Seaweed

Seaweed from Tell No One on Vimeo.

 

A simply unique video that Matissta

found interesting and wanted to share.

Comments

[Flannista]

Lovely, Matissta.

I may show this to the my First Graders at some point -- get them to write about it. I have my second writing class with them today. We'll see how it goes.

[treesta]

Good morning, Flann. The video this morning is such a creative and thoughtful use of filming as an art. Very sensual.

Flann, this morning will be great. The kids are already in love with you. They're excited about writing. They're ready to have fun while they write. Just have fun with them!

[Flannista]

The video is sensual, isn't it? It might be useful to show the kids when we get to "touch" and how it helps you to write. Actually, it's pretty good with "sight", too. My approach to teaching personal narrative is via the five senses, in case you all haven't already guessed.

I want to know how this video was done -- a combo of still shots and moving footage? I'll have to ask my shooter, Mike, next week when I'm in MouseLand.

By the way, I too am already in love with the kids.

[Flannista]

Remember the little girl whose birthday it was last week, the first time I went to teach First Graders -- and how she wanted to know if I had a present for her? I told her I would write her a poem. Here it is:

BE YOURSELF
by Miss Flann

When we get big,
we’re often told
that we must always care

to look our best
not cause a fuss,
especially with our hair.

That hair should be neat
and not too grand
so no one will want to stare.

But when I saw
your birthday hair
I knew that I could dare

To be myself
like you were yourself --
such beautiful beads in your hair!
*****

[half-a-sista]

watched several of their videos and agree that they are brief works of visual art.

Love the poem Miss Flann wrote for the birthday girl. Did you wear beads in your hair today, Miss Flann?

[Matissta]

They are little gems, aren't they. They seem to pack more of an impact because they're short. A lot of creative and talented people out there. Always nice to discover something new.

Flann, what a wonderful gift to give this young girl! I bet she was beaming.

[Flannista]

Well, I'm back home and back from a long walk. I'll be posting some of their writing practices in a bit.

I love these kids.

half-a: if I had beads for my hair, I'd certainly wear them. The birthday girl loved her poem, by the way. So did her teacher. The teacher read it, looked at me and said, "My birthday is next week."

[Flannista]

Today we focused on how our sense of hearing can help us to tell our stories. Last week we focused on our sense of seeing. Here is a sample writing exercise, "What I Heard Today":

http://www.sassistas.com/sassistas_our_dish_on_the/2012/20/kiss.jpg

[Flannista]

How can you not love kids who write this for their exercise? (That should be Miss Flann, of course):

http://www.sassistas.com/sassistas_our_dish_on_the/2012/20/Miss_Sharon.jpg

[Flannista]

Here's a writing exercise that surprised me:

http://www.sassistas.com/sassistas_our_dish_on_the/2012/20/robbery.jpg

When the student finished reading, I asked him where he heard this and he said, "On TV". It was a news report.

Whew.

Another child, however, shared how she had heard sirens come closer and closer to her house to put out a fire that someone had set in some garbage cans.

[Flannista]

We started class with everyone sharing ONE thing they heard today. The one thing ranged from parents voices telling them to get out of bed, to a rooster, to a neighbor snoring. The kids then wrote about what they heard.

I then played six pieces of music and we talked about how the music made them feel. Here are the six snippets of music I played -- and big thanks to Matissta who picked out the jazz selections!:

-- the first movement of "Alina" by Arvo Part:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtFPdBUl7XQ

-- the third movement of Beethovens 5th Piano Concerto:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thp13iwAdgk

-- "Moon Dreams" by Miles Davis:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qq2NLrbL7o

-- "Take the A Train" by Duke Ellington:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guYlCLmX59c&ob=av2n

-- "Hand Covers Bruise" from "The Social Network" soundtrack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SBNCYkSceU

-- "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it)" by Beyonce:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m1EFMoRFvY

The kids did NOT see any videos. They had to close their eyes, listen to the music and tell me how the music made them feel.

[Flannista]

A TRUE STORY:

One sweet girl also wrote that what she heard today was Miss Flann's voice. She then worked on drawing a picture of me. She was almost finished when I heard her ask out loud, "Does anyone have a grey crayon?"

A girl across from her said, "Here you can borrow mine."

The first girl replied: "Thank you. Now I can draw Miss Flann's hair!"

HERE I AM!:

http://www.sassistas.com/sassistas_our_dish_on_the/2012/20/grey.jpg

[Matissta]

Flann, in the image in the 2:25 comment, you look like the crazy cat lady. She did get your hair down perfectly. I'm assuming you didn't comb it today. (I'm joking of course.)

Love the image. So bright and happy. You must be smiling a lot in class because every image portrays you with a big smile.

[Flannista]

Thanks, Matissta -- the kids make me smile and make me very happy.

This just in from treesta -- who can't post from school:

*****
Just saw your Sassistas! posts, including the drawing of you. You are definitely one dynamite grey-haired broad.

big smile,
xoxo
treesta
*****

[Flannista]

Another writing exercise! I love that the words "cartoon" and "mud" both appear:

http://www.sassistas.com/sassistas_our_dish_on_the/2012/20/mud.jpg

[Flannista]

It's wonderful that this First Grader got both "loud" and "soft" in the writing exercise:

http://www.sassistas.com/sassistas_our_dish_on_the/2012/20/loud_soft.jpg

[Flannista]

Here a student hears "terrific loud parents" -- note the sound waves traveling from the mother to the child:

http://www.sassistas.com/sassistas_our_dish_on_the/2012/20/terrific.jpg

[Matissta]

I love that they all have images to go along with their writings. Do you encourage that? Or do they do that all on their own?

[Flannista]

Matiss -- I think I'm going to start using crayons in my journal!

Last week -- my very first week -- it was clear to me that illustrations were really important to the kids when they read stories, so Miss Treesta and I encouraged the illustrations. treesta was the one who included crayons

By the way, I watched Miss Treesta in action again today, talking with kids about the best way to communicate with one another. What a thing of beauty.

[Hey Matiss -- hope you don't mind that "Seaweed" ended up being about these kids. They would love this video and I plan to show it to them some time.]

[Matissta]

Of course, I don't mind. I'm fascinated by the kids' writings and drawings. Love to hear about it all.

And yes, definitely show them "Seaweed". A new perspective, seeing things in a new way, always seems to stir up creativity.

[treesta]

Good evening, everyone. A long, long day today, the best part of which was watching Flann in action. She is such a natural with the kids.

Did anyone notice that the picture of Miss Flann in the 2:25 comment is that of a grey-haired, African-American Miss Flann? This particular child isn't the only child who drew Miss Flann with brown skin. I absolutely love that. It's even more than the kids don't see 'color'. It's that they so totally accept and love Miss Flann that they see her through their own eyes. It's the ultimate compliment. Gotta love it.

[Flannista]

Thank you, Miss Treesta, for noticing. Means the world to me. xoxo

[treesta]

Thank you, Miss Flann, for letting our babies, for showing our babies how to be their best. Means the world to me. xoxo

[barista]

This just makes my heart sing...I think you've found your next vocation, Flann!

[Flannista]

Thanks for checking in, barista -- your support always means (has ALWAYS meant) so much to me.