Japanese Jewelry Making: Signed up to teach afterschool

 I am part kicking myself and mostly super excited about this after school class I signed up to teach every Monday for the first semester. Jewelry making! There is already another similar class called Bedazzled at the school, so I tried to think of a way to make mine unique. Then, I thought, part of the reason why they hired me was because of my exposure to the Japanese culture! So . . . I decided to call the class Kazari, meaning decorations in Japanese.

Next dilemma. What exactly should I teach? What jewelry CAN I make with 5 - 7 year olds? I know I could do pasta necklaces and friendship bracelets, but how does this relate to Japan? My answer? Google! My one-stop-shop answer to any question.

I found some really neat ideas for lessons as well. :) I'm trying to keep it simple and easy, but while still using the full hour or so I have with the kids.

In order to infuse the Japanese culture into the classes, I thought about teaching mini lessons on snippets of Japan, so to speak. One mini lesson a week, which is about 12 - 17 lessons. (I don't remember how many Mondays we have the first semester.)

In no particular order, here are my lesson ideas.

Origami : Easy Peasy!

As a fellow first grader told me, " Origami is very easy! It's simply folding and cutting paper."

I love to make crane earrings, but, because most 5 year olds do not have the fine motor skills to do this, I found this. A how-to on how to make Japanese style paper-bead earrings.

After teaching briefly about what origami is and how it is used in Japan, I plan to teach them how to make these beads the first day. They can make whatever color beads they want throughout the entire semester for necklaces, bracelets, earrings, or even hair accessories. This first lesson, will be purely bead making. The second lesson will be the making of a simple bracelet, necklace, or some other "kazari". 

Making Paper-Bead bracelet

After checking to make sure all of the beads dried nicely, I plan to show how to make clear bracelets using the paper beads, clear beads, and fishing string.

The lesson for this week could be anything. I might teach a little blurp about Japan's unique styles in Harajuku and how Japan is one of the competitive countries in fashion. Or I could teach about Japanese glass bead work.

Japanese Fans

Japan is known for their fans and it is often used in jewelry and patterns for fabric. I have researched the significance, other than to keep cool, yet, but I intend to. I have very little knowledge, but do not want to post it until I am sure I am correct. However, once I have done the research, we will be making Japanese Fan Pendants.

Cutting the origami I have into smaller squares would allow for us to make smaller fans to hang on necklaces. I would spray with a hardener to keep them from folding up, bending/ or scrunching up. I love the idea of making a clear necklace using this fan and paper beads. We could even start making a set with bracelet, necklace, and possibly earrings.

Flower Hair Band

 Hair accessories are very popular in Japan, as it is, also, a part of Japanese history. Obviously, this hairpiece is not Japanese, at all. However, I picked it, because I am working with 5 - 7 year olds. If you would prefer to make flowers more traditional to what you would find on a traditional Japanese hair piece, I will be posting those ideas below. I have yet decided whether or not to teach it or not though.

This lesson will be about the various hair accessories used by Japanese geisha.

I like how easy this flower is to make, because I can allow them to decorate their flower however they'd like. For example, we could make this using Origami paper backed with cardstock or they could glitter/mod-podge the flower for extra sparkle.

This project will, most likely, become a 2-week project, allowing the flowers to dry the first week. 

Lucky Stars

We are back to Origami for this lesson. Using paper strips, I could teach the children how to make these cute little stars. After making a couple and spraying them with hardener, we could string them, again, using anything we have already learned in the previous weeks. :) We could, also, glue them to head bands as decorations, or make simple earrings. 

Heart Pendant

 

 

I haven't decided on whether or not I want to do this lesson or not, but I know the kids will love it. I found a tutorial on how to make these pendants using foam boards. We do not even have to add a character in the middle. We could just decorate whatever shape they choose to cut out. (Personally, I kind of want to make a giraffe with yellow and brown gems.)

The lesson? This week might be the Harajuku week instead. 

Knock-Off Earrings by Kamiori Kaori

 

 

After teaching about fashion in Japan, these earrings may be interesting to introduce to the kids. It's pretty simple to make AND I can teach some of the younger ones how to tie a knot (on purpose). Of course, I would have to get clip-on earrings, but, this is so cute, I want to wear it!

The lesson? Since they are knock-offs, I will probably do a lesson on who the designer is and why this is called a knock-off. 

Origami Heart Earrings

 

 

How adorable are these?! And they are super easy to make, I hope.. I'll try to make it first. I love learning how to make cute pendants, because you can use them in so many different designs. I'm assuming most of the kids in my class will be girls, and most girls like hearts. If someone doesn't like it, she/he can always continue another project we have done in the past or create a new project. 

However, I think most will be excited about this.

Lesson? (!!) How about the Geisha decorations that are on a stick?! This would be very cute on the end of one, sticking out of a braid, bun, pony tail, etc. 

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Well, I have many more ideas, but, as I stated before, I want to be ahead of the game to keep from stressing out. I don't have the materials yet, but at least I know what i need to order. Fingers crossed these lessons go well. 

