Sounds of Kokkola

Ympäristön äänimaiseman havainnointi ja äänittäminen oli 2. luokan oppilaistani lopulta mielenkiintoinen tehtävä, vaikka aluksi kuului vähän nurinaa siitä, eikö saakaan kuvata. Pyrimme tekemään lyhyitä pätkiä, sillä toisten tekemien ääninäytteiden kuunteleminen ilman kuvaa on osalle lapsista aika vaikeaa ja pitkästyttävää. He eivät ole tottuneet keskittymään, kuvittelemaan ja miettimään, miltä ääni näyttää. Nykyajan visuaalinen kulttuuri suoltaa valmista kuvaa joka taholta.

Sääolosuhteet vaihtelivat suuresti marraskuussa Kokkolassa . Välillä oli kuulas pakkassää tai satoi uutta pehmeää lunta. Välillä satoi vettä kaatamalla. Lapset halusivat äänittää ulkona veden eri olomuotoja. He havainnoivat litiseviä lätäköitä, tippuvia räystäitä ja jääpuikkoja, rapisevaa jäätä, narskuvaa lunta ja lopulta riemukasta lumipallojen heittelyä. Jotkut oppilaista halusivat kuvata ääninäytteessään tuulen voimaa: kuinka jännittävästi tuuli repii oksia ja paukuttaa ovia.

Koulumme takana oleva puisto on talvella tyynellä säällä hyvin hiljainen. Linnut ovat muuttaneet etelään. Huonolla säällä siellä kulje juuri ihmisiäkään muutamaa koiraa ulkoiluttavaa mummoa lukuunottamatta. Toisin on kesällä.

Äänimaisemassamme ei yllätyksekseni kukaan edes yrittänyt kuvata Suomen alkutalven pimeyttä tylsyytenä, joka sateisina päivinä syö kaiken värin maisemasta ja melkein lamaannuttaa elämän (aikuisista). Lapsia kylmä, märkä ja pimeä ei tunnu lainkaan haittaavan! He saapastelevat iloisina suoraan lätäkön halki ja laskevat pyllymäkeä heti, kun on vähänkin jäätä. Koulun kuivauskaapit ovat hurisseet täysillä jo monta viikkoa, kun märät pipot, lapaset, sukat, ulkohousut ja takit yritetään saada kuiviksi ennen seuraavaa välituntia. Ilmeisesti vain aikuiset kärsivät kaamosmasennuksesta! Ja heti kun sataa vähänkin uutta, valkoista ja puhdasta lunta, lapset suorastaan ratkeavat riemusta.

Vastakohtaisuudet Australian kesään, kuumuuteen, kuivuuteen ja metsäpaloihin korostuivat. Bullin koululaisten äänimaisemia kuunnellessa oppilaani kiinnittivät huomiota heti lintuihin ja luonnon ääniin. Se, ettemme juuri saaneet selvää lasten puheesta ei haitannut. Riemukas kesäinen tunnelma välittyi tänne maapallon toiselle puolelle ja sai lapset kuvittelemaan jotain itselle tuntematonta, asettumaan toisen asemaan ja matkustamaan mielikuvituksensa avulla lämpimään maailman ääriin. He totesivat, että kesällä meilläkin on puissa suhinaa ja lintujen laulua.

Tietoa ei pidä erottaa taiteesta. Siksi olemmekin opiskelleet Australian asioita ja seuranneet uutisia mm. metsäpalojen vaikutuksista koaloihin ja muihin eläimiin. On ollut helpottavaa kuulla Jeremyn lähettämistä viesteistä, ettei ystäväkoulumme ole vaarassa. Kuulimme kuitenkin, että joillakin oppilailla on kotona matkalaukku valmiiksi pakattuna, jos tulee äkkilähtö tulen takia. Se herätti keskustelua ja empaattisia tunteita. Oppilaat sanoivatkin, että Bullin koulun oppilaat saavat tulla kouluun ja asumaan meille, jos savu haittaa. Tervetuloa ilman vaarojakin!

