IG Arts

Bread Recipe

Youth/children in groups of 4-5 can make bread from scratch, and sculpt it into a turtle, a mushroom, pumpkin, etc. Bringing the finished product to the care home to share the spectacle and eat the sculptures is a great harvest time activity. Stories will abound with the smell of fresh bread.

Single Recipe (you can double with good results):

In a large warm bowl, in a warm room free from drafts, measure accurately, and

MIX

MIX

To the margarine/butter and eggs add: 2 cups WARM water

POUR the wet ingredient bowl into the flour/yeast mixing bowl. Mix well. Stir until the mixture is ‘elastic’.

ADD another 2 1/2 cups of flour. Mix well. You may have to use your hand.

When it works into a smooth ball, place in a large oiled bowl (three times the size of the dough ball). Cover with oiled waxed paper. Put in warm oven to rise for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, gently ‘stir’ down dough, then form into buns, or loaves. Place in oiled pans, cover with oiled wax paper, let stand in warm oven for 20 minutes.

Take out of oven. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove wax paper, bake for 15-20 minutes.

If you would like, you can add raisins, candied peel, etc. before mixing in additional flour.

You do NOT need to knead this bread dough. If you use whole wheat you will have to adjust your yeast according to your experience.

          


Grade 1 Interpretation

of Senior Buddies

Intermediate Student’s Portrait

of Senior Buddy






Painted Cookies

Everyone loves cookies! Have large batch of sugar cookie dough made up

ahead of time by volunteers. Make sure children/youth and seniors wash

their hands, dawn plastic gloves, and then roll out the dough to about

3/8 inch thickness. Cut shaped cookies out, preferably with plastic

cutters that have image imprinting capabilities, i.e. so a tulip cut

out looks like a 3-D tulip because of interior lines. Make ‘painted icing’.

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It’s an IG Cookie Painting Party!

 

YOU NEED:

After cookie dough has been rolled out, and the cookies cut (about the thickness of a pencil), have participants lay them on pastry paper or directly on to the cookie tray.

Pre-mix the ‘paint’. This is one of the first type of paints made by artists, and was used in the Renaissance to paint on wood and other surfaces.  It was called ‘egg tempra’. We like painting it on cookies… much easier to eat!

SURE TO PLEASE, EASY TO DO, FUN TO SHARE.

     


Local Artists

Take advantage of local senior artists. Arrange to visit them at
their studios, or bring them in as guests. Try to have the artists
assist the children/youth in making their own art in that medium.

Bob Kingsmill the potter and two kids


Senior Musicians

Find seniors who will share their musical talent as back-up for a
sing-a-long. Choose songs the senior knows, classic campfire songs,
old favourites. “Playmates, come out and play with me…”

Senior Plays for sing-a-long (Mr. Cochrane on piano)


Simple Crafts

Share a simple craft: wax crayon melt for greeting cards, leaf
rubbings, painted wooden ‘helping hands’ to be screwed to stakes for
the senior care home garden. These are friendly reminders of the
children/youth when they have left the care home.

          


Sketching

Have children/youth make simple pencil sketches of their senior
buddies. A wonderful picture to stick to a fridge door in the senior’s
room. Some seniors might want to sketch their younger buddies too

Sketching at Mackie House


Collages

Launching a Mama Steps or Full Immersion Project? Have students make
collages (Me Boards) with pictorial information to introduce
themselves. These can be posted at the Seniors’ Centre so elder
friends can review the photo stories of their young new friends.


Crocheting and Knitting

Crocheting and knitting are teachable arts, and seniors may be
teachers, advisors, and/or share their own work. Use # 5.0 or 5.5mm
crochet hooks and medium thickness synthetic yarn. Approach adult
community craft groups to act as teachers at the care home for the
first few sessions, for both children and seniors who would like to
learn.

     


Poetry

Nothing like a poetry recitation! Have students choose, memorize and
prepare poem for presentation. Make sure they have access to a
microphone, and do a test to find the best level for seniors (consider
hearing aid levels). The young people will have to speak clearly for
seniors to hear. Some seniors may still recall a few lines from a poem
they too learned in as children. Hand them the mic!

