It is now that dark time of year when we need all the color and glitz we can get to capture the interest of our kindergarteners. I wish that I'd had my camera handy when I showed my class last week's "Fun Friday" book-inspired art project:
The children burst into spontaneous Sign Language applause when they saw all the glitter on the construction paper spirals that we were going to make after reading Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman and Beth Krommes.
This is a stunningly beautiful nonfiction book with scratchboard illustrations washed with colors that celebrate the wonder of the spiral shapes found in nature. The spirals in a ram's horn, the spirals in funnel clouds, the spiral shape in which a chipmunk curls as it falls asleep, the spiral in a snail shell are all illustrated in Swirl by Swirl. My students loved pointing out the spirals and asked me to read it again which is the book review sought after by all parents and teachers!
Making a spiral is an achievable challenge in kindergarten. I started by modeling how to cut out the circle and make a small cut from the circumference towards the center. Then, it is all about turning the paper while cutting round and round. I had the children practice on copy paper first.
After showing me their practice spiral, each child was able to select the color of their choice and cut out two predrawn circles from 12" by 18" construction paper.
As they finished and moved on to STEAM centers, a mom helper was able to glue and glitter the finished spirals. My husband came with me to school over the weekend and hung the spirals. There is a handy bit of a ledge on our ceiling but I imagine other classrooms have something similar. Or, you could always stretch a rope across a room for hanging such projects.
I have made and hung spirals in past years. Of course, we have to discuss and overcome the temptation to tug on them and a few will come down, for sure. But I still can't wait for the kindergarteners to come in and be mesmerized by their swirling, twirling, spiraling creations!
P.S. It was pure serendipity but my husband came home last Thursday night with palmiers (or elephant ears, if you prefer!) and I was delighted to share some with my students. They noticed the spirals within the cookies right away!
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