DIY Jewelry Ideas

CyArk Lesson Plans

A friend has just introduced TedTalk to me, and, as I watched the videos, I came across Ben Kacyra speaking about CyArk. He spoke of their mission to preserve stories through digitally preserving sites, including historical, with a machine that, in a sense, captured a 3-D picture of those sites in detail.

When I visited his site, they had a link for education lesson plans. These plans look really neat and interactive, a great resource for the classroom.

Adora Svitak: what adults can learn from kids

I came across this video on Hulu and found it very interesting. Adora Svitak is a very insightful girl with big dreams. She hit hammer right on the head as she talked about children rising to expectations. Always keep the bar held high! But I see this can be translated to us as adults as well. We should keep our expectations of ourselves held high as well.  

TedTalk: What Adults Can Learn from Kids

New Intentions

Originally, this blog was created for a class project, but, I have new intentions for this blog now. I have just accepted an exciting new job as a Kindergarten school teacher at an Atlanta charter school, which will remain anonymous. In so far, I have had half a year of true professional experience as a second grade teacher, and given the different curriculum and the full term contract, I accept this as my first true year of teaching. Beginning to end. My class. My students. Their teacher. And I can't wait.

I have several goals for this upcoming year, obviously mostly involving academics and parent/teacher communication. But I also want to continue to be a reflective teacher of myself and my students. Though I understand that routine and structure is necessary in a classroom, I refuse to let this set into my teaching style, and, point blank, cramp that style. Teaching is an ever changing profession with ever changing needs in the classroom. So my personal goal this year, is to try and "survive" the what has been referred to as the "survival first year" of teaching by trying to bypass this stage all together. And how will I do this? By stepping back, looking at my day as a third person, and blog for 10 minutes EVERY day. I am hoping this will force me to step back and see the big picture. What should my first priorities be? What are some things I can do to enhance the lessons? Which lessons need to be enhanced the most? Where are the problem areas in the classroom? Behavior? Number concepts? etc.

This past year, I came into the classroom mid-year. And determined to keep up with the rest of the grade-level, I worked late nights creating lessons that integrated first-of-the-year "getting to know you" lessons with the curriculum. Slowly reintroducing the learning stations and encouraging more autonomy in the classroom as we established our class rules. Unfortunately, I continued to stay late every night and eventually felt myself start to become more and more wary. Unconsciously, I began to look at my priorities more often making promises with myself to complete my mental checklist in order. This helped.

However, I know how I am, and can already feel myself wanting to start out the year sprinting. And though, I see no shame in this, I need to keep myself in check and make sure I am sprinting in the correct direction and not make too many detours. Hello. My name is Frankie and I am an easily-distracted perfectionist. On several occasions this past school year, I stopped mid-work to rearrange the furniture, because I realized that if I just move the table over to the right flush with the wall, it would be more functional. Unfortunately, I would then realize that newly positioned table inhibited access to a certain learning station and would set out to rectify that situation as well. In turn, causing a chain effect throughout the entire classroom. I was always happy with the turnout, but I would then come home to a sleeping husband and cold dinner.

So, that being said, my goal this year is to blog immediately about my reflection of the day and prioritize my tasks for that afternoon. A checklist, if you will, to keep myself on track.

Here's to an exciting new year with wonderful little ones to brighten my day every day!

1st Grade Folk Tale Poetry Project

So I've decided to create a poetry unit for my wonderful friend Erica and her first graders for my class project. After speaking to her about what she needs and is looking for, it has been decided that the project will be about folk tales. Johnny Appleseed and Paul Bunyan in particular, mostly because her students have already been briefly exposed to these tales allowing us to delve a little deeper into the stories.

Because we live in two different cities nearly two hours apart, most of our communication will be through e-mail, on-line chats, telephone, and possibly even this blog. Also, because of this inconvenience of meeting, discussing, and exchanging material objects for the lessons I would like to incorporate, I have decided to attempt at trying to create an interactive unit of lessons using the smart board she has in her classroom. Though some of the lessons may not be dependent on technology, all of the lessons will be linked through one PowerPoint.

This may sound complicating, but, in my mind, it will be a whole web of lessons and activities with extra ideas in the "back" if she chooses to continue or change any part of the lesson. Of course, any deviations made do not necessarily have to include my own work, but of her ideas and lessons as well. After all, it's best that we learn from each other. She a first year teacher, and, me, well, a grad student yet with a class of her own.

Though I haven't planned the unit out completely just yet, I do have ideas for her first graders. And let me just say beforehand, this is in no particular order. A very rough rough-draft, if you will.

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A Character Poem
After much discussion of the main characters in each story, the students will create a "character poem" about a character. This will basically be a concrete poem shaped like the character being described. Unless these students have already been exposed to concrete poems, which it seems they have not, then I would recommend the teacher create a class character poem with the first story introduced, which would be Johnny Appleseed in this case. Also, if the students are to create a character poem of their own, then I would also recommend implementing the class lesson towards the end of the Johnny Appleseed unit, so the students can create one for Paul Bunyan at the beginning of the next unit.

