Building the Watts Towers

The past few weeks the BUGS artists have been focusing on different reasons artists create. After reading the story of Simon Rodia, a tile worker who built the Watts Towers in Los Angeles, students designed a plan and then created their own structures and towers using a range of materials and their fantastic imaginations. The actual Watts towers are enormous mosaic sculptures which the artist spent a large portion of his life building because he "had it in his mind to do something big,". The BUGS towers include fountains, clay arches, seashells and windmills.

Trip to the Baltimore Humane Society

As part of their service learning project, BUGS students learned about animal rights and the Baltimore Humane society. They made cat toys, dog toys, and dog biscuits for the animals and visited the shelter. There they toured the facility, learned about helping stray cats and dogs, said hello to the cats and dogs waiting for homes and even helped with a stepping stone art project! Thank you Baltimore Humane Society for partnering with us!

See more photos from our visit at: http://www.facebook.com/BMOREHUMANE

recycled t-shirt scarves, clay & self portraits

The Bridgers (5th graders) show off their unique scarves made from recycled t-shirts - stylish.

Below some of the boys display their pottery and self portraits. BUGS artists have been learning about Frida Kahlo and self portraiture as well as dabbling in D.I.Y.

Preparing The Garden For Winter (If It Ever Comes)

The BUGS boys got down and dirty pulling out weeds and turning the soil on the garden beds. The next step is to add a layer of compost.

Button Up! comes to BUGS

Button Up came to make buttons with the Bridgers! In relation to learning about alternative energy, the students made buttons about the earth, recycling, solar power, and wind energy. http://www.etsy.com/people/buttonupeveryday

http://www.facebook.com/ButtonUpCo?sk=info

American Visionary Arts Museum

Students got to take a trip to the AVAM and see All Things Round. This is the famous pose by the egg.

Then rolling down the hill was an energetic ending to the day.

Students Practice Steel Drums

Students Practice Stilt-Walking

Coastal Sunbelt Produce trip

We loaded up and traveled to the very large facility at Coastal Sunbelt Produce to get a tour and see how fruit and vegetables come here and get to many places we like to eat.

There was a taste testing and a guess of how much sugar is in each piece of fruit.

Some couldn't wait to get some because it was so delicious.

Through the large glass the students looked to see the workers below cutting and slicing the fruit.

Here they were learning about where in the world the fruit and vegetables come from and where they are delivered at restaurants. Some of the trucks were coming and going as they watched.