One Camp, One Love

Arts Explorer # 10: Community Arts Project

Our Take Away: Anti-Obesity

What do YOU believe in?

My group and I collaborated our creative juices to develop a campaign for a social justice issue in society today. We collectively decided on focusing on childhood obesity. With the technological advances today, less and less children are living an active lifestyle. Consequently, childhood obesity is becoming an epidemic in Canadian society. One study revealed 93% of Canadian children are in need of healthy activity. Therefore, as early childhood educators we feel that is important that we promote active living, as the children are our future leaders.

The inspiration came from an organization called The Jerry Love Children’s Fund.  Jerry Love has a passion for working with children and provided them with quality recreation programs for over 35 years. He had noticed that many families were financially unable to send their children to these programs. Consequently, Jerry started a children’s fund that went to families who were financially disadvantaged. 

My group and I came up with a campaign called One camp, One love. We believe in inclusion and thus all children should have the opportunity to participate in an active living. Just because of different financial situations, a child should not be left out recreation programs or living an active lifestyle. We aim to battle the bulge – ultimately decreasing obesity levels for the future. One camp, One love, promotes everyday people, like me and you to encourage children to participate in active recreation programs and live an active lifestyle through low cost effective ways.

We, One camp, One love  gave out a questionnaire to fellow peers aged 15-35, which revealed how often individuals like you and me are using the technology rather than being active. This shows the need for this cause, as only a small 11% use technology 0-2 hours a day, where nearly half of the participants revealed that spend 8 or more hours a day on it!

Who will you involve and how will you use the arts to communicate your 'BIG IDEA'?

We will communicate our big idea through visiting different schools and working alongside with them to:

1. bring in equipment to play with at recess or gym

2. develop an Active Living Committee – posters can be made by the school and put up around the school

3. follow through with fundraisers such as skipping rope sales and book fairs. All proceeds go to the Jerry Love Fund.

4. Daily reminders on the p.a. system to promote active living

5. Tuck shop and healthy treat days

6. Play Day, where children can visit different stations set up with different activities to do (one station can have washable tattoos to promote One Camp, One Love. Battle The Bulge)

We will communicate our big idea through the greater community, of Peel...

1. Free Sports Tournaments for children and their families once a month at all local Community Centres, all equipment donated from the community centres

2. Community Centre Family Dances where it only costs $10.00/ticket and food and drinks provided. All proceeds go to the Jerry Love Fund.

3. Bike Riding Club, where Peel Police donate unclaimed bikes, once a month to children of the Mississauga area.

4.  To reach out further and to those who do not live in peel, we created a facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/pages/One-Camp-One-Love/165296386858483

Nonetheless, One camp, One love stands by the belief: Building the Future Together, Hand in Hand We are 1!

How do you think your presentation went?

I believe our presentation went very well. As a team we worked extremely well together and put a lot of effort into this presentation. The modified song of YMCA at the beginning of the presentation, I believe caught the attention of the audience. As future early childhood educators it is important to promote this cause to all children, as I said, children are our leaders of tomorrow.

Comments/suggestions/questions from the class feedback

After my presentation, my classmates had no questions to ask. Although I had to leave because of another commitment, seeing my peers the next day, I heard they thoroughly enjoyed the presentation.

What Could You Have Done Differently?

For future reference, I believe we should elaborate more on the finances. Maybe, discuss more who specifically we will involve and work out the fine details with them.

Balance =

The art of equality. Displaying equal weight and importance from both sides.  According to Shirrmacher and Fox (2009), balance is achieved when there is harmony (p.143).

It important for educators to promote active living, as it starts with them being the role models for children. Educators can do simple things in the classroom that does not add to the high costs already associated with obesity. Since children do not choose the family they are born into, it is important for people like me and you to ensure children have equal chances to participate in an active lifestyle, ultimately, decreasing obesity levels. 

References

Schirrmacher, R., & Fox, J. E. (2009). Art & Creative Development for Young Children (6 ed.). Belmont, CA: Delmar.

How to be a Guerilla Artist?

Arts Explorer # 9: Guerilla Art

‘I hope you’d get the chance to live like you were dying...’

Guerilla art... never heard of it before? I had a difficult time coming up with something to do. I wanted my street art to be purposeful, ultimately, to make someone stop and think.

My inspiration for this blog came from a close friend whose family member was recently diagnosed with cancer. Life is a precious thing and should be valued. Much of society today is wrapped up in their busy lives and don’t take the time to be thankful for the little things in life. Typically society measures success through material objects like how big their house is, the type of car they drive and also the status of their job. The purpose of my art was to make society stop and think about how they acknowledge their life. I hope my main message ‘live like you were dying’ hits home to society.

I decided to take my idea to the local park near my house. This is a public area beside a school, so I figured many children and parents will be walking by this area. I wrote: “What I want to do before I die” and listed a few ideas: “sky diving, travel, surf, go on a camel ride.” Then I posed the question “what would you do?”

The boys who were asking me questions.