Mediakasvatuksen osuus huipentui siihen, että Yleisradion filmiryhmä kävi tekemässä jutun DearYou- projektistamme ja otimme skypeyhteyden Jeremyn luokkaan. Aikaeron takia tulimme aamulla jo puoli tuntia ennen koulun alkua ( klo 7.30) kouluun ja Jeremyn oppilaineen odotti puheluamme viideltä iltapäivällä. Oppilaat eivät malttaneet kovin hyvin kuunnella, mitä Jeremy oppilaineen puhui, sillä oppilaiden näkeminen livenä reaaliajassa oli niin jännittävvää ja ihanaa.

Omana kokemuksenani kerroin uutisjutussa, että taidekasvatuksen kolme tasoa ovat toteutuneet tässä projektissa loistavasti:
- Henkilökohtaisen kasvun tasolla oppilaat ovat keskittyneet kuvan tekemiseen ja ilmaisuun. On syvennytty itseen ja omaan tekemiseen, eikä lopputulos ole ollut tärkein. On vain pyritty kasvattamaan lapsen omaa identiteettiä.
- Toisella tasolla projektissa on ollut yhteiskunnallisia tavoitteita, jotka pyrkivät tarjoamaan lapsille sellaisia valmiuksia, joita elämässä tarvitaan. Esimerkkeinä mainitsin empatian kasvattamisen, erilaisuuden hyväksymisen ja ymmärtämisen sekä kuvanlukutaidon.
- Kolmanneksi meillä on toteutunut hienosti kulttuurinen näkökulma. Taide ja kuva kertovat ihmisistä ja ihmisryhmistä.

Kiitos hienosta projektista Arlene ja Jeremy sekä Bullin koulun oppilaat!Kokkolassa Suomen 102. itsenäisyyspäivänä6.12.2019, Auli ja 2a Mäntykankaan koulusta

Observing and recording the ambient sound landscape was an interesting task for my 2nd grade students, although at first there was a bit of a murmur about not being able to record. We tried to make short clips because listening to the sound samples made by others without a picture was quite difficult and boring for some children. They are not used to concentrating, imagining and thinking about what the sound looks like. The visual culture of today echoes the image of everywhere.

The weather conditions in Kokkola varied greatly in November. There were occasional frosty snow or new soft snow. Sometimes it rained by pouring water. The children wanted to record various forms of water outdoors. They observe squishy puddles, dripping eaves and icicles, crumbling ice, creaking snow, and finally, joyful throwing of snowballs. Some students wanted to capture the sound of the wind in their sound sample: how exciting the wind is tearing branches and banging doors.

The park behind our school is very quiet during the winter with calm weather. Birds have moved south. In bad weather there are just a few people out there, except for a few grandmothers who walk outside. It's different in summer.

To our surprise, nobody even tried to portray the darkness of the early winter in Finland as a boredom that eats all the color of the landscape on rainy days and almost paralyzes life (of adults). Children in cold, wet and dark do not seem to mind at all! They arrive cheerfully straight across the puddle and lower the butt as soon as there is even some ice. School drying cabinets have been buzzing for weeks as wet beanies, gloves, socks, pants and jackets are tried to be dry before the next break. Apparently only adults suffer from colic depression! And as soon as it rains a little new, white, and pure snow, the kids are out of joy.

The contrasts with the Australian summer, heat, drought and forest fires were highlighted. While listening to the soundscapes of Bull's schoolchildren, my students immediately paid attention to the birds and the sounds of nature. The fact that we just couldn't find out what the children were saying didn't bother. The cheerful summer atmosphere was transmitted to the other side of the globe and made the children imagine something unknown to themselves, position themselves in the position of another and travel to the warm ends of the world with their imagination. They said that in the summer we also have the hum of the trees and the birds singing.

