"Stamp" Ideas

Welcome readers from other countries:  Germany, China, Africa, Sweden, France, and others!  
 
My favorite relaxing thing to do besides work crosswords, jumbles, play piano or read is to sit and cut out "stamps" from Philatelics.  What is that you ask? The Philatelic is a catalog of stamps you can order from the US Postal Service.  They feature new stamps, and other items you can buy that are images of stamps or about stamp collecting.  Not only because I am a recycler, but because I am an artist, I love the images and seeing what our US Postal service is doing to share art!!!  Yes, every stamp is a work of art. 

The images are small, medium, medium large and large. As I cut the "stamps" out, I categorize them into these sizes.  I put them in a sandwich bag, and label them.  I have thousands of these "stamps."  Best of all they were free and given to me by just asking at any post office.  Our post office receives 2 Philatelics and gives me one every month or so.  (They just throw them away--literally in the trash can! but I "recycle" them. LOL)  Another way to get other catalogs is to dig through the trash cans at the post office, but be wary of doing it without gloves. Ha.

What do I do with these "stamps"?  They aren't real, they are just images.  But useful images.  I have compiled a list of ideas in which these "stamps" can be used.


Following my post is a photo of one of the ideas I used for VBS this month.  

Did you know you can get a free stamp collecting Philatelic catalog, too?  Here's how:  
https://store.usps.com/store/browse/productDetailSingleSku.jsp?productId=P_012007&categoryId=subcatC_CS_CatalogsGuidesYearbooks 

Now, here are the ideas:  REMEMBER GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT IS DUE if you use!  (Me)

These projects/activities require RANDOMNESS!  Random=without planning, just grabbing it without looking, or just picking from the pile and taking what you get!

Math

•  Have students randomly pick from a pile of the small, medium and medium large stamps.  3 small, 1 medium, 1 medium large sizes.  Have them line up the stamps in a horizontal or vertical alignment on a piece of paper.  They can glue them down if you want.  Ask them to write the numeral of how much each stamp is worth underneath each stamp, and add a plus sign; then add the sum of all the stamps.  NOTE:  Forever stamps:  There is no numeral, so I just use the CURRENT amount which is 46 cents.

Science

• Sort through the "stamps" and find only one that feature scientists, landforms, flowers, earth images, etc. that are science-related.  Randomly choosing as mentioned above, have them choose one or whatever number you want them to have.  Ask students to write a description of the objects in the stamp or write a paragraph to answer questions you have prepared in advance. 

Art

• Trace left, right and/or both hands on paper.  Randomly choose 5 or 10 small stamps.  Use these for the "fingernails". 
• Ask students to randomly choose stamps from pile.  Use the stamps for fill in a pre-drawn black line object. 
• Find a template for a postage stamp. Enlarge.  Use the stamps to create an object inside the post stamp.  

Music

• Randomly pick stamps from each pile.  Ask students to line up the stamps on their desk/table.  Give them paper and pencil.  Ask them to write the words for a song about their stamps. 

Language Arts

• Randomly pick or hand students 5 stamps. Line up the stamps.  Ask students to write a poem about their stamps. 

• For younger students:  Randomly pick and give students 5 stamps.  Have them write the first letter and/or the name of the objects in the stamps. For example, F for flower; 

Student Work (PreK)

The Importance of The Big Picture

I've been teaching an adult Sunday School class now for the last month and a half. It is challenging. However, it would be more difficult for the students to understand our
 lessons if: 1) there were no outside resources used besides the Bible study lessons; 2) I provided no visual images'; 3) there were no stimulating or challenging questions to talk about other than those in the curriculum; and 4) I didn't summarize and give examples to try and explain the big picture about the lesson.   

:

Portion of sculpture from Central Riverside Park, Wichita, KS.

We're studying Isaiah-which if you know your Bible, covers 66 chapters. The church has provided us with the quarterly Bible lessons. We have four lessons for  Isaiah this month.  We began with Chapter 6; then skipped to 12, 29 and will end with 65 this Sunday.  My challenge has been how do I cover the spaces between these chapters?  My students need to know the big picture.  How can the whole book and what happens somehow be tied together? I consulted my books:  Matthew Henry's Commentary, 3 versions of the Bible, an art book on the Old Testament, and  have found some info on the Web to use.

So, thinking about planning, organizing materials, and teaching:  Are your students lost without knowing the goals or objectives of a lesson? Think about it:   Even as adults, we need to know the ultimate reason for what we are going to learn, or study.  I find that even good teachers fail to tell and show students the big picture.  What is the big picture?

For me, it is providing exactly what is the purpose/reason; the goal/objective; the why-we-are-here-and- what-we-are-doing-it- for statement. The quarterly gives the purpose of our lesson and a key Bible verse, yet I use more.  I have been using graphic organizers--which is a great visual that compares similarities/differences (Venn Diagram, Flow charts, pie charts, etc.) I  then add an extra an section of how we can relate it to today. I use visuals that give short summaries and images that connect to the lesson or story. I use outlines, maps, anything that will help students see how it all connects.  No one wants to read a lengthy document in small print or just sit there.  Involving the students in inductive thinking, and doing something--writing, drawing, teamwork. There are many possibilities. I'm without technology, but may bring some in, just to aid in the lesson. 

Copyright 2013 Lydia Gates All rights reserved

So, what will my students see for the Isaiah lesson?  A map of the kingdoms, an outline of the book of Isaiah with important events summarized in the chapters, and a page about who Isaiah was, and art prints of Isaiah, etc.  This is in addition to the quarterly curriculum.  Is this a lot of work?  No, it's setting the ground work for the study.  It's helping provide the big picture.  The important big picture.  

Do you think providing the big picture is not worth it?  Try teaching your students and not tell them the big picture, they will fail, and you will be failing your students. Teaching means you have to not only tell them what you know, but you have to show them, too!  Aren't we supposed to help them achieve? Think about it.  And if it doesn't seem to work, then formative instruction begins (the adjusting to make it work by the teacher to ensure students get it--you have to change your methods.)

Wish we luck!  I'm hoping to have a good lesson for them on Sunday.  

Easy Tissue Paper "Sewn Quilts"

Whew!  I just finished a week of Vacation Bible School.  I spent about 3 weeks making plans, and creating art examples, plus buying and organizing supplies, then actually teaching the art.  About 90 1st-6th grade students were taught by me every day. Each class session only lasted 25 minutes, so I had to do a lot of prep work to make ready made copies for students to color, cut and/or glue.  I also had prepared lesson plans for pre-K and Kindergarten teachers to teach while I was teaching the 1st-6th graders.  I thought it would be fun to share the easy tissue paper quilt lesson plan.  Note:  This idea deserves credit where it is due, so read at the end of this post, and I'll tell you where it came from.

Supplies:

• 1 inch tissue paper squares in various colors, patterns (you can also use wrapping paper as suggested from the source book)
• Glue sticks
• Blue or Black Ink Pens (the book suggests black sharpie)
• Crayons or Colored Pencils (the book suggests chalk pastel)
• Background paper: White copy/bond paper or white construction paper  8 1/2 x 11 (the book suggests 12 x 18 drawing paper)
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Example

Directions:

1. Prepare an example.  With the ruler, measure 1 inch border all around the paper, and mark it.  If you are making a ready made copy to copy for students to color in and add the border, draw in your drawing.  Make a copy, then use the copy to make your example. (I pre-drew the drawing of a horse in the desert with a rescue blanket. See photo.) 
2. Color your example.
3. Add glue to small sections of the border, and add tissue paper squares all around the border.  Only add glue to areas of 3-4 inches at a time.  You'll need to stress this to your students, too.
4. Once tissue paper border is done, use a ink pen to add X's on the edges of the squares to resemble stitching/sewing marks.  

When sharing this with your students, stress writing their name INSIDE the picture, NOT in the border, cause it will get covered up.  Stress using glue in small areas at a time.   
Enjoy your Tissue Paper Sewn Quilts!

Note:  
The book suggests students write a sentence that explains what they have read about in a story and drawing a scene that matches the sentence.  I didn't have time for this.  It took about 1.5 sessions to finish  our pre-made copy horse pictures completely:  coloring, adding the squares, and the stitching marks.  Students also chose to write, God is Our Rescuer!

Student adding stitching/sewing marks

Student Work

Credit:  How to Teach Art to Children Grades 1-6 Evan-Moor EMC 760, page 132-33, Story Quilts. ISBN 1-55799-811-6
Available by calling:  1-800-777-4362 or visit their website at: http://www.evan-moor.com. The book is also available in an E book version.