Veteran's Day Response: Song & Patriotic Process Art for Young Children

Veteran's Day is just around the corner!

Veteran's Day is an abstract concept for young children. How can you make it more concrete? To begin with: focus on our flag and patriotism. Have them create their own open-ended, process-driven 'fireworks' as a foundation experience. 

What does America mean to our little ones? 

Where do we live? What is the name of our country? What do we celebrate as a country? How do we celebrate? How do we protect our freedoms? How do we thank those who have served to protect our freedoms?

One of my absolute pleasures is to make school visits as an author-illustrator, music-lady. Sometimes my visit is a one-time special event. I'm even more fortunate when my visit to a school includes a return visit. Sometimes I get asked back repeatedly over time. My longest running annual visit belongs to St. Paul School in Westerville, Ohio. 

We have all lost track as to how many years I have visited the kindergarten classes. We think it could be the last 12 or thirteen years now. That's a lot of LUV and support from some of my favorite Kindergarten teachers! Take a peek and get a glimmer of my welcome last spring. 

These fireworks were created by the Kinder-kiddos of Mrs. Holly Rose. They were proudly hanging outside her door, in the school hallway last May in time for my arrival. Imagine my excitement over such an enthusiastic welcome! 

Her students have created this art in response to my newest picture book. 

My own patriotic response to September 11th, was to create a simple song for children to honor our country. It started as a little patriotic 'zipper' song -- with the very simple lyrics "Red, white and blue.... I love you." 

Over time my simple song grew just enough to be recorded at the studio and was included on my fourth CD. Ultimately we produced my song as a traditional picture book -- where the song's lyrics become the text of my newest picture book. 

Click on the book cover to go to my website

***Each of my three picture books are notorious for the "end matter" that I have included to support teachers use of my song in their classroom and especially for use as part of a performance. Each of my books includes a CD of the sung version of the song and an instrumental as well. There is a chart for sign language and also a chart for music notation. They can be ordered directly from me at my website: RainbowsWithinReach.com. 

Take a listen on YouTube if you're not familiar with my song. Watch as teachers and librarians learn the sign language in real time -- at one of my conference workshop presentations. 

If you don't have time to order the book, or maybe you just want to get started RIGHT AWAY, then you can purchase the digital download version of the song in a zipped file through Teachers Pay Teachers. In the file you will receive two Mp3s of the song (sung & instrumental versions) as well as both the chart for sign language and that of music notation. I have lowered the price of the file right now! 

Click graphic for link to TpT digital download

But let's get back to the creation of the fireworks artwork. 

In a true synchronicity of great minds thinking alike, my daughter, Sarah, had the children-in-her-care create very similar fireworks this past summer. She took photos in real-time and I think they will be a terrific step-by-step tutorial for you to replicate the experience for the children/students in your own life.

1. Gather up cardboard tubes ahead of time. (Internal rolls from paper towels, toilet paper, or those purchased specifically for crafting.)

2. Cut into the edge of the cardboard tubes in a variety of styles. {See the examples below for possibilities.}

Think of this as a very simple print-making experience.  

• Let the children experiment! 
• Let them explore! 
• Let them design! 
• Let them plan!
• Let them giggle! 
• Let them construct!
• Let them arrange!
• Let them focus!  
• Let them imagine!
• Let them direct! 
• Let them choose!
• Let them concentrate!  
• Let them initiate! 
• Let them remember! 
• Let them experience! 
• Let them get messy!
• Let them enjoy!   
• Let them delight!!!

Open-ended art is wonderful because EVERYONE is RIGHT!

Every creation is unique. Every piece is different. Every effort is valued. Every project is an original! Children can recognize their own art on display, because it is different than everyone else's!!! 

The child at work below is only two years old and is experiencing excitement as he creates his own fireworks. This type of project can be as simple or sophisticated as each child's age and experience dictates. 

***Sometimes with young children, you need to monitor their work so that it doesn't get 'flooded' with paint (in this example.) There are children that can just keep going and going and going and going only to realize that suddenly their beautiful effort is one big brown mound of matted material. Keep a watchful eye and bring closure to the project before the flood. 

