Capital Letters F and G

F is for Feather
G is for Goose

A super-fun pairing!

We started by looking at Patterns (this is carrying over from the previous session where he became interested in weaving a potholder). I showed him how I weave on my tapestry loom (over, under, over, under) and then how that matched what he needed to do on his potholder loom.

After a little Handwork time, we read Pattern Fish by Trudy Harris and looked for the patterns in the illustrations. Then we went down to my Art Room and made patterns for each other on the light table using colored counters. I would make a pattern and then he would have to extend it by following the rule; then we would switch and he would make a pattern for me to follow.

Then we added Net and River to his blank book. I started out the tutoring sessions by scribing his summary of each story for him as he dictated it. Then we moved to me writing the word to go with each illustration for him and him copying that one word into the book. Next, I will write his summary of the story and then he will copy that entire sentence into the book.

We started F is for Feather by reading Clare Beaton's Mother Goose Remembers. We made a game out of him finding the feathers embroidered into the illustration for each nursery rhyme. He tried to find the feather before I could finish reading the rhyme. Sometimes he found it before I even finished reading the title! I love her illustrations so much because she hand-sews collages using vintage fabrics and sewing notions.

Then I drew a sample of the main lesson book illustration which I wanted him to do, starting with the strong line of the shaft and then adding the vane. If you're not sure about the parts of the feather, check here for a quick overview; it's helpful when talking with kids to use the correct terminology. I deliberately made the shaft arch slightly up towards the right. I had him draw his feather with colored pencils. Then I went back over my feather with glitter glue and made the strong line of the F over the shaft, and then the second curving line over the vane. He did the same with his illustration, so that the F appeared in the lines of the Feather. He LOVED working with the glitter glue. It's not my favorite art supply in the world but it's good for fine motor control and he found it great fun and very special to work with.

Next we moved on to G is for Goose by reading Barnyard Banter by Denise Fleming. Again, this is an author where I absolutely love her illustration style! She does collages of handmade paper, creating the pictures with different colors of poured pulp. She also adds in various elements for texture, like coffee grounds in the pig's mud and straw in the hayloft. Beautiful. And, believe me, once you try it you will admire her illustrations even more. I had plenty of colors of pulp ready because I'd been doing papermaking with Zac for Picnic & Play as well as with my students doing the Saints block, so we got to work making a Goose illustration where the Goose made the shape of the G, a la L M N O P and All the Letters A to Z.

It was a fun and very busy session!

his finished feather

Note: The kit shown is a really simple and young-kid-friendly one called Papyrus 21. I have several by Arnold Grummer which are nice for older children, but with someone little I like my sturdy and easy to understand Papyrus 21.

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