I got a bigger reaction out of my guerrilla art than I thought. As I was in the process of making my message, a group of parents were walking by whispering “what is she doing?” This made me smile because it was already working, people were interested in what I had to offer. Once I was done writing the message, I hid behind a tree and waited for someone to go up to it. Then, once school was out a had several moms and children taking a peek at what the message said. The message was like a magnet to people! I heard one boy tell another child “don’t step on it, someone made this!” That made me step out from the tree and I stood beside the message. One boy asked me if I made this and what is was for. Then his friend soon joined in and started asking questions too. Overall, I feel my guerilla art was a success. It got society to stop and think. It also got me to put the stress of my exams aside and recognize the little things that are important in my life. Nonetheless, this activity promoted my creativity, as I was thinking outside of the box.   Later that night, I walked by the same spot at the park where I wrote the message, and it was still there... fingers crossed for 

More children interested in what the message said.

nice weather! 

Colour:

“Life is like a box of crayons. Most people are the 8-color boxes, but what you're really looking for are the 64-color boxes with the sharpeners on the back.” – John Mayer

According to Shirrmacher & Fox (2009), Colour is what pulls out the feelings we possess inside (p.136). I believe life can be Colourful as the rainbow or as dull as a grey sky, it depends on how you want to perceive the events of life.  Children develop their colour preferences early in life, through every day experiences (Schirrmacher & Fox, 2009). Every colour’s meanings depend on the individual who interprets it.

So how as future early childhood educators do we facilitate this sense of colour in children?

An activity such as this one can get children to look at the positive aspect of every situation. Life is not always fair, but you have to take the good with the bad. I was raised to take a positive outlook on life and never take anything for granted as it can be taken away as quick as it was given to you. Through my experiences working with children, it is important to recognize and appreciate the things children have to say and the work they do. By complimenting their statue or how high they can now swing on the swings are simple ways educators can get children to start thinking in a positive light, noticing the bright colours of their life.

References

Schirrmacher, R., & Fox, J. E. (2009). Art & Creative Development  for Young Children (6 ed.). Belmont, CA: Delmar.

Play. Not Just Another 4 Letter Word

Arts Explorer # 8: Pretend Play and Magical Thinking

 Playing, imagination, creativity? Not when there is work to be done. Society today often leaves the playing for children to do. Typically, adults are always on the go, stressed and worried. However, by taking more time to make lemonade, when life throws you lemons, the same enjoyment that children have on a daily basis can easily be found in adults by letting our imaginations run wild.

This article I found in the Toronto Star brings up a valid point. Read below for the details. 

http://www.healthzone.ca/health/yourhealth/article/968573--you-docs-take-time-to-play

As this blog explores an extension of my imagination, it shows how play is not only for children:

INTRODUCING....

Name:  Iris Pod

Date of Birth: December 25, 2008

Location of Birth: Santa Barbara, California, United States of America

Language(s) Spoken:  English and French

Occupation: Radio Broadcaster

Likes: Long walks on the beach, car rides, dancing, parties

Dislikes: liquids - especially getting wet, dirty hands, playing rough

Hobbies: going shopping, travelling, baking

Family Members: lives with mom, dad and two brothers named Ivan Pod and Ian Pod

Please welcome Iris Pod! But she only likes to be called I-Pod though.  In a universe of technology, I-Pod, stands out among all the other gismos and gadgets. She is the glitter on a grey sky. She is the twinkle in my eye. More importantly, she is my best friend.  I never leave the house without her. She is glued to my hip! I-Pod’s daily routine includes taking a long commute all the way from the suburbs to downtown. She loves this daily trip, otherwise she feels bored and unwanted.

I-Pod presents me with so much entertainment. She has games to play, the latest music to listen to and a collection of pictures to view.  Wait, there’s more! I-Pod even teaches me things by allowing me to surf the internet. What more can a girl ask for in a friend?

One day, I was being so careless and hurt my dear friend Iris Pod. I allowed her to slip from my fingers and smash on the floor. Of course, I was devastated, she is my best friend! But as a faithful friend, Iris Pod, didn’t crash on me! She stood back up and is keeping strong. Though, I-Pod is a little scratched up, she never fails me as a friend and works as a charm although a little scratched up!

Line:____________________________________________________________

What is a line? What do lines form?  What’s the purpose of a line?

According to Shirrmacher and Fox (2009), a line indicates direction, movement, rhythm or form (p. 135). A line helps define a shape and enhances edges on an object. There are many purposes for lines. Lines have their own dimensions – size, direction, length, width and weight (Schirrmacher & Fox, 2009). One could say that a line has a mind of its own, a unique personality.  This art element is evident in Iris Ipod, as she is made up of short and thin lines, both horizontal and vertical. Iris Ipod also has dark lines that are smooth on my lady fingers. Indeed Iris has her own personality just like you and me.

As a future educator it is important to give children the opportunity to let their imagination run wild. I feel that with the high demands of academic success in today’s society, many of us are ‘all work and no play.’ An educator can facilitate children’s exploratory and creative development by asking the children to share a special “friend”  - whether it is an imaginary person they have, a stuffed animal from home or the plant on the window sill in the classroom.  This will help children expand their language skills and also develop a sense of openness for new ideas. 

