Looking For Inspiration - Terri Aluise

If you happen to be at the Philadelphia International Airport this holiday season don’t miss Theresa Aluise’s – “Fairy Tales” art work located at the Terminal A. Terri Aluise drew on the fairy tales she loved as a child. She said that she was surprised to find that she remembered them all wrong. The outcomes? A weird - looking bunny, three napping bears, the Big Bad Wolf turned into a rug. “Soft wools, felt and fur just seem to make my creatures more approachable than stark plaster casts,” said Aluise. “In the end, I hope to create a total environment of whimsy with a touch of weird.”

Go back to the classic stories with your child and relate them to the memorable visual art by Theresa Aluise.

“The Runaway Bunny”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Runaway_Bunny

“The Story of the Three Bears”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_the_Three_Bears 

“Big Bad Wolf”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bad_Wolf

 “The Three Little Pigs”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Little_Pigs

Theresa Aluise’s official site http://www.terri-aluise.com/

“I am exploring a practice of combining unlike materials and imagery together in a multitude of ways to create sculptures and drawings about the absurdity and murkiness of our human psyche.” said Terri Aluise

Good Books - Kate DiCamillo, Great Children’s Fiction Writer

When looking for a good book to read check Kate DiCamillo. She is an American writer of children’s fiction for all reading levels. In January 2014, Kate DiCamillo was named the fourth National Ambassador for Young People's Literature for a term 2014–2015, by the Library of Congress. If someone doesn’t know her books can probably recollect two adaptations Because of Winn-Dixie released in 2005 by 20^th Century Fox or The Tale of Despereaux released in 2008 by Universal Pictures.

Check Kate DiCamillo’s official website http://www.katedicamillo.com/  and works.

Her Novels:

Because of Winn-Dixie (2000),

TheTiger Rising (2001),

The Tale of Despereaux (2003), illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering

The Miraculous Journey of EdwardTulane (2006), illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline 

The Magician's Elephant (2009), illustrated by Yoko Tanaka

Flora & Ulysses: TheIlluminated Adventures (2013), illustrated by K.G. Campbell

Her Chapter Books:

Bink and Gollie series, text by DiCamillo and Alison McGhee, illustrated by Tony Fucie

Bink and Gollie (2010)

Bink  and Gollie: Two for One (2012)

Mercy Watson series text by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen

Mercy Watson to the Rescue (2005)

Mercy Watson Fights Crime (2006)

Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride (2006)

Mercy Watson: Princess in Disguise (2007)

Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig (2008)

Mercy Watson: Something Wonky This Way Comes (2009)

Her Picture Books:

Great Joy (2007), illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

Louise, the Adventures of a Chicken (2008), illustrated by Harry Bliss

Her Short Stories:

The Third Floor Bedroom, in Chris Van Allsburg, et al., The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: Fourteen Amazing Authors Tell the Tales (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011)

Biography in Glance

Kate DiCamillo was born in Philadelphia in 1964; however because of frequent pneumonias Kate moved to Florida with her brother and mother in 1969 .

Kate DiCamillo majored in English at the University of Florida. That is when she decided to become a writer. For the next decade she wrote mostly short stories for adults, submitted them, and collected hundreds of rejection letters. To pay the bills, DiCamillo worked a variety of jobs at places like Disney World, Surfers' World, campgrounds, and greenhouses.

After moving to Minneapolis, DiCamillo began working at a book wholesaler. That is when she started reading children's books and decided to try writing for a younger audience. During a long, cold Minnesota winter, DiCamillo felt homesick and wrote a story that took place in the warm South. That story, Because of Winn-Dixie, was not only accepted and published; it also received a prestigious Newbery Honor.

Eventually, DiCamillo left her job and become a full-time writer. When The Tale of Despereaux won the Newbery Medal in 2004, Kate DiCamillo solidified her place as one of today's most popular authors for young people. More recently, DiCamillo has tried writing books for an even younger audience, easy-reader series, Mercy Watson Bink and Gollie. In 2007, DiCamillo published her first picture book, Great Joy.

Check also:

Kate DiCamillo’s thoughts about childhood and what inspires her to write.

watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ22JDPvg5M

Kate DiCamillo's Picks For Summer Treehouse Reading

http://www.npr.org/2014/05/23/315250144/kate-dicamillos-picks-for-summer-tree-house-reading

Comic and Graphic Books for Reading

"Jack and Annie" by BP, 2014

Comics break through one of the most important reading barriers with kids, and that is getting them interested in reading in the first place.

The research shows that comics can inspire kids to read and increase reading comprehension along with a number of other skills. What’s more, even the comic strips can help children to learn sequencing of events and how stores unfold in a visual way.