Information should not be separated from art. That is why we have been studying Australian issues and following the news, for example. on the effects of forest fires on koalas and other animals. It has been a relief to hear Jeremy's messages that our twin school is not in danger. However, we heard that some students have a suitcase packed at home in case of a sudden fire start. It aroused debate and empathic feelings. Indeed, the students said that Bull School students could come to school and live with us if the smoke was hurting. Welcome without danger!

The culmination of media education culminated in the fact that the Finnish Broadcasting Company film group went on to talk about our DearYou project and reached out to Jeremy for a skype. Because of the time difference, we came to school half an hour before school (7.30am) and Jeremy's students waited for our call at five in the afternoon. The students were not too keen to listen to what Jeremy and his students were talking about because seeing the students live in real time was so exciting and wonderful.

In my experience, I told the news story that the three levels of art education have been accomplished brilliantly in this project:

- At the level of personal growth, the pupils are focused on picture making and expression. It has delved into itself and its own making, and the end result has not been the most important. There has only been an effort to increase the child's own identity.

- On the second level, the project has had social goals that aim to provide children with the skills they need in life. As examples, I mentioned growing empathy, accepting and understanding difference, and image reading.

- Third, we have a great cultural perspective. Art and image are about people and groups of people.

Thanks to Arlene and Jeremy for the great project and the Bull School students!

Kokkola on Finland's 102nd Independence Day

Auli and 2a from Mäntykangas School

6.12.2019

The 2nd graders from Mäntykankaan koulun in Kokkola, Finland are making and sharing art with the 1st and 2nd graders from Bulli Public School in Bulli, Australia.

Bringing the light from Australia to Finland

Projektin toisen osan toteutus viipyi meillä Kokkolassa opettajan työtapaturman ja sitä seuranneen sairausloman takia. Huomasimme, miten henkilösidonnaisia tällaiset projektit ovat. Ulkopuolinen sijainen ei pysty sisäistämään ja teettämään tehtävää niillä neuvoilla, joita opettaja kotoa käsin voi puhelimella tai sähköpostilla antaa. Tämä toisaalta todistaa sitä, että kuvataide on luonteeltaan sitoutumista ja innostumista vaativa pitkä ajatteluaprosessi. Ei mikään irrallinen ja helppo jäljennystehtävä, niin kun usein luullaan. Kuvataide on omien ajatusten näkyväksi tekemistä ja opettajan osa on johdattaa oppilaat tähän ajatteluun.

Luokkani oppilaat saivat arvotussa järjestyksessä valita Jeremyn luokan oppilaiden kuvista itselleen kirjekaverin, jonka muotokuvan he jäljensivät kuultopaperille. Ensimmäisenä tarkastelimme kuvien lapsia ja yritimme arvailla, millaisia he ovat. Tutkimme asentoja, ilmeitä, eleitä ja ulkonäköä. Joitain vastauksia saatiin, kun opettaja suomensi, mitä oppilaat olivat kertoneet itsestään. Muiden muassa Jeremyn luokan kaksoset herättivät kiinnostusta, kun huomattiin, että kuvissa on kaksi täysin samannäköistä tyttöä. Koska Bullin koulun oppilaita oli enemmän, kuin meitä, muutama oppilas halusi tehdä kahdesta oppilaasta kuvan.

Jatkoimme myös valokuvaamisesta ja valokuvista kuvataiteen keinona puhumista ja yritimme etsiä kuvista mahdollisimman paljon sävyjä ja värejä valkoisesta mustaan. Tutkimme kuvien valoja ja varjoja. Ensimmäiseksi oppilaat värittivät vaaleat eli valon kohdat kuvista. Sitä mukaa kun muotokuvat valmistuivat, ne kiinnitettiin luokan ikkunaan, josta tähän aikaan vuodesta tulee muutaman tunnin ajan valoa ulkoa. Päivä Suomessa on nyt todella lyhyt!