     


Celebration Hats

Simple pie plates and bits and pieces from home, outside, and craft
drawers can be turned into personalized Spring, Winter or Fall
‘bonnets’ using hot glue guns and staplers. Hole punch opposite sides
of the hat in order to attach the chin strap ties. Then, take a
portrait of the Milner and the Client! Post them on the Care Home
Bulletin Board. Points to the seniors who wear their hats to lunch!

     

Music

Sing-A-Long

Here are a few lyrics you can print for an IG Sing-a-long!

 CLICK HERE 62.27 Kb For 13 old favourites.

 

 

Julie Andrews’ Favourite Things

Upon turning 69 in 2007, Julie Andrews performed her version of ‘My Favourite Things’ at Radio City Music Hall in NY, NY for the American Association of Retired Persons. The ‘Sidewalk Superintendent’ of the Lakeshore News in Salmon Arm, BC, suggested the words be shared. Here they are!

Maalox and nose drops and needles for knitting,

Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,

Bundles of magazines tied up in string,

These are a few of my favourite things.

Cadillacs and cataracts, and hearing aids and glasses,

Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,

Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,

These are a few of my favourite things.

When the pipes leak, when the bones creak,

When the knees go bad,

I simply remember my favourite things,

And then I don’t feel so bad.

Hot tea and crumpets and corn pads for bunions,

No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,

Bathrobes and heating pads and hot meals they bring,

These are a few of my favourite things.

Back pains, confused brains, and no need for sinnin’.

Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin;

And we won’t mention our short, shrunken frames,

When we remember our favourite things.

When the joints ache, when the hips break,

When the eyes grow dim,

Then I remember the great life I’ve had,

And then I don’t feel so bad.

Movies

IG Movie Resources


WHOSE GRANDMA ARE YOU?

This one hour documentary chronicles the Meadows School Project, an unique and highly successful model for intergenerational immersion. An intermediate public school class re-located to the local seniors’ residence for two full months. Schedules interlocked, volunteer assistance abounded, and the students fulfilled their government mandated curriculum. The long term re-engaging of disconnected youth and elders dispelled loneliness, developed learning circles, personal meaningfulness, and increased physical and mental health. A compassionate glimpse at the lives of seniors, children, parents, teacher, care facility and community when they come together with love.

 

UP!

A wonderful  animated family movie about the dreams of two young children who suddenly find themselves adults, and then house-bound seniors. After the death of one of the spouses, the other (voice of Ed Asner) in an attempt to avoid the senior care home, finds great adventure with the company of a young child. Although the adventure is fantastical, the truly riveting part of the film is the realization by both elder adult and child, that it is the small things in life that they share that really are the most special. You don’t have to go far to find the greatest happiness of all.

Dear i2i Intergenerational Society Members,
I heartily applaud your efforts in inter-generational activity.  I’m impressed both by your energy and the quality of your search.  I think UP! is an excellent example of effective inter-generational success….it works and must be encouraged.
Best Wishes,
Ed Asner 

IS ANYBODY THERE?

This touching story of friendship and loss is set in an English seaside town. Living in his old converted ice-cream van, ex-magician Clarence (Michael Caine) arrives at an old people’s home for the remainder of his days. He’s bitter. Mourning the loss of an old love, angry at increasing disability, he refuses to have anything to do with the other residents. An unlikely friendship develops between this proud, old performer stricken with Alzheimer’s and the curious 11-year-old Edward (Bill Milner) whose less-than-idyllic home happens to double as a home for the aged. Rich humor and rigorous honesty is brought to this portrait of lives colliding under one roof:  Clarence’s friendship with the boy beautifully illustrates inter-generational dynamics:  “What happened with the boy is, I was there to take care of him. But eventually he was there to take care of me, and he learns from doing that.”

