Breaking the Rules in Good Company
I have been discouraged when people don’t like my writing—when people don’t like my voice. I’m sure this is true for all writers. The truth is, it’s hard to be yourself when people disagree with what you personally find interesting…
I’m Thankful for Sandra. What about You?
This is not a typical high school project. This is a watercolor composition, a gift from a friend. This is the prized possession that hangs in my kitchen with Mona Lisa’s ubiquitous gaze following my paces patiently, “Kim, you can.” Lore has…
A Telephone of Cardboard.
Thanksgiving is a terrific time to connect with friends and family across the miles. But it’s also a perfect time to help young writers creatively communicate thankfullness. Visit our Pinterest page and let the writing begin: Telephones come in all…
A Shape Full of Thanksgiving
Concrete poetry is not child's play but rather the intersection where typography and poetry meet to play. Sir Ken Robinson reminds us that “…imagination is the source of every form of human achievement.” Concrete poetry is an invitation to imagine possibility.…
Mimicry or Artistry
So many films for younger audiences, from Finding Nemo to The Incredibles to How to Train Your Dragon, teach them to take pride in being different. So many children’s movies tell kids that it’s important to “be yourself.” It’s ok to be…
Snail of Orange.
Imagination is just the thing to inspire young writers. To get started, visit our Pinterest: Snail of Orange Juxtapose the grotesque and the delicious, the crude and the dainty by drawing inspiration from this snail—usually not considered the most beautiful…
Behold the Egg
This month my daughter Hannah turned 25, and my youngest son Søren turned 15. Once upon a time Reading Rainbow was a happy part of our literacy routine. Recently Sara came to visit and we stood in my kitchen humming the…
The Value of Curling Paper
Like verbal languages, the language of visual art has phonics of its own. By combining the 26 letters that scaffold the English language in a variety of ways, we are able to communicate vast complexities and wonders. By manipulating five…
Da Vinci Summer V: Craft a Found Poem
Think scavenger hunt. Found poems are snips of non-poetic language gathered from unexpected places collaged into verse. Think scraps of newspaper, snippets of conversation. Think clipped magazine phrases woven to phrases you've invented. Think scramble, unscramble. Keep your eyes open,…
Musical Popsicle Sticks
This nifty little music maker is a simple DIY project for little hands. Way more like a kazoo than a harmonica, it’s a music maker sure to bring smiles nonetheless. Thanks Housing a Forest for the fun idea!