The ocean

Got this email from Henry's new teacher today. I feel extreme guilt that Henry has never seen the ocean. I wonder what will happen with the Gulf and if we should drive down there ASAP before the beach is closed indefinitely. What if it's like how Justin passed on an opportunity to see Nirvana at Trees thinking he could see them again another time?

Good Afternoon,

We've had a great first week together. I've enjoyed getting to know everyone a little better. The theme for this session is the beach and ocean which is very timely since most of our friends have just returned from the beach or are headed there soon. We've had good discussions about the animals we would find in the ocean. We've also enjoyed exploring with the seashells in the sensory table.

As a group we made an ocean mural using various art mediums and techniques. We used blue finger paint to create our ocean. We discussed how the finger paint felt between our fingers as we spread it on the paper. We made coral and seaweed using glue and colored sand. Not only did this add texture to our picture, but it gave the chance to practice glue control with the bottles of glue. We practiced our cutting skills as we cutout starfish from sandpaper. To make the fish for our mural, we traced our hands. Then we painted them with watercolors. Painting with watercolors is more of an advanced skill. It requires a 3 step process: wetting the brush, dipping it in the paint, painting on the paper, and repeat. I think they all did a beautiful job on their fish. In fact, they are very proud of their work. So, we decided to display it outside our door for everyone to enjoy.