AWAY FROM HER

Starring Julie Christie and Gordon Pinsent, directed by Sarah Polley, this is a beautiful love story that deals with caregiving and placement issues. Fiona, the wife in a 50 year marriage, succumbs to Alzheimer’s . ‘Away From Her’ is the touching story of how each step of the way trust, love, and caring bring a depth of compassion that is rarely seen in the able-bodied, able-minded world.

SENIORS ARE COOL!!

An educational video, available from Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth Library www.edu.gov.mb.ca/ks4/iru, call number 8452 OR Manitoba Seniors and Healthy Aging Secretariat www.gov.mb.ca/shas.

YOUNG AT HEART

This delightful movie dispels any myths we might hold about ‘teaching old dogs new tricks’. Led by a task master middle-aged conductor, a small group of octogenarians+  sing everything from Bach to the Beatles. Like any other human endeavour, it is not without its emotional moments as this tightly knit group works to performance level of the modern hip hop musical programme.

In Victoria, British Columbia, CA, a youth choir joined a senior choir to do a shared performance, and in some places across Canada, youth musicians join symphonies of elder performers.  Here the young ‘learn new tricks’ tempered with the elder wisdom. Music under any circumstances is an IG connector. All you have to do is open your mind and sing from your heart!


This section of the website will provide an annotated list of storybooks that focus on intergenerational relationships. Our staff is busy locating books, reading them, and bringing the best ones to you here.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A RESOURCE?

Whether you are a grandparent looking for something to read to your grandchild about memory or illness, a teacher looking for a book to share with your students regarding issues affecting older adults in our communities, or a librarian or community worker wanting to preface intergenerational work with your youth group, check out our list.

 

DO YOU HAVE A RESOURCE TO SHARE?

If you have a book that you would like to see listed, please contact us at i2i(at)intergenerational.ca
i2i@intergenerational.ca  Subject:  “Reading List”. Include the Title, Author, Illustrator, number of pages, language (Fr., Eng, etc.), ISBN, and a brief (4-5 line) annotation about the text of the story.

LOOKING FOR IDEAS FOR SHARED READING?

AND, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR AN IG STORYBOOK TO READ, CHECK THIS OUT!  

We will make every attempt to keep this list up-dated on this page of the website. Watch for new titles.  

THE LIST STARTS HERE

May we recommend checking out our Meadows School Intergenerational Literacy Project™ fiction series, created by senior adults, children and youth! Look at our recently launched ’10 Book Box Set’ on this site “How to Participate”.

Grandpa’s Teeth by Rod Clement

ISBN 0-06-443557-1 English

Grandpa’s teeth are stolen off of his bedside table. Who could the thief be? Everyone in town is suspected in the ensuing police investigation. The result is that the entire town is smiling all the time and scaring the tourists away. Can the criminal be caught before the town falls apart?

 

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney, Illustrations by Barbara Cooney

ISBN 0-14-050539-3 English

When Alice was a little girl she dreamed of traveling the world and then living by the sea-just as her grandfather had done. Her grandfather tells her she must accomplish one other thing: do something to make the world more beautiful. This tale follows Alice as she becomes Miss Rumphius, circles the globe, settles down by the sea, and finally strives to heed her grandfather’s advice and do something to make the world more beautiful.

 

Now One Foot, Now the Other by Tomie de Paola, Illustrations by Tomie de Paola

ISBN-13: 9780399207747 English

Bobby’s grandfather has taught Bobby how to take his first steps and speak his first words. After his grandfather suffers a stroke, Bobby helps his grandfather get back on his feet by teaching him the lessons that were once taught to him.

Children learn that they are empowered to be caregivers to elders and that this is an expression of love.

 

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox, Illustrations Julie Vivas

ISBN 0-916291-04-9  English

Wilfrid is a small boy who lives next to a senior care home, where he has made friends with each of the unique individuals. He overhears his parents say that his best friend at the care home has lost her memory. This 30 page picture book tells the story of his quest to find out what memory is, and bring Miss Nancy’s back to her.

