiction category may be short films or animations such as dramas, comedies, thrillers, etc.
* Nonfiction - Nonfiction films are those that are "based on facts, real events, and real people, such as biography or history" (Oxford Languages). All nonfiction films should be entered into this category. Submissions to the nonfiction category may be documentaries, public service announcements, news packages, etc.

Submissions
DO submit as many films as you want to! Films that you have already submitted to other festivals or contests are welcome as long as this does not break other festival/contest rules. Films with 'World Premiere' status may be given priority for screening at the Tumbleweeds Film Festival, but previously premiered films are still eligible for awards. Please do not submit previous years' submissions to the Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition.

Student Work
DO your own work. Adults may guide and teach students, but students must do all their own writing, filming, and editing.

Time Limit
DO keep your film to 5-minutes or less. Films that are longer than five minutes will not be considered for the Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition awards.

Information Release
DO submit a UTFC Exhibition release form and a UETN media release form for each individual involved in your film -- those who created it and those who appear in it. Because you are under the age of 18, the form must also be signed by a parent or guardian. These forms are what allow the UTFC and UEN to screen and broadcast selected films!

Credits & Citations
DO include credits in your film and cite your sources.
* Credits are not included as part of your time limit.
* Credits should list the sources of all your video footage, images, music, and sound effects.
* For nonfiction films, credits should also include a list of citations showing where you obtained data and information included in your film.
* The Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition has specific guidelines you must follow for any borrowed media used in your film. Follow this credit/citation format in your credits:
* Name of the work
* Name of the owner/creator
* Location of the work
* Here is an example of what a citation should look like:
"A Little Reggae" by Soundzabound from Soundzabound.com
Here is another example:
"Bluffs on north beach, Yaquina bay" by Crawford, J. G. from New York Public Library Digital Collections
Here is another example:
"Happy Tune" by Your Name created in GarageBand
* The Next Vista for Learning resource webpage has a list of recommended sites where you can find openly licensed media to use in your film. (https://www.nextvista.org/)

Submission Deadline
DO submit your entry on time. Any films submitted after the deadline will not be considered for Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition screenings or awards.

Technical Specifications
DO use the following technical specifications when you export your video:
* Video files should be HD quality: 1920x1080 and 29.97 (30) FPS.
* Video files should be MP4 format.
* All entries should be shot in landscape (widescreen/horizontal). Portrait (vertical)
videos will not be accepted unless artistic or practical reasons exist for using this type of footage. If the vertical footage is used, there must be a background behind the main video clip.
* Audio should be stereo mixed.
* For any films in a language other than English, subtitles are helpful but not required.

Promotional Materials
DO provide the following promotional materials when you submit your film:
* 1-5 still images/screenshots from your film
* A short synopsis of your film - not to exceed 200 words

//// Film Contest Don'ts

Content
DO NOT include any content in your film that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortuous, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, or invasive of another's privacy (UEN Guidelines). Such films will not be considered for Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition screenings or awards.

Accuracy
DO NOT submit films that propagate false, misleading, or slanderous information.

Copyright
DO NOT break copyright laws. Any entry that infringes any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright, or other proprietary rights of any party will not be considered for Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition screenings or awards (UEN Guidelines).

Be sure to obtain proper licensing and permission for borrowed media (video, images, music, and sound effects) used in your film. Filmmakers must obtain Internet publication, broadcast, and public performance rights for all borrowed media.

Borrowed media used in your film must have one of the following licenses:
* Any original media created by the filmmaker is acceptable.
* Any media with one of the following Creative Commons licenses is acceptable:
* CC BY
* CC BY-SA
* CC BY-NC
* CC BY-NC-SA
* CC0
* Public Domain
* Any copyrighted media used with permission from the copyright owner is acceptable. * * The copyright owner must complete the UEN media release form to acknowledge their limited release of the media.

Any copyrighted media for which a license has been purchased is acceptable as long as the license that has been purchased allows for the distribution methods UEN will use. Proof of purchase must be provided.

Brands
DO NOT include any visible brands in your film. If a brand logo is visible, it must be modified during production or blurred in post-production.

Audio
DO NOT submit films that have poor audio. Films with inaudible sounds will be disqualified.

Project Status Definitions
After a film is received by the Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition, it will receive one or more of the following status designations:

Undecided
The judges are still reviewing the project.

Not Selected
The project is not selected for screening at this season's Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition.

Selected
This film will play at the Tumbleweeds Film Festival and may be featured through additional online and broadcast mediums.

Nominee
This project is nominated for a possible Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition award.

Award Winner
This project has won an award in the Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition.

Removal of Status
The Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition reserves the right to remove any project as Selected, Nominee, or Award Winner for any reason. This may include not having the rights to the film, unprofessionalism, or behavior that would reflect negatively on the film competition, its partners, or its participants.

Award Announcements & Promotion
Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition nominees will be announced March 15, 2023. Award winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Tumbleweeds Film Festival in Utah on Friday, April 21, 2023. Filmmakers will be notified via email if their film has been selected for screening at the Tumbleweeds Film Festival or has been nominated for an award.

Press releases will be sent to local media outlets regarding selected films. A laurel, or digital badge, will be sent to winning contacts following the awards presentation. Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition winners may refer in advertising and publicity to the fact that they are Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition winners and, for one year after the award was bestowed, may use a replica of the Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition award or the Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition logo in such advertising.

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Film Competition Purpose The Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition connects Utah's K-8 students and educators to meaningful film and broadcast opportunities. The competition is part of the Utah Film Center's (UTFC) Tumbleweeds Film Festival in collaboration with the Utah Education Network (UEN).

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOSSE!

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I love seeing what my students are doing when given complete freedom to create. Case in point: Every sixth grader at PKS and LGV recieved a sketchbook, (shown here) at the begininng of the year. Check out these illustrations by 6th graders at Longview. Made using paint markers, (which seems to be the universal favorite medium this year across all grade levels!)