Oppilast kirjoittivat ystävilleen australiaan myös pienet kirjeen. Tehtävänä oli keksiä vähintään kolme kysymystä ja kertoa vähintään kolme asiaa itsestään. Tämä oli hyvä harjoitus myös kielen kannalta, koska olemme opetelleet virkkeen rakennetta : iso alkukirjain, verbi ja päättömerkki. Käänsimme kirjeet googlekääntäjän avulla englanniksi. Tulostetun kirjeen sai koristella mielensä mukaan. Valitettavasti Suomessa alkaa huomenna postilakko, joten kirjeet ja kuvat eivät nyt lähde mihinkään. Lähetämme huomenna niistä kuitenkin kuvat sähköpostilla, joten oppilaat näkevät, mitä posti tuo heille ennemmin tai myöhemmin.

Tehtävä oli mielestämme kaikin puolin mielenkiintoinen. Oli ihanaa ajatella, että maailman toisella puolella on samanikäisiä lapsia, jotka odottavat piirroksiamme ja kirjeitämme. Olemme aidosti kiinnostuneita tutustumaan Jeremyn luokkaan ja Australiaan ja elämään siellä. Oppilaat totesivatkin, että oppilaat näyttävät siellä ihan samanlaisilta kuin meillä kesällä. Täällä Kokkolassa onkin nyt marraskuun 10. päivänä ennätysaikaisin hiihtokeli ja paljon lunta. Välituntileikit taitavat nyt olla melko tavalla erilaisia!

Parhain terveisin Auli ja 2a Mäntykankaan koulu, Kokkola

The second Dear You project was delayed in Kokkola due to the accident at the teacher and the subsequent sick leave. We noticed how student-centered such projects are. The substitute teacher was unable to fulfill the assignment without the advice of the teacher. This, on the other hand, proves that Fine Art is a long process of thinking that requires commitment and enthusiasm. Not a loose and easy imitation task, as you often think. Visual art is about making one's own thoughts visible, and it is part of the teacher to guide students in that thinking.

Students in my class were given the chance to choose from a picture of Jeremy's classmates, in a prized order, a letter-buddy, whose portrait they copied on tracing paper. First we looked at the children in the pictures and tried to guess what they were like. We studied their postures, expressions, gestures and appearance. Some answers came when the teacher translated what the students had said about themselves. Among others, Jeremy's class twins aroused interest when it was discovered that there were two girls who looked exactly the same. Because there are more Bulli School students than us, few students wanted to take a picture of the two students.

 We also continued to talk about photography. Photography as a means of fine art and tried to find as many shades and colors as possible from white to black. We examined the lights and shadows of the pictures. First, the students colored the light, or light spots, in the pictures. As the portraits were completed, they were attached to the classroom window, which at this time of the year will be exposed to light for several hours. The day in Finland is now really short!

Students also wrote short letters to their friends in Australia. The task was to come up with at least three questions and tell at least three things about themselves. This was also a good exercise for the language as we learned the structure of the sentence: capitalization, verb and ending. We used google translator to translate the letters into English. You could decorate the printed letter as you wish. Unfortunately, Finland will start a postal strike tomorrow, so now letters and pictures will not go anywhere. However, we will email them tomorrow, so students will see what the mail brings them sooner or later.

We thought the task was interesting in every way. It was wonderful to think that there were children of the same age on the other side of the world waiting for our drawings and letters. We are genuinely interested in getting to know Jeremy's class and Australia and living there. The students said that the students there look exactly like us in the summer. Here in Kokkola, on November 10th, there is a record-breaking ski run and plenty of snow. The break play now seems to be quite different!

 Best regards,
Auli and 2a at Mäntykangas School, Kokkola

The 2nd graders from Mäntykankaan koulun in Kokkola, Finland are making and sharing art with the 1st and 2nd graders from Bulli Public School in Bulli, Australia.

"The Early Bird Gets The Word"

“Hello! Here are we in Mäntykangas School in Kokkola, Finland 2a. We would like to tell about ourselves with 3 words. We will take some photos for you with mirrors on Friday. The weather is so awful today and I am afraid, it is raining for a long.... anyways, lots of love.”

