Art students inspired by Chihuly

After viewing the art of glass blowing artist Dale Chihuly, Kindergarten though fifth graders worked together to create their own glass inspired installation piece.  To begin the project the students watched a brief video that gave an overview of the glass making process and teamwork involved in the production of Chihuly’s art.  Second through fifth graders used plastic, wire and colored sharpies to create their own organic shaped glass pieces. Kindergarten and first graders used sharpies and household products to create a glass inspired look.  The artwork was used to create an instillation piece, which is on display by the library in the front lobby.This piece contains the work of over 400 students' art. Come check it out!

A student creating his Chihuly-inspired work

Combining students' work together

Assembling and combining 400+ students' work

Chihuly-inspired installed piece in the main lobby

Learning about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Kindergarten

When we learn about Martin Luther King, Jr. in Kindergarten, we use it as an opportunity to celebrate how each of us is different. We talk about his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, and then try to have the students relate this to their lives. They create a "dream" for themselves, their family, and then the world in general. We try to have them think about themselves as active participants in their world and the change they can create. To finish the project, students spend time looking in the mirror and drawing a realistic self portrait to accompany their writing, further demonstrating that no two students are exactly alike. Here is a picture of some of our students' drawings that you can see on walls in the Kindergarten hallway.

QuickStart Tennis with UVA Tennis Coaches!

On Tuesday, January 6th, our students were privileged to work with some incredible special guests: the coaches of UVA Men's Tennis, one of the premier college tennis teams in the country!

Thanks to QuickStart Tennis of Central Virginia, Coach Boland, Coach Taylor, and Coach Brown came to teach some fundamentals to our students. Our students had a great time learning and playing with these special guests.

UVA Coaches along with Ms. Houston and Ms. Pehanick.

Thanks again to QuickStart and the UVA Men's Tennis team for a fantastic experience for our students!

Invertebrate Day

Invertebrate Day is a day that your fifth grader will never forget at Baker-Butler. It is filled with hands-on scientific learning. Students experience collaboration, creativity, critical thinking and problem solving as they rotated through four different activities. Engagement was stellar and learning was accelerated!

In Ms. Thomasen's classroom many connections were made as students learned that invertebrates do not have a backbone. Students learned that squid and clams are related and how siphon tubes in clams and squid have different functions. 

In Ms. Spring's class, the "A" for art was put in STEAM! Students combined elements of science (insects and friction) with math (symmetry) and art. During this rotation, students reviewed what they knew about insects and then created bugs by writing their name in cursive and making a mirror image of the name and coloring the "bug."

Ms. Roesch's class was turned into Worm-a-Rama! As students entered the room, they were each given their own live worm to investigate. Hypotheses were made and mini-labs were set up to discover their worms' preferences - warm vs. cold, dry vs. damp, and darkness vs. light. Did you know that worms have five hearts? Students also used stethoscopes and straws to monitor their worms' heartbeats. Many students named their worms and there was more than one sad good-bye as they returned their "new buddies" before leaving the classroom.

Mr. Hazlett and Ms. Caldwell's room was filled with cephalopods. The students became experts as they learned how to dissect and learn the important internal workings of a squid. Students learned how to identify a female verses a male and what the "pen" was.  A somewhat smelly, but a great day had by all!

We have a lot to be "Thankful For" at Baker-Bulter!

Our Student Council sponsored food drive was a huge success. Our contributions to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank totaled 1,896 pounds of food, which will help feed many families in our area. They say a picture is worth more than a thousand words. Way to Go Baker-Butler!

Making suspension rattles and other American Indian artifacts

Second graders are experiencing the culture of American Indians from the Eastern Woodlands, Plains and Southwest by using natural resources to create ceremonial rattles, medicine bags, sand paintings and corn husk dolls!   

Thanks to a Shannon Grant written by second grade teacher Nancy Williams, all Baker-Butler second grade students have been making suspension rattles as part of their Native American Unit.

With guidance from art teacher, Ms. Purdon and music teacher, Mrs. Rehorn, the boys and girls have been creating their rattles with the use of “Y” shaped sticks, yarn, wire, and assorted beads and bells for the suspension element of the instruments. Ms. Mays (media specialist) and Ms. Grundler (music) have also collaborated on this project.

The designing and building of the rattles occurs in our Creation Station. It is a great example of collaborating and interdisciplinary teaching among five 2nd grade teachers, two art teachers, two music teachers, and our media specialist.

Suspension rattles are found in the Native American culture but also in African culture as well.  The students are learning how indigenous materials are used to create instruments.

A coastal Native American may use small shells for a rattle, where a woodlands Native American may use the shells of nuts and bone fragments.

Funds received from the Edgar and Eleanor Shannon Foundation provided the materials for this grant.  

Through hands-on learning experiences students connect to the challenges and creative thinking of American Indians.