A Look Thru Deanna Jump's World

It's Debbie Clement, Master-of-Ceremonies here at PreK+K Sharing.

Today is our colleague Deanna Jump's contribution in our February issue.
She's up to her elbows right now in a myriad of exciting responsibilities and has been kind enough to agree to allow me to prowl through her blog and 'share' an over-view of my observations. Isn't she generous? Thank you Deanna!!!

The very first thing that stands out above all other as I look around, is the amazing 'quality' and 'maturity' of the student artwork created in Deanna's Kindergarten classroom. This is no doubt a testimony to many things: Deanna's own creativity, her guidance to the children, her presenting them with oodles of occasions to be creative and her immersing them in MANY opportunities to express themselves.

Here's a peek at their study of all things Americana, from earlier this month for President's Day. Those are absolutely amazing studies of the Statue of Liberty. You can see from the many examples around their anchor chart that all of the children in the room are reaching a sense of accomplishment. Deanna is teaching her students to FILL THE PAGE, one of the great delights of Art teachers everywhere.

As a picture book author and illustrator myself, one of my favorite things on earth is to see how teachers 'extend' the picture book into their classroom and into the hearts of their students. So of course I couldn't resist sharing a recent project unfolding in Deanna's room. They are studying Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are."

It's delightful to see the many ways that they are interacting with the concepts and artforms from the book.

The anchor chart is obviously a creation of the children's responses to the open-ended statement,

"When I feel WILD_________________"

It's awesome that their personal Wild Thing creatures are holding their wild writing assignments!!!!

I LUV several of their insightful comments: I stomp my feet. I swing really high. Favorites!

Now take a look at this variation on their Sendak Study. Yet more learning and lessons.

While everyone is provided a template to fill,

each child creates their own unique creature:

shapes + colors of their own design.

I could spend days prowling thru Deanna's blog.

Thanks for the opportunity to share!

Deanna invites all of our friends here to visit her at her blog and go on your own investigation of her journal of sharing going on there at Mrs. Jump's Class. I know this year she is really opening her planning + organization to viewers the world over.


She also has a store at Teacher's Pay Teachers. I know that she is too shy to toot her own horn here. So I'll report the facts on her behalf. The truth is, she is the Number One selling contributor to the TPT site.  As a result of her dedication to the field Deanna will be presenting this summer at the "I Teach K" National Conference in Las Vegas!!!