— Auli Palosaari

Curiosity, Bravery, Perseverance

Hei!

Olemme tutustuneet vahvuuksiin, joita itsessämme tunnistamme ja löydämme. Oppilaat saivat valita kolme erilaista vahvuutta, joilla haluavat kertoa itsestään australiaisille ystävillemme. Luokassamme vieraili tiistaina myös suuri joukko australialaisia rehtoreita, joille esittelimme projektiamme. Käänsimme vahvuudet englanniksi ja liitimme kuviimme englanninkieliset tekstit. Luokassani on useita tehostettua tukea tarvitsevaa lasta, joten jo tämä edellä mainittu on ollut haastavaa ja vienyt tavattoman paljon aikaa. Emme ole vieläkään päässet ulos valokuvaamaan, koska mm. vierailujen ja koulun muun ohjelman ja yhteisten päällekkäisten projektien takia on ollut talossamme hyvin kiireistä ja koulupäivät sirpaleisia. Olin itse 3 päivää pois The Early Bird Gets The Word- varhennetun englannin kielen koulutuksessa ja senkin takia pakka on hieman sekaisin luokassani. Projekti pääsi alun alkaen myöhässä alkamaan, koska asian käsittely ja luvan (maksusitoumuksen saanti) koulun johdossa viipyi. Nyt on ollut kaksi oppilaiden arviointikeskusteluviikkoa ja olen tavannut jokaisen lapsen vanhemmat koulupäivän jälkeen . Olen kertonut projektista ja kysellyt kuvauslupia. Kaikilta en ole vieläkään saanut vastausta.

Sää on ollut pari päivää myrskyisä ja sateinen, emmekä senkään takia ole päässeet vielä kuvaamaan ipadeilla ulkona. Odottelen valokuvaaja, kuvataiteilija Joni Virtaselta vastausta, milloin hän ehtii tulla luokkaamme opettamaan kuvausta ja kertomaan ammatistaan. Vahvuuksia olemme käsitellet joka päivä eri oppiaineissa. ( Olen kuvataideopettaja, mutta myös perusopetuksen luokanopettaja, joten projektista olisi helppo tehdä kokonaisuus, jos ei olisi nyt niin paljon muuta opetusta rajoittavaa toimintaa koulussamme.

Viikko 42 on syyslomaviikko ja viikko 43 uimaopetusviikko, jolloin kävelemme joka päivä uimahallille uimaopetukseen ja takaisin, joten niillä viikoilla ei taideopetusta voi pitää. Toivottavasti saamme kuvat otetuksi ensi viikolla, ettemme jää projektista enempää jälkeen. Tahti tuntuu tälle integraatioluokalleni aika kiireiseltä. Jos olisi vain tämä projekti normaaliopetuksen tukena, suoriutuisimme aikataulussa, mutta nyt on tässä yhtälössä ollut liian monta muuttujaa. Pahoittelen!

Kaikesta huolimatta olemme projektista innoissamme ja on todella ihanaa tutustua australialaiseen kouluun projektin kautta. Kartasta olemme jo tutkineet, missä Bullin koululaiset fyysisesti ovat ja australian eläimiin mm.kenguruihin, vesinokkaeläimiin, vompatteihin ja nokkasiiliin tutustuimme ympäristöopin tunnilla.

Olemme myös ihastelleet sitä vauhtia, joilla nykyään saa ihan reaaliajassa yhteyden toiselle puolelle maapalloa. Rehtori mrs Paker lähetti Bullin koululle sähköpostia luokassamme ja sai samantien vastauksen! Kaikkein riemukkainta oli tutustua Bullin koulun lähettämiin kuviin ja kertomukseen projektin toteuttamisesta! ´Täällä sateen ja myrskyn keskellä totsesimme, että toisella puolella maailmaa onkin kesä! Onnittelemme Australiaa naisten keihäänheiton maailmanmestaruudesta. Keihäänheitto on aikaisemmin ollut meidän suomalaisten laji ja nyt te saitte mestaruuden! Great!