 "Patrick Takes a Bath and Goes to Bed" by BP, 2014

Interesting facts on Graphic Novels:

• “Graphic novels can…help improve reading development for students struggling with language acquisition, as the illustrations provide contextual clues to the meaning of the written narrative.” 
• “They require readers to be actively engaged in the process of decoding and comprehending a range of literary devices, including narrative structures, metaphor and symbolism, point of view, and the use of puns and alliteration, intertextuality, and inference.” 
• “Reading graphic novels can help students develop the critical skills necessary to read more challenging works, including the classics.”

Top 10 Comic Books for children  to start with: 

1. The Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century
2.  Marvel Adventures: The Avengers 
3. Sonic the Hedgehog 
4. Archie Comics 
5. Disney Comics 
6. Justice League Unlimited 
7. Franklin Richards 
8. Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane 
9. Teen Titans GO! 
10.  Amelia Rules

References:

Using Comics and Graphic Novels in the Classroom (The Council Chronicle, Sept. 05)

http://www.ncte.org/magazine/archives/122031

Graphic Novels 101, SED lecturer helps teachers make sense of the genre

http://www.bu.edu/today/2014/graphic-novels-101/

Graphic Novel Resources for Educators

http://www.getgraphic.org/teachers.php

Using Graphic Novels with Children and Teens: A Guide for Teachers and Librarians

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/using-graphic-novels-children-and-teens-guide-teachers-and-librarians

Using Graphic Novels with Children and Teens, A Guide for Teachers and Librarians

http://www.scholastic.com/graphix/Scholastic_BoneDiscussion.pdf

Rethinking Graphic Novels in the Classroom: Broadening Our Concepts of Literature to Benefit Readers By Amber Heffernan

http://jcrl.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/jcrl/rt/printerFriendly/3414/1681

Power of a Joke and Laughter

"A day without laughter is a day wasted."

Charles Chaplin

Discovering the joy of telling jokes it’s a way to experience a lifelong companionship, laughter and self-confidence. Having access to the source and introducing children to books with jokes is very beneficial and will have links to higher intellectual development in vocabulary, spelling and stimulates thinking. 

Q: What did the dog say when he sat on sandpaper?

A: Ruff!

Even the most reluctant reader can often be persuaded to pick up a joke book or read a joke printed out onto a card or bookmark. Collecting jokes can be helpful too. A reluctant reader scan be encouraged if you give him a special notebook to decorate and use to store all his favorites. Then suggest he gets out his notebook for a rainy day or when he is feeling under the weather and needs cheering up!

Basia with a friend

Concluding – Why telling a joke is good?

• It increases kids' confidence.
• Helps to practice reading, remember a story, order it and relate it to others.
• Helps to expand vocabulary and learn spelling.
• Stimulates thinking.
• And helps to laugh and reduce stress.

Q: What happened to the wooden car 

with the wooden wheels and the wooden engine?

A: It wooden go!

Basia with friends 

Remember!

If a child is telling you a joke, 

Be patient, 

Listen carefully, 

Enjoy it and 

Never spoil the punchline!

Check the links for jokes:

http://www.grandparents.com/grandkids/activities-games-and-crafts/sneak-preview-jokes-for-kids with pictures

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/search-results?_q=joke (try Lunch Box Jokes and Joke Bookmarks)

http://www.childhoodbeckons.com/2012/07/30-jokes-your-kids-will-love.html

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/jokes/index.shtml

http://www.ducksters.com/jokesforkids/

http://www.funology.com/jokes-and-riddles/

http://jokes4us.com/miscellaneousjokes/schooljokes/kidjokes.html

http://www.prongo.com/jokes/index.asp

Read also:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/emotional-health/laughter-is-the-best-medicine.htm

http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/laughter.htm

Harvest, Thanksgiving and Hunger - CANstrustion Competition

One CAN Can Make a Difference!

21 - National Reprographics - "Hunger Free Terminal", 2014

MY 1st FAVORITE.

An autumn is a season of harvest and wealth, time of Thanksgiving and kindness. It’s a great season and opportunity to educate our children and remind the grownups, teach compaction and donate food to those in need, those who safer hunger.

18 - Severud Associates - "CAN You Spot the Issue?," 2014

On this occasion I raised the issue with my daughter, did some resurge and held a discussion during an eye opening exhibition – “Canstruction” and continued it after returning home.  “Canstruction Competion” has spent two decades feeding the hungry while also inspiring creativity, originality, and goodwill among designers and audiences alike.

