PENGUINS: Poem, Art, Fine Motor

WELCOME to the 41st edition of Fine Motor Friday. 

FINE MOTOR LEADS TO FINE ARTS!

Today's installment is the "Penguin Edition." 

I have a couple of seriously sweet smiles in store for you. 

Let's start with these beauties. 

From kindergarten, winter math journals. 

Students were asked to draw seven penguins.

Take a look at these amazing results!  

Have you ever seen seven penguins having a snowball fight? 

How brilliant is this next one? 

Seems like it could be the foundation for a picture book series. 

It would seem that penguins lend themselves to being the subject matter for young artists. 

Each of these young artists have their own 'style' penguin..... 

then making seven slipping and sliding create a stylized and  delightful finished piece. 

Get ready. 

Get set. 

Do you have your awwwwwwww button installed? 

You're gonna need it.

Look at these! 

These "Penguin Valentines" looked great on their winter bulletin board.

 These treasures were on display at a program I visited earlier this week in Florida. 

Truly this staff is amazing in their dedication to a population of students

 with a range of very involved special needs. 

These penguins are extra glorious -- 

in that you can tell the children really did create the work themselves. 

I learned about this time last year in an earlier article here

 that some teachers and staff are art-'fixers.'

While the first comments said, "NOT me!" 

then came a 'whistle-blower' that left a comment that she worked for a teacher who was always 'fixing/adjusting/straightening' the work of the students -- 

to make a more 'correct' (or pleasing) finished product.

In fact she'd observed oodles of art-fixers over her multi-decade career. 

OUCH.  

Then came the outpouring of response. 

Needless to say, I'm a HUGE advocate of allowing children to have their OWN work. 

So I had already gathered up all of these penguin inspirations....... 

when I flew from FL to OH to herd my WonderPeeps as their mama-bear recovers from surgery.

This morning was bring a 'visitor' to preschool day. 

GUESS THE FOCUS OF THE DAY?! 

PENGUINS!!!! 

These images are fresh off of my memory card. 

Blocks of ice with penguins frozen in place. 

Salt shakers and tongs for exploration. 

Melting ice. 

What a great exploration for the sensory table! 

The PERFECT Fine Motor Friday Fun! 

And PENGUINS!!!

They couldn't have done better, if I'd have called ahead!

If you're gonna have a Penguin-Day, 

then it makes sense to have some little wooden, painted penguins, too. 

This extended family were perfect for counting, parading and organizing. 

PENGUINS! 

Now to pull a couple of oldie-but-goodies from the files for this RoundUP!

From the littles........  

And from the 'bigs.' 

These penguins are one-of-a-kind and included a written report. 

Penguin attributes! 

Fill in the blanks using answer words with VELCRO! 

Who doesn't get transfixed by Velcro-magic? 

A professional penguin poem. 

I searched hard for the author, but could not locate anyone to receive credit. 

When you start a collection on a theme..... BEWARE! 

You may end up needing buckets + baskets to house the 'waddle.' 

That's family of penguins to the uninformed. 

Yeah, Google search!

Carolyn of Wise Owl had a delightful Penguin Freebie last winter over at our collaborative blog,

PreK+K Sharing. 

Click right here to go download those great ideas for FREE! 

Penguin Valentine Match 

Hope that you've gained some inspiration and ideas for your next Penguin parade! 
I'm so grateful for your stopping by. 
Every time you pin it sends another ripple out into cyber space and I'm so appreciative!!

-- Debbie -- 

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