Here's  a glimpse of an earlier one of my author visits to St. Paul School and the patriotic 'marble painted' fireworks that were created for my visit on that occasion. This is another possibility for an open-ended, kinetic experiment in Art to respond to the concluding fireworks of my picture book!  

The all time LARGEST marble-painted, patriotic quilt award goes to Carie's Kindergarten class in Illinois! This is a mammoth cooperative effort -- all to celebrate America, and all things "Red, White and Blue!" 

Carie is now a Kindergarten teacher, but immediately after 9/11 she served for nine years of active duty in the US Army, including a year stationed in Iraq. She is a Veteran. She is to be celebrated on Veteran's Day. She gets what patriotism means. She wanted to be certain that her kinder kids understand about what America has always stood for around the world. {Click back here to see other specifics about this incredible project.} 

These types of colossal, open-ended art projects are all in response to a very simple lyric. Being the inspiration for such efforts is my most (humble) pride-filled contribution to the lives of children. 

I hope that you can use my song over the weeks ahead, to create a novel experience for the children you love.

Digital Version at TeachersPayTeachers

Meanwhile. We continue to accept Purchase Orders over at WobbleSeat.com where we distribute the ORIGINAL alternative seating that moves! The stools are now available in anti-microbial plastic! (That means no germs linger on their surface.) PLUS they are manufactured here in the USA! Talk about patriotic! 

That's what they look like in use right there in Westerville! These are pictured across the hall from the fireworks display, in Kelly Grote's Kinder-room. After consideration, she has both 14" wobbles and others that are only 12" tall. Having both sizes available accommodates all heights of her students, especially helpful at the beginning of the year -- when there are indeed some 'shorties' in the room. 

Kinder depiction of Miss Debbie during author visit!

If you are interested in your own author visit, I would be thrilled to talk! 

Simple Kindergarten "Office" for Fine Motor Fun

KINDERGARTEN OFFICE!

Long time readers here know that I am a HUGE proponent of supporting Fine Motor development in any happy, simple and engaging way possible. Seeing this idea last spring while making a visit to Carie's Kindergarten classroom in central IL made my heart race with considering all of the possibilities! 

Let's take a close up look at the 'front' covers of the folder.

She has taken two inexpensive file folders and filled them with pre-printed motivation and examples, prompts and possibilities for her kinders. The whole duo-folder gets laminated into one extra long strip and BAZINGA! You've got a kindergarten office which doubles as a fine motor fort! The young students can each literally surround themselves with 'walls' to define their space, offer support, privacy and hiding  refuge. This is truly a bonanza for the child who benefits from focus and a tad less environmental input. 

BRILLIANT I say. Simply BRILLIANT!! Win-WiN-WIN!!!

Now let's examine the 'inside' of the office folder's walls. Here's the 'left' side of the interior layout. I knew you'd want to see it up close, for an idea of what Carie has included. 

And here are the two sides of the interior 'right' side of the writing office, with Kinder word wall sight words and the months of the year. The days of the week are included as well as color words that are actually in color! 

Here's a 'merging' the of the two photos above, so that you can see what the student sees across the complete interior of the writing office. These could be tailor made for each student and their particular specifics and interests. The possibilities are endless!  

Carie writes for our collaborative blog, "PreK+K Sharing" on the 17th of the month and shares her experience from the front lines in insightful articles there. She also keeps her own blog at "Kindergarten Hugs." Here are the two of us last spring during my author-illustrator school visit. We are standing in front of the quilt Carie's class created for my welcome to their midst, designed in response to my first picture book, "You're Wonderful." 

HOW COOL IS THIS Re-MAKE? 

NEWSFLASH + UPDATE!!!! Due to numerous requests for this concept to made available to others, Carie has created the above idea into an easily down-loaded file, for you to print off and create your own student offices. Just go to her TpT store and look for this product. 

