Kindergarten has also been working on their tracing, gluing and cutting skills.  They started off making a bingo dauber art piece of their choice. We then made large Uncle Sam pictures, that look awesome! Next we did a two part class where they drew a picture of themselves under the word "Before" then I showed them HOW to NOT make a "potato person" or "stick figure" under the word "After". In 15 minutes they were all making people with "meat on their bones". Ask them to show you, using the study guide I gave them. (I've had parents that learned a thing or two from that lesson!) Lastly we've been working on fall sewing cards, where they decorated a card with holes in a fall them, then learned how to sew a running and overcast stitch. These are great opportunities to get those fingers and fine motor skills working hard! 

     First grade started off making a flower to go in a Vincent Van Gogh vase for a classroom picture. Next we used pastels to create a Furled Flag with Fireworks! They look SO Patriotic! We are now continuing with pastels to make a beautiful Chalk Explosion picture. My first graders are really dusting off those skills we went over in Kindergarten!

     Second grade started off making Doodle Arms which will decorate around a large Art heart soon! Next came our Patriotic themed Radiating Stars...all I can say is WOW! (No worries you'll get to see their work at the May Arts Festival and everything comes home by years end in a portfolio!) Currently they are doing a Half Self Portrait with their names as a fancy accent. I give the toughest (and coolest) projects to my older students...something the younger ones look forward to doing!

     My philosophy in Art, (not only as an Art Specialist, Art Therapy trained person, but also AS an artist,) is that we need to teach the basics of art first, get their fine motor skills oiled and working and as we go add more creativity. You can't teach someone to cook without learning how to use the tools, ingredients and equipment...same with Art. In my Art classes it's a balance of Art basics, concepts as well as creativity! I'm looking forward to sharing my classroom with some parent/grandparent Art volunteers very soon! Thank you for offering your time! Thank you ALL for allowing me to play, create and have fun with your little munchkins! Savvy? SAVVY!!! (ask your kids!)

Yours in Art!

Debbie Hughes Johnson

Art Specialist

Pre-K-grade 2

Pakachoag, Bryn Mawr, and Auburn High School

According to the National Sleep Foundation, school age children (defined by ages of 6-13 years old) should be getting anywhere between 9-11 hours of sleep per night (it can be as little as 7-8 hours or as much as 12 hours depending on the child). 

It can often feel like there just  aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish everything we want. Like good diet and exercise, sleep is a critical component to overall health. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests the following guidelines to help your child fall asleep, stay asleep and establish good sleeping habits:

How do you get a good start with your child’s independent reading this year? Help them choose “just right” books. Try a strategy called “I PICK”

I:  I can look at a book.

P:Purpose-Why do I want to read it?

I:  Interest- Does it interest me?

C:Comprehension- Do I understand it?

K: Know- I know most of the words. 

Keep in mind the 5 finger rule for finding “just right” books: