Yesterday's bonus field trip to Crystal Bridges brought some rich moments to our year. Our trip to Bentonville, Arkansas, began at 8:30 with a leisurely bus ride through the Ozarks. My students were excited to get started, but once we entered the museum, they curbed their enthusiasm and replaced it with respectful attention to our tour guide, Ms. Hutchinson (although four of our group were with Principal Bozarth's group).
While we waited for our tour to begin, a couple of Hoggatteers greeted Ms. Hutchinson with handshakes and conversation. Hutchinson quickly migrated to our area of the room and told me that she called dibs on our group. She told me she was already impressed with their manners and demeanor.
Our one-hour tour was entitled The Writing is on the Wall. Ms. Hutchinson took our group through my favorite area, which is currently being renovated, to find a somewhat abstract piece about 42nd Street in New York City. The students had a discussion about the setting of the painting. What do you see? What do you think it sounds like in this setting? How do you think it smells? Students were crazy-focused and really seemed to be invested in the conversation.
While we waited for our tour to begin, a couple of Hoggatteers greeted Ms. Hutchinson with handshakes and conversation. Hutchinson quickly migrated to our area of the room and told me that she called dibs on our group. She told me she was already impressed with their manners and demeanor.
Our one-hour tour was entitled The Writing is on the Wall. Ms. Hutchinson took our group through my favorite area, which is currently being renovated, to find a somewhat abstract piece about 42nd Street in New York City. The students had a discussion about the setting of the painting. What do you see? What do you think it sounds like in this setting? How do you think it smells? Students were crazy-focused and really seemed to be invested in the conversation.
Before we knew it, Ms. Hutchinson whisked us over to a piece called 184T. She had students write down their ideas about how the long collection of items mounted on the wall made them feel. They were encouraged to use their senses to create their feelings.
Finally, we visited a lifelike sculpture the group named Joe. In a matter of a few minutes, our class made up a story about this melancholy character - a story we are bound to recreate in blog form, next week.
Everywhere we went with this tour, our group made me proud. Their involvement and respectful responses to questions continued to move the conversation forward. Ms. Hutchinson made several comments about my students' behavior and manners along the way - something I will continue to report about in the next few posts. Stay tuned for more about our field trip to Crystal Bridges.
Finally, we visited a lifelike sculpture the group named Joe. In a matter of a few minutes, our class made up a story about this melancholy character - a story we are bound to recreate in blog form, next week.
Everywhere we went with this tour, our group made me proud. Their involvement and respectful responses to questions continued to move the conversation forward. Ms. Hutchinson made several comments about my students' behavior and manners along the way - something I will continue to report about in the next few posts. Stay tuned for more about our field trip to Crystal Bridges.