Tapaan vielä tänään australialaiset rehtorit toisen taideprojektini merkeissä. Teemme Kokkola 400v. juhlan kunniaksi rintamerkkejä paikallisessa ravintolassa illallisen jälkeen.

Lots of love,
Auli ja 2a

Love, Forgiveness, Bravery

Hey!

We have gotten to know the strengths we identify and find within ourselves. The students were given three different strengths to tell about themselves to our Australian friends. On Tuesday, a large group of Australian principals also visited our class to present our project. We translated our strengths into English and included English texts in our pictures. We have a number of students with special needs in our classroom, so the above has been challenging and time-consuming. We still can't get out of photography because visits and the rest of the school program and common overlapping projects have made our house very busy and school days fragmented. I was 3 days away in The Early Bird Gets The Word Early English Training and that's why the pack is a bit messy in my class. The project started late due to delays in processing and obtaining permission (commitment) from the school management. Now it's been two weeks students' evaluation of the debate, and I have met with the parents after the school day for each child. I have told about the project and asking description permits. I still haven't got an answer from everyone.

The weather has been turbulent and rainy for a couple of days, and we haven't been able to shoot it on the ipads for a while either. I'm waiting for photographer, visual artist Joni Virtanen to answer when he will come to our class to teach photography and tell us about his profession. We deal with strengths every day in different subjects. (I'm an art teacher, but also basic education teacher, so the project would be easy to make a whole, if it were not now so much more restrictive teaching activities at our school.

Week 42 is Autumn Holiday Week and Week 43 is a swimming lessons week, where we go to the swimming pool every day for swimming lessons and back, so there is no art education in those weeks. We hope we get the pictures taken next week so we won't miss the project any more. The pace seems quite busy for my integration class. If only this project were to support normal education, we would be on schedule, but now there have been too many variables in this equation. I apologize!

Nonetheless, we are excited about the project and it is really wonderful to get to know the Australian school through the project. From the map, we've already explored where Bull's schoolchildren are physically located, and we've learned about Australian animals such as kangaroos, waders, waders and bumble bees in an environmental lesson.

We have also admired the speed with which you can now connect to the other side of the globe in real time. Principal Mrs. Paker emailed Bull's school in our classroom and received a reply immediately! The most joyful thing was to see the pictures sent by the Bulli School and the story of the project! 'Here in the midst of rain and storm, we said it was summer on the other side of the world! Congratulations to Australia on the world championship in women's spear throwing. Spear throwing has been our Finn's kind in the past and now you got the championship! Great!

I still meet Australian principals today for my second art project. We make Kokkola 400v. to celebrate the badges with a badge at a local restaurant after dinner.

Lots of love,
Auli ja 2a

Perseverance, Leadership Skills, Sense of Humour

The 2nd graders from Mäntykankaan koulun in Kokkola, Finland are making and sharing art with the 1st and 2nd graders from Bulli Public School in Bulli, Australia.

The kids in NYC kick off their friendship with their new pen pals in Helsinki!

Amanda Sainsott and her class of 2nd graders from Manhattan, NY have started an exchange with Arlene Tucker and her 1st graders in Helsinki, Finland!

The letters were full of warmth, excitement, and unexpected details about themselves and where they live. Such great questions they asked! The students also included pictures they drew. We could catch a glimpse of what their homes look like and where they like to play.

Reading their letters made me want to go visit all the lovely parks, zoos, and experience the bustle of the city myself!

Let’s see where the conversation and collaboration will go!

The students in Grade 2 (7-8 years old) at NEST+m in NYC are making and sharing art with the Grade 1 students at Ressun peruskoulu (7-8 years old) in Helsinki, Finland.