References

Schirrmacher, R., & Fox, J. E. (2009). Art & Creative Development for Young Children (6 ed.). Belmont, CA: Delmar.

Grocery Shopping with a Twist

Arts Explorer #7: Smile, Say Cheese!

“Say cheese”...the most famous of all sayings when taking a picture. Why not carry into our daily experiences at the grocery store, at a restaurant, when cooking at home?

Enjoying a cup of Parmesan Cheese
at a catering event in Albion Hills

      Cheese is one of those staples in my vocabulary and fridge. If someone asked me my favourite food, I’d say cheese! I am one of those people who will put cheese on everything and eat cheese any which way it is served. Though, sadly I have been diagnosed as lactose intolerant since I was five years old. But, I don’t let that get in the way of the many delicious cheeses out in the world for me to eat! When I read the outline for this task, without hesitation I knew I wanted to share with my classmates many interesting facts about the common dairy product called cheese. I work at a local grocery store in Mississauga, and we carry many different types of cheeses. In addition, I also work for a catering company, where we serve gourmet cheeses as an appetizer but also use cheese in many of the dishes made. Throughout my experiences working with and tasting different types of cheeses, I believe I have become a cheese connoisseur, if you will. Cheese comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. The chart below will outline a variety of my favourite cheeses, the different shapes cheese comes in, the texture cheeses may have and also a list of the various colours cheese posses. Furthermore, the chart will list a variety of foods you can make using cheese!

Cheeses A to Z (My Favourites)	Textures I feel:	Shapes I see:	Colours I see:	Entertaining 101: What to do with Cheese?!
Asiago	Soft	Round Wheel	White	Cheese and Bacon triangles
Blue	Semi-Soft	Rectangular	Orange	Blue Cheese Onion Focaccia
Bocconcini	Semi-Hard	Triangular	Marble (Orange and white)	Tomato and Bocconcini Salad
Brie	Hard	Cylindrical	Yellow	Baked Brie with Strawberry Glaze
Camembert		Square	Cream	Big bowl Cheese dip
Cheddar (mild, medium, old)				Apple-Cider Cheddar Fondue
Colby				Cream of Broccoli and Cheddar Soup
Cottage Cheese				Cheesecake
Cream Cheese				Cream cheese icing for various baked goods
Curds				Poutine
Feta (Greek, Canadian, Macedonian)				Salad topping
Fruilano				Cheese and Pear Crepes
Goat				Cheese Bread
Gouda				Gouda Broccoli Salad
Gruyere				Soft Cheesy Pretzels
Havarti				Baked Havarti Egg
Mascarpone				Amaretto and Mascarpone Fondue
Monterey Jack				Grilled Cheese
Mozzarella				Pizza
Muenster				Cheese Tray
Nacho Cheese (cheese Whiz)				Nachos
Oka				Cheese Sticks
Parmesan				Parmesan Vegetable Toss
Provolone				Cheese Quesadilla
Ricotta				Lasagne
Romano				Cheese Enchiladas
Swiss				Cheese and Steak Sandwich

What cheese are you?! Check out this site and fill out the online quiz to find out what your cheese profile is! http://www.ilovecheese.com/cheese_profiler.asp


My cheese sketches. 3 of my favourite cheeses:

From the top: Goat cheese, Asiago Cheese, Swiss Cheese

Shape:

Various cheese trays from a catering event
at the RBC bank, Toronto

When we are grocery shopping, we are often found on auto-pilot. This means we don’t take the time to notice distinguishing characteristics of our most favourite foods. Cheese, a common dairy product, comes in a variety of shapes. According to Schirrmacher & Fox (2009), shape is defined by contrasting colour and textures in a given area (p. 140).  Similarly to humans possessing their own qualities and personalities, so does the shape of an object. No two cheeses are exactly alike! Cheese can be viewed as a circle, square, rectangle, triangle, or even a cylinder. Each cheese has its own height and weight which helps define the cheese as being its own unique entity.    

As a future educator, it’s important to understand that shapes are all around us, not just the geometrical ones used when studying math. Investigating shapes in our daily lives can be a fun activity done in our classrooms today. For example, during snack or lunch time, the children can take out their food and the class can compare the shapes of the different foods. The educator can prompt the discussion by asking open ended questions such as “who has the biggest fruit?” or “what is the smallest food on the table?” or if the children are at a higher level of thinking, the educator could ask a question where children are comparing two dimensions, such as “how many foods are opaque and symmetrical?” Another activity focused on shapes can be explored by sketching out the different shapes seen in each child’s lunch. I feel that sketching out my favourite food helped me notice different aspects of the object I never saw before.

Parents and educators are often faced with the challenge of providing food that is nutritious but also delicious to the children’s taste buds. Click on the link below for a resource on Lactose Intolerance for more information on the common childhood sensitivity to food as well as easy meal suggestions.

http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/SiteCollectionDocuments/health_wellness/lactose_intolerance/UpdatedLactoseandYourChild0906B.pdf

References

Schirrmacher, R., & Fox, J. E. (2009). Art & Creative Development for Young Children (6 ed.). Belmont, CA: Delmar.