Something from Nothing by Phoebe Gilman, Illustrations by Phoebe Gilman

ISBN 0-590-74557-3 English

“When Joseph was a baby, his grandfather made him a wonderful blanket.” As the years pass, the blanket becomes shabby, but grandfather manages to salvage enough of it to make a jacket. Over the years, the original blanket material is refashioned by Joseph’s grandfather into new articles of clothing until finally, there is nothing left of it. Not even grandpa can make something from nothing. But Joseph has an idea…

 

Where the River Begins by Thomas Locker, Illustrations by Thomas Locker

ISBN 0-14-054595-6 English

Aaron and Josh live with their family in a house that overlooks a river running into the sea. They wonder where the river begins. When their grandfather takes them on a camping trip up the river to its source, the boys experience the changing topography and weather conditions firsthand.

 

Waiting for the Whales by Sheryl McFarlane, Illustrations by Ron Lightburn

ISBN 0-920501-96-6 English

An elderly man lives alone on the west coast with only the annual return of the orcas to keep him company. One day his daughter returns with a baby girl. The grandfather teaches the girl to love to same things he loves: gardening, walking through the woods and appreciating the surroundings. When grandfather passes away, the granddaughter continues to garden and awaits the return the whales.

 

The House on Maple Street by Bonnie Pryor, Illustrations by Beth Peck

ISBN 0-688-12031-8 English

Chrissy and Jenny live with their family in a house on Maple Street. The discovery of a broken tea cup and arrowhead in their yard uncovers a three hundred year old story of the ground beneath their feet.

The Waterfall’s Gift by Joanne Ryder, Illustrations by Richard Jesse Watson

ISBN 1-57805-113-4 English

A young girl returns to the small cabin that her grandfather built in the northern forest. Although her grandfather has passed away, she rediscovers their old, familiar spots. This is a magical tale that brings the surrounding forest and cherished memories alive.

 

When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant, Illustrations by Diane Goode

ISBN 0-525-44198-0 English

A young girls recounts the special times shared living in the mountains with her grandparents, learning to draw water from the well and care for the chickens, while still finding time to enjoy the local swim hole and sip on a cup of hot cocoa. This story instills a sense of warmth and comfort that can only be felt within the grandparents’ home.

 

 

The Gardener by Sarah Stewart, Illustrations by David Small

ISBN-13: 978-0-312-36749-7 English

After her father loses his job, Lydia Grace must move to the city to live and work with her uncle. She takes with her a few belongings, some seeds that her grandmother gave her and a huge passion for gardening. Can she make Uncle Jim smile as she makes over his bakery and home with flowers nurtured by her love for life?

 

Claire’s Gift by Maxine Trottier, Illustrations by Rajka Kupesic

ISBN 0-439-98860-8 English

Little Claire comes to stay at her great-aunt “Tante Marie’s” in Che’ticamp for the summer. While she is too shy to talk to anyone in town at first, she finds comfort in the art of rug hooking that Tante Marie teaches her. Over the summer, Claire creates a very special hook rug that depicts the warmth of Tante Marie’s heart and home.

 

Women Pioneers of the Queen Charlotte Islands/Haida Gwaii by Catherine Nelson

Five stories of remarkable women on the Queen Charlotte Islands/Haida Gwaii in the 1920’s and 30’s. Each story is short (35 or 36 pages, large print); illustrated with photographs and maps; poses questions for discussion; and celebrates one adventure in the lives of these women. Perfect for intermediate Social Studies, or for grandparents to read to their grandchildren sharing personal experiences similar to those in the stories.

Live / Videos

Documentary

Intergenerational Projects – i2i Featured on Reading Worldwide

Link: ReadingWorldwide.com

Intergenerational literacy initiatives involve two or more generations within a reading project, most often with children being the main focus. The “child-only-view” within the reading promotion community is slowly being replaced with an understanding that reading and attitudes towards reading is transmitted from one generation to the next, within the family and outside. Thus, all generations need to be involved, and all generations might benefit from such kind of projects. Benefits might not only be in terms of literacy however, but may also promote a stronger bond within generations. How can such projects be implemented?

“Whose Grandma Are You?”

Jim Elderton film maker