SPREAD POSITIVITY ART PROJECT

You are invited to join us in a community art project for all ages to SPREAD POSITIVITY by creating an artful sign that you display in your window at home! 

Imagine how your sign might lift someone's spirits walking by your window, or how a sign on your mailbox might lift the spirits of those passing by. How might the process of making art help you? How might this help our community get through this together? We hope to create a video of all of the signs by next Thursday, so .... on your mark, set, get creative! Send us a photo of your work to kristinak@mpsvt.org by next Tuesday at 3pm. You can also share with our community on social media on Twitter @KristinaKaneVT or @elemcounselorSF or on Instagram ues_artists #windowartwalk#spreadpositivity#creativityiscontageous#mrps#uesvt

Click the video above for the short lesson from UES Guidance Counselor Suzanne Francke and me. This invitation is posted for UES students and families on our Interactive Arts Team blog, The Daily Special. Visual directions are below ... 

Distance Learning - Artful Thursday #1: Making a Sketchbook

MAKE A SKETCHBOOK

First, check out this short video starring Mrs. Kane and her new assistant Michelangelo the Monkey! 

Then, CHOOSE ONE of the following sketchbooks to create (in order from simple to challenging):

• SCROLL SKETCHBOOK (K-2):Click HERE for video demo, Click HERE for written directions
• Supplies Needed - long piece of paper/packing paper/paper grocery bag/birch bark, tape/glue, sticks/straws, string or ribbon
• ACCORDION SKETCHBOOK (K-4):Click HERE for video demo, Click HERE for written directions
• Supplies Needed - long piece of paper/packing paper, tape or glue, scissors, cardboard or a cereal or cracker box
• CEREAL BOX SKETCHBOOK (K-4):Click HERE for video demo, Click HERE for written directions
• Supplies Needed - Cereal box or cracker box, printing paper or other paper, string, a hole puncher
• SPINE SKETCHBOOK (3-4): Click HERE for video demo, Click HERE for written directions
• Supplies Needed - printing paper or other paper, two rubber bands or string, a pencil or stick, a hole puncher

I hope that you enjoy creating! Please send me a photo of your artwork at kristinak@mpsvt.org. 

Artfully Yours, Mrs. Kane

PS - Visit The Daily Special to see new videos posted every weekday by your UES Specials Teachers

Hello From Your Specials Teachers

Your Specials Teachers miss you and care about you, UES students!

Here is a video from all of us to you:

“Shine Your Light, Share Your Story”

EVENING LANTERN PARADE

Thursday, February 21st @ 6:00 pm

Getting Ready for the Parade:

Please arrive between 5:20-5:40 pm to collect your lantern and a pole from your classroom, assemble your light, and line up on the Park Ave playground

• Fourth Grade and High School Students: go to the BIG GYM to pick up your lanterns, which will be organized by class groupings in alphabetical order.

• Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade Students: go to the hallway near your classrooms.

All lanterns will be marked with students’ names so take a minute to make sure you have the right lantern.

Instructions on how to turn on the lights will be supplied. Additional lights will be available at the Big Gym for returning UES students who bring back their lanterns. You will also be given a bamboo pole to use for the duration of the parade (please return the pole at the State House Lawn for future use)

By 5:45 pm at the latest, please make your way to Park Avenue. A steward will help to direct you to a place in the parade where you can wait until we start.

Child Supervision:

Students must have a responsible adult accompany them on the parade route. If you would like to have one adult be responsible for a small group of students, that would be okay. BUT students CANNOT be dropped off at the parade site to be met at the end. If your child becomes separated, they should find a steward (stewards will be wearing bright yellow vests.) The hot chocolate table will double up as the meet-up spot.

What to Wear:

Please do dress warmly! You will be outside for a while. Waterproof shoes, thermals, gloves, hats, etc. Gloves are especially useful for carrying the bamboo pole.

The Parade Route:

We will line up on Park Avenue and process Left on Loomis Street, Right on School Street, Left on Main Street, Right on Langdon Street, Right on Elm Street, Left on Court Street to the State House Lawn

Lantern Parade Etiquette:

To make this a safe and fun event for everyone in the parade, please go over the following lantern etiquette with your child before the parade:

- Stay with your family or responsible adults

- No running with lanterns

- No swinging the lantern about

- No overtaking the band or stewards with the banner at the front. The band will set the pace!

- Hold the bamboo pole firmly with two hands – with the lantern out in front of them and not back over the shoulder. Please be aware of the people around you and hold your lanterns as high as possible, where it can be seen and enjoyed by all.  

- Keep in tight formation

- Have FUN! Remember to take care of yourself, your friends and your community!

State House Lawn Finale/Celebration:

Hot chocolate and cider will be served and there will be music and entertainment. When you arrive at the State House Lawn, please HAND YOUR POLE TO A STEWARD (who will be wearing a yellow safety vest). The lanterns and lights may be taken home. The celebration will end at 7:00 pm.  You may go home directly from the State House Lawn. Please instruct your children to meet you at the hot chocolate table if you become separated. This will double-up as a meeting spot.