Brookfield Place, Winter Garden, New York

From November 6 till 20, 2014 Brookfield Place in lower Manhattan in the Winter Garden and the Lobby at 250 Vesey Street, hosts the New York installment known as Canstruction, an extraordinary annual design competition and the most unique food charity in the world. The top architecture, engineering, and design firms as well as the students from all around the world gather to compete in designing and building giant structures made entirely from unopened cans of food. The imaginative sculptures are then on view to the public until they are dismantled and donated to City Harvest for distribution to those in need. 

Check the event http://artsbrookfield.com/event/canstruction/

13 - MTA-NYCT - "Ameri'can Eagle," 2014

The philosophy of the competition is to raise public awareness in our communities about world hunger and those in need. Suggested donation is one can of high quality food, non-perishable, such as tuna, beans, and canned vegetables to the exhibition’s collection station at various times. All collected food will be donated along with the cans used in the competition to City Harvest http://www.cityharvest.org/ . Now serving New York City, City Harvest is a food rescue organization that distributes the food collected from Canstruction to New Yorkers in need during the Thanksgiving season. New York City is joined by numerous cities across North America and other countries such as Australia and New Zealand, who will hold Canstruction Competitions in the coming year. Last year, around 80,000 pounds of food was collected, translating into nearly 74,00 holiday meals for the city's hungry.

20 - Robert Silman Associates - "R.I.P. Hunger," 2014

Canstruction, Inc. was founded in 1992 by the late Cheri Melillo and her colleagues from the Society for Design Administration (SDA). Cheri created a Canstruction chapter in New York and held the first official "Canstruction Competition" in New York, NY on November 13, 1993.

Since its inception, Canstruction has grown to become one of the largest and most consistent canned food contributors to food banks in the world. Canstruction events have been held in over 150 cities worldwide donating over 25 million pounds of food to feed the hungry. For more information, visit http://www.canstruction.org/

8 - CetraRuddy - "The Thinker," 2014

My 3rd favorite.

It was proved that Canned food is a smart solution for better eating in today’s fast-paced world. The can seals in freshness, flavor and nutrition without sacrificing convenience, enabling to be confident about creating more, healthy meals. Canned food is affordable, accessible all year long and environmentally friendly, because the metal cans are endlessly recyclable.

3 - Leslie E. Robertson Associates - "Hungry to the Core," 2014 

BASIA'S 1st FAVORITE

1 - GACE Consulting Engineers, PC - "Turn it Around"

Basia's and my 2nd favorite.

 25 - RAND Engineering & Architecture, DPC - "Hounding Hunger," 2014

Basia's 3rd favorite.

SEE THE EXHIBITION! 

DONATE CANNED FOOD! 

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE SCULPTURE!

- from the 22nd Annual Canstruction New York Competition, 2014. 

23 - Eleanor Roosevelt High School - "Hunger's No Picnic," 2014

List of Sculptures:
1 - GACE Consulting Engineers, PC - "Turn it Around"

2 - Thornton Tomasetti - "Put Hunger Behind Us"

3 - Leslie E. Robertson Associates - "Hungry to the Core"

4 - Ennead Architects - "The Good, the Bad and the Hungry"

5 - Ted Moudis Associates - "The Astronaut"

6 - Ammann & Whitney - "Together We Can Le-Go of Hunger"

7 - Arup - "Mushroom RepliCANt"

8 - CetraRuddy - "The Thinker"

9 - WSP - "Give A Hoot About Hunger"

10 - STUDIOS Architecture - "Van Gogh Away Hunger!"

11 - Stantec Consulting Services Inc. - "Fountain of Food"

12 - Gensler - "A Balanced Meal"

13 - MTA-NYCT - "Ameri'can Eagle"

14 - HOK - "Food Banksy"

15 - Parsons Brinckerhoff - "Can2pect"

16 - ads Engineers - "The Bros Can Do It!"

17 - Skanska USA - "If Wall-E CAN, We All CAN"

18 - Severud Associates - "CAN You Spot the Issue?"

19 - DeSimone Consulting Engineers - "Smite Hunger!"

20 - Robert Silman Associates - "R.I.P. Hunger"

21 - National Reprographics - "Hunger Free Terminal"

22 - Perkins Eastman & HRBI - "Jeter CAN Turn 2 for Hunger"

23 - Eleanor Roosevelt High School - "Hunger's No Picnic"

24 - Cerami & Associates - "Put the Drop on Hunger"

25 - RAND Engineering & Architecture, DPC - "Hounding Hunger"

26 - Weidlinger Associates - "May the CANs Be Ever in Your Favor"

27 - Gilsanz Murray Steficek LLP - "StaTUNA of Liberty"

27 - Gilsanz Murray Steficek LLP - "StaTUNA of Liberty," 2014