Disclaimer: Carie and I are another mutual admiration society. We met a couple of years back at a reading conference in Springfield, IL where I was presenting. Carie took my book, "Red, White and Blue" home and immediately began a project that became EPIC in its completion. Her kinder-class from that year are seated in front of their construction paper quilt created with marble painting the pieces! As you can see, I don't use the word 'epic' lightly. 

For over a year I had my "Fine Motor Friday Series: Fine Motor Leads to Fine Arts." There are over 50 earlier articles that are all housed together under that label. Here's my 'golden' anniversary where I review the 50 earlier articles. Fine Motor Field Day. It's a treasure trove of ideas, if I do say so myself. You'll need a rainy day to dig through everything housed together. 

By far, the image that has been pinned the most from that series is from the group of photos I took in my WonderBoy's kindergarten wing (that would be our grandson) during my annual visit in their midst. 

You've just GOT to LUV this idea! 

This is the PERFECT idea for back-to-school, 
getting to know all of our new friends. 
Photos of each student laminated onto their name. 

A journal with the pictures of peers with a spot to write out their name! 
***The ideas in this article are why I LUV LUV LUV making school visits! 

EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION!

I continue to amass followers on Pinterest and am reaching 130,000 in my crew. 

My largest number of followers on any of my boards is my collaborative board that I host: 

Writing and Fine Motor. 

As an author/illustrator of picture books, as a former elementary Art teacher, 

these skills are critical in my estimation for lifetime success. 

I was commissioned by Zaner-Bloser to create an album of songs on this topic.

There are 12 songs suitable for mature PreK kiddos and Kindergarteners alike. 

I have given you the link to my store at Teachers Pay Teachers, 

where the CD is listed as a hard-good, which I would ship to you. 

Here's a YouTube video of my favorite songs on the album. 

I think its safe to say that the teachers are having a good time! 

Watch the whole thing to see what I mean.

As with all of my work, I'm pretty much a word-of-mouth phenomena. 

Your 'pin' of this article can truly send ripples out to brand new readers 

that have never heard of me. 

I'm so grateful for each and every pin! 

Here's to an amazing year ahead! 

"Daddy Deploys Today" Memorial Day Tribute

"Daddy deploys today." 

Memorial Day Deployment 

Today's Memorial Day. There will be hot dogs grillin' with badminton and 'corn hole' being played all across America. We did all of the above yesterday, because in this home, where we are visiting, "Daddy deploys today." I took the picture above without staging. True glimpse into the life of a pilot in the Ohio Air Guard. Captain Mettle will deploy later this afternoon. At this moment his desert boots are sitting beside the flotsam and jetsam treasures of his Little Red. Later today there will be hugs and squeezes amid tears and then those same boots will move on to the heat of the other side of the world.  

Memorial Day. We honor the sacrifice of generations before us. What does that mean in 2013?  

Captain Mettle holds Kindergarten Art Inspired by "Red, White and Blue" 

How did I 'land' in the position of 'suddenly' being surrounded by the military? My husband is a Navy Veteran, having served aboard the original USS John F. Kennedy. He had the responsibility of giving the final signal before the fighter planes screeched off the flight deck of the aircraft carrier and then of tying down those same planes in the middle of oceanic storms, where he saw waves surging over the flight deck some 75 feet above the sea. I have two children. Daughter #1 is married to Captain Mettle pictured above, flying out today. Daughter #2 is also married to a Navy-man, stationed permanently in Annapolis. 

I didn't see this coming. Wasn't I the daisy loving peace-nik? I didn't ever envision September 11th either. 

Remember, Tuesday, 9-11 of 2001? I know you remember exactly where you were when you heard the news. My happy little polka-dotted life has had quite an adventure since that crystal clear blue sky day changed everything in our collective history. On Friday of that week, the official national day of prayer and mourning, I wrote a little dittie for the preschool children of the New Albany Jewish Center to sing to their parents and grandparents on the steps of the synagogue as I led that memorable Tot Shabbat. As the protestant P.K. (pastor's kid) leading the assembled in Hebrew every week as the candles were lit, I was well in over my head already. Leading prayers on the day of national prayer and mourning? I wanted to call in sick. What could I possibly do in this setting, under these circumstances that would be appropriate for children? 

