Weather Art

In Science and Performing Arts we have been learning about the weather. This week for Art we used three different mediums to show what the environment around us looks like during stormy and sunny weather.

We used charcoal to draw trees in dry environments. Charcoal is black so it worked very well to show that everything was dead, dying and dry. We practised drawing hard and light lines to see the difference.

Ally drawing a dry environment.

 We then had a go at using water colour to paint a spring environment full of brightly coloured flowers and leaf covered trees. We learnt about blending colours together to make the sky look more realistic.

 The third table had pastels. We got to choose if we wanted to draw a sunny or stormy picture. For a stormy picture we used a lot of black, grey, brown and dark blue. For sunny pictures we used a lot of yellow and orange and other bright colours.

 We all really liked using watercolours but we thought that charcoal was hard to use and didn't look as pretty. We will be practising using charcoal, water colour and pastels this term and we will learn how to blend the colours to make really good artwork.

Thank you Rosa Purbrick from Australia for donating heaps of great art stuff for us to use in class. The water colour paintbrushes are a clear favourite!

Questions:
1. What are the three activities we did in art class?
2. Have you used charcoal, watercolour or pastel before? Which was your favourite?
3. Using coloured pencils, or any art equipment you have, draw a sunny and a stormy environment. How are the two pictures different?

Colourful Khangas

Khangas are beautiful pieces of material with lots of colour and pattern that many women and children wear in Tanzania. They are very versatile, that means that they can be used in many ways. This week the students at STA would like to show you the different ways to use a khanga.

Women and girls wear khangas as dresses.

Muslim women wear khangas to cover their hair.

Lawrence wearing the khanga as a scarf.

People don't just wear khangas in Tanzania, they also use them to help carry things.

Carrying a baby.

Clothes and other things can be wrapped up in a khanga and carried.

Carrying water on your head can be tough. To make it easier some people rest the bucket on a khanga.

There are many other uses for a khanga.

Khangas usually have a message written on the bottom. People give them as presents at weddings, Eid, Christmas and to newborn babies and their mothers.

When two people love each other, god blesses them.

A Christmas Khanga.

A few weeks ago we made necklaces out of khangas. Have a look at our blog post 'Kanga Necklaces' to read more.

Questions
1. What are some other ways you could use a khanga?
2. Khangas have many patterns. Draw your own khanga design. Draw a patterned border and then draw another pattern inside. You can even write your own message at the bottom.
3. In other countries, such as Indonesia, they also have material that they use just like khangas. Do you know of other countries where people use khangas? Do they have a different name for it?

High Kicks

WE LOVE TAEKWONDO! 

Thanks to a very generous donation from a family in Dar es Salaam, the biggest city in Tanzania, we have Taekwondo lessons every Thursday. Students in Prep (Kinder) to Grade 3 all get to learn Taekwondo from our teacher Patrick.

Last week Patrick brought some Taekwondo uniforms with him. We were all very excited to try them on. With the uniform on we felt like we kicked even higher. There are not enough uniforms for everyone but we are going to take turns to wear them each week.

The Taekwondo uniforms are great!

 We have learnt how to kick, punch and jump. We have to listen really carefully to our teacher and pay attention. Taekwondo is about concentration, flexibility and self control. It is also good exercise.

Mariam doing a high jump

Mariam and Cornelius

Kicking

Punching

Questions:
1. Close your eyes and try to spell Taekwondo. Have a partner tell you if you are correct.
2. What is the Taekwondo uniform?
3. What does self-control mean?
4. Where does the sport of Taekwondo come from?