PACT 2009: Parents and Children Together (Family Learning Program)

PACT 2009: Parents and Children Together

What a wonderful time to share!

During PACT time, our NMIC’s Family Learning participants are engaged in a variety of socio-cultural-educational learning activities.

A summary of these activities is contained below.

January 23, 2009: How tall, how long, how wide?

During this session, the families constructed their own measuring tape. The families then practiced asking and answering question as part of a scavenger hunt around our building. Such questions included but were not limited to How long is the front desk? How wide is the white board in classroom 2? How tall are you? Later, the families constructed a height chart and located their heights on the axes.

January 30, 2009: Year of the Ox

During this celebration, our participants familiarized themselves with the Chinese New Year; they learned about the Chinese horoscope and described their own personality traits. Then, they created colorful Chinese lion heads out of boxes, temperas and color paper.

Sylvana Soto, decorating her Lion head

Happy Chinese New Year!

February 6, 2009: Music Workshop (buckets, sticks)

During this session, our families were introduced to the different components of percussion: rhythm and beat. Practicing along with the instructor, the parents and their children had a better understanding that beautiful music can be created with every day materials.

Parents and children in sync

February 13, 2009: MOMA Pre visit: Art making workshop. Working with music

The participants continued with the theme of art-making project. After listening to pieces of music, the participants drew and colored images that depicted the emotions, memories triggered by the music. Then, they shared their drawings with their peers. At the end of the session, the families presented their final project to the group, as a whole.

MoMA's educator, Calder, delivering an art-looking and making workshop

Parents and children drawing, inspired by music.

February 19, 2009:

MOMA Visit. Art Project: Portraits

Once more, our families visited the museum. As a culminating MoMA-facilitated project, the families had a private, interactive and participant-centered tour of the museum. After the tour, all participants made portraits using colored foam, scissors and glue. The participants then described their creations to the class.

The families remembered the museum policies, and then went into the galleries

Parents and children listened, observed and asked questions about several art pieces

At the MoMA Education Center the families created beautiful portraits

Everyone shared their artwork proudly

Thank you, Calder!

Thank you, MoMA!

February 27, 2009: Reading Circle: "On Monday When It Rained”

Based on this beautiful “emotions” story written by Cherry Kachenmeister and illustrated by Tom Berthiaume, the families participated in a student-centered reading circle. The families predicted, inferred, and drew conclusions based on the illustrations. As a culminating activity, the families created beautiful drawings depicting their emotions.

The families engaged in a spelling activity

How do you feel? Irma and Kimberly: Happy Jaysree and Priyota: Excited

Rina and little Rina: Excited Ailian and Sylvana: Loving Bernardo and Darwin: Happy

Martha and Litzy: Excited Orquidea and Joel: Proud Felipa and Jesenia: Loving

March 6, 2009: Music Workshop (buckets, sticks)

Building upon the previous music workshop, our families gained more exposure to various musical patterns, beats, and rhythms. As a result, the parents and their children gained a fuller understanding of the sound sounds that permeate our everyday lives.

March 13, 2009: Beads

Following with the theme of art making, our families were engaged in bracelet and necklace-making activities. They created wonderful jewelry that they proudly shared with the class.

Rina helping her children with the design Rufina and Jesenia chosing bright colors

Norma, Bernardo and Darwing proudly showing their designs

Jasree and Priyota finishing their necklaces The teacher getting ideas from the students

March 20, 2009 “The Spring Magic Box”

After writing beautiful poems, the families created Spring Boxes from wood sticks. They also decorated them with flowers. The result was a wonderful family experience; helping and praising each other.

Spring brings inspiration!

The families writing wonderful poems

We love Spring!

SPECIAL EVENT!

March 27, 2009: "ART OLYMPICS"

As a culminating art project, our Family Learning Program organized the first art contest. More that 50 entries were submitted by our children. Beautiful portraits, collages, landscapes, and abstract painting were subject to the meticulous eyes of the judges. Parents, children and teachers participated actively and proudly. During the event, our special guest, Ronald MacDonald, facilitated a reading circle for all the families.