Pre-September 11th Fourth Fest

They were mostly three and four years old. What could I do? Brainstorm. I had a flag bag, filled with American flags. By Friday of that week, you couldn't buy the American flag in America -- they were sold out -- but I had a bag of flags from earlier festive Fourth of July fun. Whatever the children would sing had to be simple. It had to be something that I could teach the wee-ones that morning, to sing at noon for the massive number of extended family members who would arrive to join us in worship. 

"Red, white and blue. I love you. Red, white and blue. I love you."

Sufficiently simple. There wasn't a dry eye in the synagogue. I was able to strum my guitar, but I couldn't look at the children for fear of totally, completely and utterly 'losing it.' They sang with innocence, the kind of direct purity that only the tiniest can convey. They waved their flags sweetly, completely unaware of what had happened days earlier. They kept hope alive that we would make it through the coming weekend. Who knew what ledge of destruction we were poised on? Hope won out that day. The children kept the candle light glowing with their sincerity.

That day seems a long time ago now. My daughters are grown, graduated and out on their own. I'm a grandma now.  At the prompting of teachers I ended up developing those two lines into an official Dittie with a capital D. We recorded it in the studio with a full complement of background singers and sweet children's voices adding their clarity and heart. Then piece by piece, year by year later those simple words became the text of what would become my picture book version of the song. (Yes. There is a CD insert of the song included.)

True story.  I had finished piecing together the Thanksgiving quilt that would illustrate the final verse of the song. I had an 'empty chair' in the corner of all of the activity that surrounds a community coming together for a meal of thanks. My daughter Sarah looked at me, and said, "I know what you're trying to say with the empty chair. No child will ever 'get that.' It would have been better if you'd have had Scott coming home in his uniform in time for turkey." At the time she said those words, Scott was literally in Afghanistan and would indeed be returning in time for turkey. {Out of the mouths of babes.} I don't think I have a picture of the 'before' quilt, but this is the amended version, with a 6 foot 4 pilot-in-fabric inserted at the eleventh hour. 

Once she put that thought into my heart, I realized I finally had the 'solution' for the final quilt I still needed to design and piece together. If Scott was going to make an appearance in the book, then I needed to include my other son-in-law as well. I needed to have Zac in uniform. After a quick look at his Facebook photos, I designed his quartet of trombones within a gazebo, since that was the setting of their wedding. Ta-da. The quilts are finished. The book is printed.  The book wins a national award! Oh happy day! 

[It's a long story about those last couple of quilts and why it took me over five years to make the needed total of 16 quilts. The short version? I overcame a lot of personal setbacks, side effects and obstacles generated by the return invasion of cancer in my body: Cancer the Sequel. With the help of therapists and an untold number of prayers, I was eventually strong enough to lift a light-weight iron and steam together the final cotton pieces which are now part of my legacy.]

Jump ahead in time again. As a result of my book with its patriotic images and now with men-in-uniform 
{{{and the intervention of a committee of angels}}} I am invited to EUROPE to perform and present to the children of our troops stationed abroad. Hubby makes all the travel arrangements and acts as chauffeur with European GPS through the five countries of my tour. I meet amazing individuals. Individuals sacrificing. Separated from their family at times and moving said family from pillar to post, all in the name of service. Always available. Always willing to give their all.  I am humbled to be a part of the "Military Month of the Child." Having a parent in the military is indeed a sacrifice. Participating in the festivities on behalf of the children makes my heart both proud and humbled. 

As a result of being in Europe, we are returning to Zurich to fly stateside again. While sitting at a charming candle lit dinner in a cafe at the top of a breath-taking switchback peak overlooking Florence Italy, we suddenly realize that there is literally a hole in our remaining self-guided tour and we have no reservation for the following night, the night before Easter. Oh my.