One idea leads to another

As the students in Taizhou listened to their friend's soundscapes their ideas started to grow. Here you can see how each mind map is unique and how we all interpret sounds, images, and emotions in different ways. Loving the translation process in these artworks!

Teachers Miss Wu Juehua and Lisa did an amazing job encouraging their students to be as creative, open, and experimental as they can be. Thank you!

The artists in Grade 2 (8-9 years old) at Taizhou Pheonix Primary School in Jiangsu, China are making and sharing art with the artists at Linguajoy (7-10 years old) in Helsinki, Finland.

Stirring the imagination!

Artworks from the artists at Кепская школа им. Ортье Степанова (Kepa School) in Karelia, Russia

We received wonderful works from Russia and many of the class in SVK were inspired by them. This time we did the environment and the means of transportation. Children made their means of transportation and the environment. The work from Russia ( underground mine and diamonds) stirred kids imagination. Many did the imaginative diamond world as their destination.

The artists from 2B at Suomalais-venäläinen koulu are making and sharing art with the artists from Кепа школу (Kepa School) in Karelia, Russia.

Artworks from Suomalais-venäläinen koulu

From Candy Land Finland to Karelia!

Hi Arlene! Yesterday we did the workshop in SVK with 2b class. I think everyone was interested in mobiles. I showed them the mobiles the Karelian kids made. There wad no letter from Russia. I think our workshop went fluently because everyone could make their favorite character in the environment that they like.

Everybody had different approaches to their environment. A few girls drew their favorite pets or just animals and the environment was candy land. Some drew magic land without characters, I thin there was Rapunzel and her tower in one drawing. Many drew animation and game characters.

Kristina Laine

The artists from Кепская школа им. Ортье Степанова (Kepa School) in Karelia, Russia are making and sharing art with the artists from 2B at Suomalais-venäläinen koulu.

Finnish Russian School shares with Russia!

Today we had a workshop with SVK 2B class

Children were very interested in works they received from Russia. In our workshop kids drew home and things that relate to the topic. Boys were fast and did not want to engage with the scratching technique for too long, girls were more precise. I think they did very well and even talked about their works. So this is the result.

The photo where  pictures are  hanging on the wall is the one where we talk about the works we received. 

Kristina Laine

The artists from 2B at Suomalais-venäläinen koulu are making and sharing art with the artists from Кепа школу (Kepa School) in Karelia, Russia.

The perfect picnic!

How happy we were when the table cloth arrived! It is a beautiful piece – and the fish is so appropriate because here we love fish and Siglufjörður is famous for fish industry (herring industry) in the past. And also now, although we don´t fish herring still. We have already had picnic twice and used that beautiful tablecloth, as you can see on the pictures. It was quite a good idea to have the names of the kids on the cloth, then their friends could sit at the „right“ place.

All the projects in the Dear you work have been inspiring and brought out creative thinking – good for both children and teachers. We would be happy to take part next year, it would be better not to start in August/Sept. .... maybe January would be good for us like this year. Tomorrow is the last day of school for the kids, but teachers will be working until 9th of June.

Thank you Kathleen and Arlene!

All the best,
Halla and Guðný.

The 1st and 2nd graders at Grunnskóli Fjallabyggðar in Siglufjörður, Iceland are making and sharing art with the 2nd graders at Amy Parks Heath Elementary School in Heath, Texas.

Come out for a picnic with us!

Now we have almost finished the table cloth, the gift to our friends in Texas. The kids are so proud of their work! We had a lot of fun doing the project „Come have a bite to eat with me“, and the kids liked thinking that their friends abroad would go out for a picnic using the table cloth that was made here in Iceland. Ithas lively, happy colours as we would like to feel when we go out together and have a good meal!

On Wednesday, we will have a school exhibition where the kids are showing their work to their parents and inhabitants of our town are invited. We really want to have the cloth there for them to introduce this wonderful project to them. After that we will send it to you.

