Sunday, August 9, 2015

Kindergarten Creates a Community





Kindergartners created people and animal stick puppets inspired by the works of  the work of Paul Klee after to conclude their unit on collage.  After several weeks learning about how to arrange, cut and distinguish between different textured paper, they used simple geometric cardboard shapes to create person puppet or animal.  





Student puppets




















We kept these puppets in a safe place and several months later we began creating a background for them.  Students examined the collages by Harlem based artist Romare Bearden and brainstormed what is needed to make up a community.  We listed buildings, people, and transportation.  



  

Romare Bearden, The Block, 1971

Our kindergartners started their community collage  by using paper squares to cut and arrange to make buildings.  Next, students used patterned and painted paper to cut windows and doors.  After our buildings were complete, we worked on the transportation and created buses, cars,  and trucks.  The last step was adding in our puppet animals and people!

In addition to learning about Romare Bearden and how he created collages to represent the community he saw from his bedroom window, we also studied Mexican Muralist Diego Rivera.

Diego Rivera with a xoloitzcuintle dog in the Blue House, Coyoacan - Google Art Project.jpg

Diego Rivera

  

Diego Rivera mural depicting Mexico's history at the National Palace in Mexico City, 1921


Students creating the buildings for the communities

We discussed how similar to Bearden, community played an important role in Rivera’s artwork as well.  Our students pointed out by Rivera painting his art as large frescoes on buildings in public spaces, it allowed for everyone in the community to see the work and bring people together.  Students learned how Rivera often painted scenes to celebrate the past/culture of his people and to create a hopeful future.  We hope you enjoy our mural displayed by a popular location in the school for everyone to enjoy!

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