Completely out of left field we 'insert' a day trip to Verona as that is neatly between where we are at the time we realize we have no where to stay and where we need to end up for our return flight and there is room in the inn. Verona was NEVER, EVER on our itinerary. Since we were in Verona on Saturday, we ended up doing all of the tourist-type activities, which led us up into the TOP of their ancient colosseum. As I am happily taking pictures Allen sees that a spectacle is forming below us on the city streets. We can't hear the public speakers from across the square, which doesn't matter anyhow because neither of us can speak Italian. We can however clearly see US Army vehicles forming a parade below us. Everyone is in crisp, but OLD, US military garb and the stars and stripes are waving from every vehicle. Completely confused and clueless we depart the colosseum's many steps to figure out what is happening. 

It is at that point that we wind our way through the crowd and are led to an English speaking participant who as soon as she realizes that we are from America begins to hug us and sob, "You've come!" To capsulize this amazing 'coincidence' (certainly orchestrated by heaven) we realize that we have arrived in Verona at the very moment of their annual observation of our US soldiers liberation of their city during the World War. JUBILEE.

We.Are.Heros. We are hugged and held, because we are from America and it was America that saved Verona. She sobs her appreciation to me in broken English -- as though it was I that personally drove this very tank through the streets those decades earlier when she was a child. She sobs her gratitude for America's soldiers who came to her defense as a child. We are revered. We are the bodily representation of her freedom. America did that. America is being celebrated. American soldiers saved her. Saved her city. Saved her country. I had never ever experienced such pride in my homeland, in my people. I stood for all that is good in this world, because I was America to her. I stood as the mother who sent her sons to save her. History. World history. Revered in the face of the heinous. Good wins again.

Which brings us back to Memorial Day and deployment. I know in my heart that America-the-blessed must stand watch in this fragile world of ours. While I want to cover my eyes and just sing "Let there be PEACE on Earth"  I have lived to witness the unthinkable. I have also been personally hugged as the embodiment of the liberator. I know that we must still have uniforms that stand at the ready. I know that means that there must be mothers who say goodby to their children in uniform, spouses who sleep alone, children who are abruptly in one parent households. I know that in my head. 

Observing it up close and personal is a whole different level of truth. 

This is an extremely long ramble I realize. I appreciate that you've taken the time to read it. I am a daisy lover. I also hug my son-in-law goodbye today. Its an amazing quilt of experience this life I'm living. If you see a young mom with three children in tow at the grocery store looking exhausted and alone, realize those could be my loved ones, my WonderPeeps. Smile. Reach out. It takes a village. Actually, it takes a planet. We are all connected. This little planet of ours needs all of us to collectively cooperate and share this place we call home. Until we can figure out how to do that, we will have those willing to sacrifice their all toward that noble end. We have those in our midst who have lost their loved ones in just such sacrifice. 

Today we pause to reflect on what that means. I know I've shed some tears already before the sun ever came up as I 'thought' about writing this epistle. I appreciate your prayers of support on behalf of Scott. I also appreciate your expressions of support for Sarah and our peeps. Scott's mission this time is for just over two months. A bite-size chunk in the grand scheme of things. Small potatoes comparatively speaking. Just long enough for him to miss his birthday and Father's day and the fireworks of the Fourth and a season of swimming with his dear ones. The sacrifice is real. The emotions are many. The sincerity is genuine. 

***If you have a couple more minutes, watch as Carie-the-Kindergarten teacher, with her earlier nine years of service with the US Army, including one year of service in Iraq, leads her kinders in the singing and signing of my song. They are standing in front of the colossal quilt they created in response to my picture book.

-- Debbie -- 
I really don't intend for this article to be a "commercial" for my work. 
Honest. 
This is my real life today. 
Not a Hallmark movie.
But I do know that there are people searching for ways to instill a sense of patriotism, pride and respect in children they direct, teach and love. To that end, I will leave you the specific links to these projects so that you don't have to go searching. 

My Pinterest pinboard on ALL things patriotic is just one click away. 



My song is now available as a digital download format at our Early Education Emporium. 
It is also in a zipped file at TeachersPayTeachers.  

It will be used at a variety of end-of-the-year concerts and graduations across the country and around the world. 


