For the past 3 weeks I have started my student teaching, and let me tell you...I have never had a greater respect for what teachers do on a day to day basis. It is one of the hardest things I have ever done, but it has gotten better as time has gone on.
The latest project we are working on is Japanese Prints. The students created their own fish by using different pictures of fish. They turned out really great, each students artwork being totally different.
This is the line that forms at my desk everyday. Elementary students really need a lot of direction and encouragement.
We used styrofoam sheets instead of the traditional linoleum or wood. All they had to do was push down the area with a ballpoint pen, which was still very hard for them. Bless their hearts.
Rolling the ink on their styrofoam sheets.
The final print. The fun part about this is they students are so excited and proud of their artwork because they accomplished something that is very hard.
This past weekend Pat and I went on our much anticipated Yellow Stone National Park trip. It turned out to be just as good as we hoped.
Background Info: Pat and I had planned a "motorcycle trip to somewhere" trip ever since he purchased his motorcycle. A few months back I suggested Yellowstone. As school approached we knew we had to act fast. So with Pat on his motorcycle and me in the car with our camping gear we set out on an adventure.
This was an exciting day as a heard of Buffalo came through our camp. They stayed for quite a while so we had to continue cooking our dinner (See video).
This was a really cool hike we took. There was a GIANT waterfall that we hiked to the top of. I wish we could get the enormity of the falls, but you will just have to use your imagination. P.S. After Pat couldn't stop talking about throwing something off the edge I accidently kicked my sunglasses down the falls.
Tough guy Pat.
The funny thing about Yellow Stone is that there are traffic jams all the time. It is usually due to some buffalo in the road but sometimes it is people just a group of people stopped off to the side claiming they saw something. This time there were about 50 people standing on a cliff saying someone saw a black bear miles away. I still don't think anyone saw anything and someone was just playing a joke.
Top of the fall again.
Being in Yellow Stone is like being in a life size "Where's Waldo" book. You are constantly searching for animals and get so excited when you find one. Even though this was just a deer, we were so excited and followed it around.
This is a picture taken of the GIANT waterfall from a distance.
See, it is HUGE.
One of the THOUSAND pictures we took with the Buffalo.
A scene taken from the top of the falls.
The journey to Yellow Stone.
Pat drove over 400 miles to Yellow Stone. Then on the way back we ran into a huge thunderstorm where we were stopped in our tracks after pat had a near death experience with road debris. We had to drop the bike off at a friends house in Blackfoot Idaho.
When you are in Yellow Stone you feel like you are back in time. There are tons of hot pots. This is one of the more beautiful ones, but don't be fooled, this hot pot is boiling hot—it's no Jacuzzi.
This was one of my favorite scenes from Yellow Stone because it gave me a taste of what the Old West may have felt like. All those black dots are Buffalo.
This was our camp the first night. If you look closely you will see where i have circles our tent and the bathrooms. This equals disaster! Pat and I spent the whole night listening to people walking to the bathrooms, flushing, and then walking back through our camp.
After the second night we were lucky we could switch camps to a more secluded one.
Even though we had a more secluded camp the following nights we both still had a hard time sleeping. By the third night I just about had it and needed to get some sleep. I asked around trying to find a cabin room or a hotel room and the whole park was booked. This is one of the cool hotels I tried to book a room at.
Believe it or not this was my first time camping. I was excited for the meals and was not disappointed by the pre-made tin foil dinner we bought at Walmart — true campers.
Doesn't that look yummy?
Okay okay, I admit the food wasn't all that great after 3 days of camping. I broke down and just wanted to be served at a restaurant! So on the third day we went out and ate at the Old Faithful Hotel.
Another good find...an Elk. He was causing quite a traffic jam.
This beautiful shot was taken at the lake at our campsite. We went for an evening stroll against my wishes because I was exhausted. But it was well worth it.
The latest project we are working on is Japanese Prints. The students created their own fish by using different pictures of fish. They turned out really great, each students artwork being totally different.
This is the line that forms at my desk everyday. Elementary students really need a lot of direction and encouragement.
We used styrofoam sheets instead of the traditional linoleum or wood. All they had to do was push down the area with a ballpoint pen, which was still very hard for them. Bless their hearts.
Rolling the ink on their styrofoam sheets.
The final print. The fun part about this is they students are so excited and proud of their artwork because they accomplished something that is very hard.