Thank You for all the Generous Donations for the Residency and Parade!

We Appreciate Our Sponsors:

• Union Elementary School Parents Group
• Community National Bank
• SunCommon
• Lake Champlain Chocolates
• Champlain Orchards
• Hunger Mountain Coop
• Tarrant, Gillies and Richardson, Attorneys at Law
• The Complete Streets Group

Lantern Parade Tonight!

Design by Dan Abdo, UES Parent!

"Shine Your Light, Share Your Story" 2019 Lantern Parade

Union Elementary School invites the entire Montpelier community to join us for an evening lantern procession on at 6:00 pm on Thursday, February 21st, 2019. This year’s theme is “Shine Your Light, Share Your Story.” Led by the Burlington samba band Sambatucada, students and families will parade from the school through downtown Montpelier carrying their handmade lanterns to the State House Lawn, where there will be a fun finale celebration until 7:00 pm with student decorated luminaries, live music, a dance performance, and free hot chocolate and cider! Prior to the parade, visual artist Gowri Savoor will be guiding UES students in making their lanterns during a ten-day art residency.   All preschool through fourth grade students will create unique and beautiful handmade lanterns from sustainable materials including willow and tissue paper. During the parade, lanterns will be suspended from bamboo poles and lit with battery operated LED lights.

Book Your Spot Now!! Free Community Lantern Making Workshops

We are hosting two free lantern making workshops open to all on Saturday, February 9th at UES and Saturday, February 16th at The Montpelier Senior Center from 10:00-3:00 with an hour break for lunch. We will be making the lanterns with willow branches and paper.  This is truly a fun experience for ALL ages!  Workshops are free to attend for all.  Donations will be welcome. All tools and materials will be provided. If you have a pair of hand-held pruning shears, please bring them along, you'll find it useful to have a pair of your own. Children must be accompanied by an adult.  Not suitable for children under six. There will be a limit of 20 participants for each workshop. Sign up soon! For more information and to book your place for the February 9th workshop at Union Elementary, please contact Kristina Kane at kristinak@mpsvt.org. To register for the February 16th workshop at The Montpelier Senior Center, please call 802-225-8699.


2015 Lantern Making Workshop at Montpelier Senior Center

It's Going to be an AWESOME Year in Art Class!

I am so glad to be starting another year at Union Elementary School in our wonderful Art Studio! It has been a busy start to the school year with all the exciting changes at our school this year. Here are some photos from our first week back - check out the teamwork by these fourth graders as they painted community paper using the primary colors and white!



Please check out our updated pages with highlights of the art curriculum for each grade level. Visit our blog again soon for more photos, event info and stories from our studio!

We LOVE All The Colors That We Are!

Union Elementary School artists in Kindergarten through fourth grade worked on an all school community project in their art classes as a surprise for our city for Valentine's Day!  Our quilt was finished just in time to go up in City Hall.  Happy Valentine's Day, Montpelier!

In this project, students were challenged to mix their own skin colors with tempera paint using the primary colors and white.  Students enjoyed experimenting and mixing their skin colors! We read the book All the Colors That We Are: The Story of How We Get Our Skin Color.  We talked about how even though people say “She is black” or “He is white,” all of us have skin that is a different tones of tan or brown.  We learned that our skin color comes from our ancestors, the sun and melanin.  What would you like to call your skin color? Chocolate?  Caramel?  Coffee? Cinnamon? When they were ready, student artists painted one of their hands and printed them onto the canvas or the colorful border of fabric.  There are over 400 handprints on our quilt!  

Students were invited to share how they say “love” in languages spoken in their homes.  These words were written on the canvas after the handprints were dry.  Can you find the word “love” in Turkish? Spanish? Telegu? Japanese? Hindi? Arabic? Ga?  Mandarin? French?  English?  There are over two dozen languages spoken by families in our community!  Please let us know if you would like to add the word “love” in another language that you speak at home.

         Thank you to Paul Gambill and Montpelier ArtSynergy for inviting us to take part in the Valentine’s Day art projects.  We appreciate the donation of the canvas for the quilt by The Drawing Board.  This quilt was sewn by UES staff member Janet Burke - who donated her time and talents as well as the fabric!  A group of third and fourth graders sewed the border fabric during their recess and free time – thanks for volunteering and helping!  Thank you to UES ELL teachers Sylvia Fagin and Hannah Barden for the translations, as well as helping with writing, along with Marita Frey, Samantha Lafleur, Morgan Lloyd.  Thank you to Community Connections teacher Kevin Marlier for helping with the finishing touches.  Thank you to the staff at Montpelier City Hall for this wonderful opportunity to share our artwork with the Montpelier community!  Thank you to the Montpelier Valentine's Day Bandits who put up our paper hearts all over town!  This project was inspired by a lesson designed by art educator Patty Bode. 