Best wishes to you all,
Halla and Guðný

The 1st and 2nd graders at Grunnskóli Fjallabyggðar in Siglufjörður, Iceland are making and sharing art with the 2nd graders at Amy Parks Heath Elementary School in Heath, Texas.

A beautiful place for your meal!

Printmaking and putting it to use is not only fun, but so rewarding for everybody. In this case, the Texans' friend in Iceland will enjoy their food even more when looking at such lovely designs!

Kathleen Finan and her group of 2nd graders at Amy Parks Heath Elementary School in Heath, Texas are making and sharing with the 1st and 2nd graders at Grunnskóli Fjallabyggðar in Siglufjörður, Iceland.

Abstract paintings from Texas

We enjoyed creating our abstract painting, without using a brush, while listening to music. We were unable to walk around and find natural items to paint with so I put out drinking straws, Q-tips, and wooden popsicle sticks to paint with.  We listened to the music then I demonstrated a few ways to use our new painting tools. The children had a fun time listening to the music and painting.

Kathleen Finan

The 2nd graders at Amy Parks Heath Elementary School in Heath, Texas are making and sharing with the 1st and 2nd graders at Grunnskóli Fjallabyggðar in Siglufjörður, Iceland.

Imagining noises : )

Dear you!

I send you a few pictures from our march-project.

It is not as you told us to do, because we had such a rainy weather and we could not go out and pick up some things from nature.

So we talked about things we hear, when we are in different surroundings. In nature we hear birds, the rain, the trees and a lot of animals. In town we hear a lot of people going and talking, a lot of cars. When we are at home, in our bed, we hear the cars from the street, the family talking, the rain on the window.

So you will see, it isvery interesting to see the pictures and you can imagine by yourself the noises.

Hope you are fine and we wish you happy easter!

Best,
Simone 

Simone Zobl and her second graders from Evangelischen Volksschule am Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria are making and sharing art with Aili Vassil and her group of second graders from Mooste Põhikool in Mooste, Estonia.

After the storm in Siglufjörður...

The day after a big storm in Siglufjörður we went out to see what the wind had brought us. The ground had been all white the previous days because it had been snowing every day for many days. But that morning the snow was not white, it was covered with pine needles and branches from trees and all kind of stuff that the kids picked up. When they were painting they were thinking of the sound of the storm which brought us all this. We had all kinds of sounds, whispering, whistling, banging and heavy/vigorous sounds.

Below are pictures of the artist's work and also one picture taken before the storm, where the kids in 1-4th grade are outside by their snow-fort. As you can see spring has not come here yet, though we have had good weather the last days.

By, by Halla and Gyðný

The 1st and 2nd graders at Grunnskóli Fjallabyggðar in Siglufjörður, Iceland are making and sharing art with the 2nd graders at Amy Parks Heath Elementary School in Heath, Texas.

Mozartkugel and much more from Vienna!

The Viennese artists had a lot of fun making books about what they like to eat!

Simone Zobl and her second graders from Evangelischen Volksschule am Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria are making and sharing art with Aili Vassil and her group of second graders from Mooste Põhikool in Mooste, Estonia.

From Iceland to Texas, with love!

Here are pictures of the work, tomorrow the books will be sent to Texas.  The kids have had much fun doing the books. They introduced their book to the class, keeping it a secret which food they had chosen. The class was guessing and they were very excited, and in the end the secret came out.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to take part in this, and it is also great to see it on Facebook.

Love, Halla and Guðný

The 1st and 2nd graders at Grunnskóli Fjallabyggðar in Siglufjörður, Iceland are making and sharing art with the 2nd graders at Amy Parks Heath Elementary School in Heath, Texas.

Iceland has so many ways of seeing : )

Halla and Guðný, teachers of 1st and 2nd grade artists know how to get everybody excited!  What a wonderful idea they had to use microscopes!

The 1st and 2nd graders at Grunnskóli Fjallabyggðar in Siglufjörður, Iceland are making and sharing art with the 2nd graders at Amy Parks Heath Elementary School in Heath, Texas.