Random thought: What if the students were exposed to various folktales and were to choose the character they liked the most to create a character poem? Would this be too much information in a short period of time and cause more chaos in the classroom? After all, there is only one teacher. Hmm... How can this be done and still be poetically challenging and engaging?

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List Poems
The idea of first graders and list poems seem to go hand in hand. You have such a range of writers in the classroom, from the "still learning to hold the pencil correctly" to the "dotting the i's and crossing the t's". List poems are a great way to challenge all of the learners in the learners in your classroom while still encouraging their independent writing. A great way to create a list poem is to focus on a part of speech. Since Erica mentioned their review of adjectives, having the students create poems based on describing words in the story would be great.

Create a poem about

• how the character was described in the story.
• what words were used that made a possibly true story into a folktale. (This one might be difficult. Remember rough rough-draft.)
• what items you think Johnny Appleseed or Paul Bunyan had with them at all times.
  

Random thought: I love the last idea because you could make an original list of items and then add adjectives before the items for the poem. Ex. pot → big shiny pot

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Performance Poetry
This activity would best be used as a poetry center. In this center, the teacher would have pieces of poetry the students can read independently or with a partner. Two -voice poems would be great for this activity because it distinctly gives a voice to each child in the group. In fact, the students could even pair up for this activity. At the end of the lesson, the students can perform their poems to the class at the made-up "stage" in the classroom. The poems could be two voice poems between Johnny Appleseed and any other characters in his story, and Paul Bunyan and other ax-men. It'd be great if the teacher had a pot and fake cardboard ax as props for the kids.

This activity is great for building fluency.

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Random thought: How awesome would it be if you could plant something as a class or have each child plant something to take home and share? Kind of like the story behind Johnny Appleseed and how he shared his apples and was a giving person?

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Limerick Poems
These poems would be great for the teacher to read to the students and have them guess what is being described. For example,

There was once a fruit up high
that was very delicious in pie
He wore a red suit
looking so very cute
And didn't even have to try.

What fruit do you think this poem is about?

If the students really catch on to this, then it would be great to pass this activity on to them. Because having them have to rhyme and watch the rhythm will be hard, simplify the instructions for them.

1. Think of a someone, place, or thing.
2. Think of 3 sentences about that thing. Remember, do NOT say what it is!
3. Ask "What/who/where is it?"

This could be a fun game the kids would really love and creating poems describing at the same time!

Poetry Project Guidelines

Plan for a minimum of 10 hours. I suspect once you get involved you’ll want to do more! This could be a two-to-four week unit, or poetry spread across the semester. You can focus on reading/writing poetry for its own sake in a poetry/writing workshop, or integrate it in the study of content such as science or social studies.

These are areas I’d like for you to think seriously about as you plan, implement, and reflect on your teaching (and your students’ learning) during your poetry project. You and I will use these points in evaluating your project.

Creativity and Educational Value:
· Plans incorporate multiple strategies from our textbooks, articles, your independent reading, and class learning activities and discussions
· Plans are creative – that is they show your own ideas brought to bear on what you are learning from our texts and each other – but not just “cute.” Creativity must serve the educational value by engaging students in meaningful learning.
· Plans involve reading and writing of poetry. They may also involve content in another subject area, e.g., Social Studies.

Thoroughness & Appropriateness:
· Plans have enough information that a sub could use them (purpose or goal, poems and other materials, sequence of instruction, Universal Design adaptations up front or in each lesson, assessment if needed)
· There should be a plan for every day. The best plans are cohesive across lessons, so show that connection, and be specific about each day (don’t just say “continue imagery lesson”).
· Plans can and should change based on what happens each day – who how you are building on student needs and interests.
· Plans are culturally relevant and age appropriate.
· Plans explicitly apply Universal Design for Diverse Learners in ways appropriate for the learners in your classroom.

Quality of Poetry Selections:
· Include copies (with references) of all poems you use – this will be a great resource for you.
· The poetry should be carefully selected for
o Your intended use (e.g., what you are trying to teach)
o Your grade level
o Culturally diversity – whether your classroom is diverse or not

Quality of Reflection on Teaching and Learning
· Write in detail about each lesson – how did it go? How did you make on-the-spot adaptations? Be as specific as possible – not “It went well.”
· Write about student learning and response – what engaged them? What didn’t? What were some of the student responses (oral or written) of particular interest? What needs did you see that you can meet in better ways? What insights or areas of growth do you want to celebrate with students when you teach the next lesson?
· How will you plan the next lesson, based on what you learned from reflecting on this one?
· What would you do differently next time you teach a similar lesson?

Professional Writing:
· Your project is carefully edited and looks professional.
· You are proud of it!

Just as your responsibility and joy this semester is in supporting students as they discover the power and personal fulfillment of becoming readers and writers of poetry, my responsibility and joy is in supporting you. Feel free to send me lesson plans and/or reflections for feedback early on. Use your pedagogy groups or the email list to brainstorm ideas – teaching is not a solitary profession, but a collaborative one at its best.

And most importantly, have fun. Poetry should be one of the highlights of the day – it is language play, it is all kinds of emotions, it is deeply personal and universal. Enjoy!

(Written by Dr. Jo Beth Allen)