Future Architects Design a New School Playground!

Professor Tolya Stonorov and a team of her architecture students are working on new designs for our elementary school playground!  They visited our UES art studio last week to teach a lesson that the college students designed and prepared for a lucky group of first grade artists!  First graders were asked to imagine a character from a favorite book or movie with whom they would like to play. Then they each designed a treehouse where they could play together on the playground!  This visiting group was from the NESt project by 802LAB School of Architecture + Art, Norwich University. 

 Photos by Tolya Stonorov!

Second Grade "Where in the World?" Concert and Art Show

Memory Collage Inspired by Romare Bearden

Figure Inspired by Keith Haring

Self Portrait Inspired by Frida Kahlo

Self Portrait Inspired by Frida Kahlo

Self Portrait Inspired by Frida Kahlo

Figure Inspired by Keith Haring 

Self Portrait Inspired by Frida Kahlo

Memory Collage Inspired by Romare Bearden

Figure Inspired by Keith Haring

Self Portrait Inspired by Frida Kahlo

Memory Collage Inspired by Romare Bearden

Figure Inspired by Keith Haring

Figure Inspired by Keith Haring

Memory Collage Inspired by Romare Bearden

Second Grade "Where in the World" Concert and Art Show - This Thursday!

Concert begins at 6:00 pm in the UES Auditorium.  Following the concert, please join us in the UES Cafeteria for a 

STUDENT ART SHOW featuring...

Inside Me, Outside Me Self Portraits

What do you look like on the inside?  We learned about Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, who is very famous for her self-portrait paintings.  She was able to show who she was on the inside, and what she saw in her heart and imagination, as well as what she looked like on the outside.  Students were invited to paint what is important to them in the backgrounds of their self-portraits.  They were challenged to draw their faces as they observed them in the mirror, and along the way student-artists made some discoveries about their own faces!

Memory Collage of My Special Place

What makes a place special?  What does a memory look like?  Romare Bearden is a collage artist who created visual stories from his memories.  Just as most people can picture only certain details of past events, Bearden assembled bits and pieces of fabric, photographs, maps, magazines and newspapers to show his memories.  Students were each invited to create a collage that tells a story of an important memory they always want to treasure.  To learn more about Romare Bearden, please visit https://www.metmuseum.org/content/interactives/the_block/index_noflash.html

Happy Places, Happy People

What do you do that makes you feel happy in your Where in the World Place? We discovered the bright and simplistic dancing figures in artwork by Keith Haring.  Students took turns posing in different actions for the class and drawing quick gesture drawings!  Students then each chose their favorite sketch as inspiration for a colorful collage figure.  We thought about how all people have feelings, and people around the world can feel happy for many of the same reasons.  Each student artistically lettered a word that describes something they do that makes them feel happy in their special place in the world.  To learn more about Keith Haring, please visit www.haringkids.com

Upcoming UES Art and Music Events!

Thank you to the entire UES community for all of your support with the Lantern Parade!

We hope you enjoyed a wonderful evening with family and friends.

The fun never stops - May is going to be a wonderful month here at UES!  Please note the new dates for these performances and art shows:

May 3rd “Animals”

6:00 pm UES Auditorium

A 2nd Grade Performance & Art Show paying tribute to the animals of honor!

 

May 10th “Vermont Variety Show”

6:00 pm UES Auditorium/Cafeteria

Celebrate Vermont Studies with a 4th grade variety show performance with a gallery walk to follow!

 

May 17th Kinder Celebration

6:00 pm UES Auditorium/Gym

Join us to celebrate our wonderful year of learning in our first Performance and Art Show!

 

May 25th “Wing It!”

6:00 pm UES Auditorium/Gym

Our first grade takes flight in a wonderful night of aviation!

A musical not to miss! Bird art extravaganza to fly home with after!

If you walked into the art room this week, you would find Kindergarten Artists painting “Mixed-Up Me” Portraits inspired by Pablo Picasso.  First Graders are working on realistic bird drawings inspired by John James Audubon.  Second Grade Artists are sculpting fantastical animals from their imaginations, inspired by Manuel Jimenez and artists from Oaxaca, Mexico.  Third graders are creating abstract compositions of flowers with glue and chalk pastel inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe.  Fourth grade sculptors are working on creating clay figures inspired by their favorite stories and books.   They are learning about the life and work of clay artist Helen Cordero.

The art room is an exciting place to be these days with all of these artists working hard to prepare for their upcoming  shows!  Please let us know if you would like to help us with setting up for the art shows on the afternoons of 4/3, 4/10, 4/17 or 4/25, or with building a giant nest for  the first grade performance on 4/19. Please email Kristina Kane at kristinak@mpsvt.org or call 225-8227 for further information.