Inauguration Celebration Book

I was deeply moved by the entire inaugural celebration but what echoed in my mind the following day was the tune of the Shaker song Simple Gifts that was used in John Williams’s composition Air and Simple Gifts. It was played by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman, clarinetist Anthony McGill, and pianist Gabriela Montero. I have designed a small booklet with the words of the song to commemorate the day. Print out the pdf and follow the directions for making the hot dog booklet either on my YouTube tutorial or on my website. It's very simple: all you need is the printed page and a pair of scissors. If you don't have scissors, you can tear instead. The writing will be on the outside when you make the first fold.

Watch the performance

Inauaguration Pop-up from Carol Barton

Make an inauguration pop-up created by book artist Carol Barton.

Hear Carol with Scott Simon on Weekend Edition on NPR.

Narcissus Step Book

http://www.makingbooks.com/step.shtml

youtube tutorial

Every year after Thanksgiving we place paperwhite narcissus bulbs in a bowl filled with gravel, add water, watch the sprouting of the green leaves, and enjoy their growth until we get the rich scent of the delicate white blossoms. It's a tradition carried on from my childhood which I have expanded to include a second round of bulbs started in late January to bring us through the cold winter days.

The process of getting bulbs to bloom is usually called forcing. One of the websites I looked at talked about coaxing rather than forcing which I liked a lot. Paperwhites are the easiest because they do not need to be chilled ahead of time. However, they can't be planted after. This will be their one and only time to bloom. I love what The Great Plant Escape said about bulbs: "A bulb is a promise."

The step book was made with four pieces of paper cut from the side panels of a grocery bag. The ties were made from the plastic bag bananas came in. I used colored pencils for the drawings as I found that the white pencil showed up the best on the brown paper.


BOOKS AND LINKS


Delightfully illustrated with cut paper, Paperwhite tells the story of two bunnies, Lucy and her neighbor Miss Mamie. On the first day of winter, they gather stones and put them in a glass jar, place a paperwhite bulb on top of the stones, and water them. While they wait for it to "bring a little spring into this dark winter day," they enjoy their friendship, baking and making music.

Information on coaxing bulbs as well as curriculum connections can be found here
http://www.kidsgardening.com/growingideas/projects/sept03/pg1.html

For some very nice close-up photos of flower buds and blossoms, along with other flowers, visit http://www.charawilliams.com/eye/frontyardflora.html

Kids learn about bulbs as they solve Case 5: Mysterious Parts That Surprise in the Great Plant Escape.
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/case5/index.html

Step Book Tutorial on Youtube

Roberta Lavadour on Artists Books

There is an excellent introduction to what an artists book is in an interview with Roberta Lavadour on Oregon Public Broadcasting. Her work and her studio are great to see and she speaks eloquently about artists books and the creative process.

Video

Roberta's website

Word-A-Day Journal

I have always loved the idea of faithfully keeping a journal with something written or drawn for each day of the year. In practice it has never worked. I decided that I might have a chance if I only had to write one word a day and that it was important to keep it small and simple so I wouldn't be tempted to start more elaborately and then quit because I couldn't live up to the expectation. I designed a series of small books, one for each month, that go in a box made from a cereal box. My plan is to write the word at around the same time every day, probably before I start to get dinner ready. I like the idea of deciding on the word that will sum up the day. We shall see.



Patterns

Giving Thanks Accordion Book

http://www.makingbooks.com/accordion.shtml

I was inspired by the book Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message to make this book for Thanksgiving. Chief Jake Swamp says in his author's note: "The words in this book are based on the Thanksgiving Address, an ancient message of peace and appreciation of Mother Earth and all her inhabitants. These words of thanks come to us from the Native people known as the Haudenosaunee, also known as the Iroquois or Six Nations."

Since the accordion has four pages, I chose to reflect on each of the four seasons and write about what I give thanks to. I used the front panel of a grocery bag folded in half the long way with the writing inside. It made an accordion substantial enough to not need a cover. I used cut and torn paper for the illustrations and a fine black sharpie marker. This would be a good project to keep the kids busy on Thanksgiving morning while the adults are involved in cooking or in the classroom.



Giving Thanks Teachers Guide
http://www.leeandlow.com/p/thanks_tg.mhtml

You are the Historian: Investigating the First Thanksgiving
Interactive website for children with a teacher's guide from Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, MA
http://www.plimoth.org/education/olc/index_js2.html#

People of the First Light: Teacher Resources on Native American History and Culture
developed by the Children's Museum of Boston
Take a look at the Professional Development for workshops related to Wampanoag culture if you are in the area.
http://www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org/educators/wampanoag.html#

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe website
http://mashpeewampanoagtribe.com/history.html