***If you are reading this in 'real-time' you have the opportunity right this minute to register to win a set of all three of my books over at the blog, Kindergarten Lifestyle, in honor of my launching SKYPE visits to schools. 

Thanks for your continued support. 
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Quilting Together an Author-Illustrator Visit

Amazing Author-Illustrator School Visit

Dateline: Dixon, Illinois ~~ Washington School 

Meet the mastermind behind my latest incredible school visit! 

This is the amazing Carie Rameriz of Kindergarten Hugs. 

This is a woman who thinks big!
Look what her kinders created for my welcome! 

Carie and I have been dreaming planning for over two years -- piecing together plans for what it would take to get me to her awesome elementary school dedicated completely to kindergarten and first grade. Time. Planning. Enthusiasm. Intention. Willingness.

My picture books have illustrations that I created out of fabric as small quilts. Carie and her fellow teachers directed their students to design and create their own quilts in honor of my arrival in their midst. Wait till you see the variety in their creations!!

The quilt above is in direct response to my latest and patriotic book entitled, "Red, White and Blue." I wrote the song (the book's text right after 9-11.) 

LUV LUV LUV the flag images built into some of the individual squares. The overall effect is very reminiscent of my book's artwork. 

Now let me take you up and down the hallways of the building to see so many delightful examples of what is possible.... with young students and dedicated teachers on a mission!! These colors and patterns are more in the style of my first book, "You're Wonderful." 

If you're a long-time reader, you've heard me talk about the amazing possibilities of 'quilt-work' in the classroom before:

• Patterns
• Shapes
• Geometry
• Collaboration
• Cooperation

That's just the top 5 -- off the top of my head, before I dash out the door this morning. 

As I was zipping about the building attempting to catch as much of the artwork as possible, I had a teacher pass by at this exact moment. I wanted to show you the scale of this work. I'm afraid I may not have gotten to every corner and every quilt in the few minutes I had between performances. Apologies to any students whose work I missed capturing. 

As I was zipping about the building attempting to capture as much of the artwork as possible, I had a teacher pass by at this exact moment below. I wanted to show you the scale of this work. Unbelievable! 

I'm afraid I may not have gotten to every corner and every quilt in the few minutes I had between performances. Apologies to any students whose work I missed capturing. The building was overflowing with quilts. Ingenious, each and every one!!! 

This morning I'm off to make presentations for the first time at UW-Stout's 35th annual ECE conference. It's my first time here!!!! We got things set up last night, so I'm kinda-sorta ready to go. I am attempting to switch over from a CD player to using digital-tablet technology to drive my songs. If you know me, then you know I can use all the good thoughts and wishes you have to send! {I am still challenged to answer my phone -- let alone give a workshop from a tablet while operating a power point from my laptop! Go granny go!!} 

I will be sharing vignettes from their building over the coming weeks! Yeah, Dixon!! Yeah, Carie!!! Yeah Teachers!!! Yeak Sauk Reading Association!!! In masterminding our brilliant day together, Carie enlisted the support of the Sauk Valley Reading Council. After our series of four concerts at the school and a delightful meet and greet with the teachers, which allowed them to have Q&A, we had a family concert in the evening for the entire community at the community college. WOWZERS what a terrific collaboration. 

Speaking of collaboration, Carie is one of our monthly authors over at our collaborative blog, "PreK+K Sharing." She writes on the 17th of the month from her kinder experience. Always insightful. Always inspirational. 



If you LUV quilts like I do, you'll really want to go back in time and check out my earlier "Quilts in Education RoundUP."  There are several dozen MORE, earlier responses to my work -- including Carie's original response to my "Red, White and Blue" with her kinders a couple of years back -- right after we'd met at the Illinois Reading Council's conference. 

I told you that Carie thinks big!!! I have an entire 'label' here on the blog about Carie and this first incredible effort of theirs -- from marble painting!



***YES!!!!!!! By all means, please pin anything and everything that made you smile. The majority of my readership is as a result of your pinning kindness. THANK YOU! 

-- Debbie -- 

I'm now at 118,731 followers!     

Click this link to go there directly! 

Now at 301 followers!