Done, Not Quite

Well, today would have brought an end to our Catholic School's Week activities, but today was cancelled due to snow.  Though I had greatly anticipated the close of the week with Pajama Day and Family Fun Night this evening, it was not to be.  That will have to be rescheduled.  Still, having some serious sinus irritation, a day of rest was appreciated.  Rest was all I accomplished today.
Bean on the other hand was busy. Finally he had a long interrupted day to put together his Christmas gift. His wee hobbit hole is shaping up quite cozily.

Bugg, after our big Thursday playdate of Valentine crafting was also in a resting state as we all enjoyed a marathon of old Shirley Temple movies.

After our big Monday with Bugg's class, my students finished preparations for their Storytelling Festival, held on Wednesday.  Following an African tradition, they made a necklace with a bead representing each of the three stories they planned so share.

 

Folktales were the study of our last two weeks.  We studied both African and American folktales and compared our many tales.  Students were asked, before Christmas, to talk with family members and find a tale that has long circulated in their own family.  

Each child chose a tale from each category to share in the festival and  brought whatever they wanted to create a storytelling space and all the other students visited to hear their tales.  Afterwards, we sat for a time to reflect on the tales.  Overwhelmingly, the tales they most loved were the ones from their own family.  It made it easy to understand then, why so many American tales, resemble African tales. Those valuable pieces of family held on.  We also discussed how we knew if we were successful as storytellers, and I was surprised and pleased at how they read their audience.  All took it seriously and did a great job!

I actually did manage to finish off all of Ol' Mother Hubbard's scarves that I started before Christmas.  She was in the area and ran by to pick them up. 

 

From the looks of the weather report, they'll be needed for a bit longer.