Partner Paintings in JK
Source/Author: Raffi Darrow, Ebytes Editor
January 06, 2022
Second grade and JK often enjoy collaborating on classroom activities so the students can learn from each other.
Last semester, Mrs. Hahn was looking for guest experts to come to her JK class during their color study. At the same time second graders were learning about pollinators and plants working together.
“It seemed like the perfect time for our classes to connect,” second grade’s Mrs. Johnson shared. “My second graders were learning about the preference that some pollinators have for specific colors of flowers.” For example, bees typically seek out yellow, blue, and purple flowers because bees see these colors best. Other colors are less enticing. Nocturnal pollinators, such as bats, typically pollinate white flowers simply because they're the easiest to see in the dark.
Second graders paired up with a JK student and presented pollinator information. Reviewing information they recently learned was a great way for the students to prepare for their roles as experts for their upcoming pollinator project share.
Next the Chargers worked side by side as partner artists to create beautiful Sharpie and watercolor paintings.
“My favorite part was watching my ‘big kids’ exercise patience and flexibility as their younger partner painted freely across the page, out of the lines, in any color they saw fit,” said Mrs. Johnson.
One partner painting was printed for the Shorecrest community as the Winter 2021 holiday card.
Some of the fantastic questions and statements JK students made about colors during their inquiry included:
“How are rainbows so colorful? I don’t know how they are made, I think water and sun help.” - Madi
“I saw a picture of a grasshopper and it was almost invisible in the grass. I want to learn about animals that hide.” - Owen
“Colors make everything beautiful. Sometimes colors go in science experiments. I want to do some science experiments with lots of colors!” - Avi
“I wonder why animals have so much color. I do know that some of them camouflage so that predators don’t eat them. I want to learn more about those animals. Snakes are also my favorite, they blend into the colors.” - Stone
“I want to learn about dog colors, are they the same color or different colors? My dog is black and tan. That not the same as yours Mrs. Hahn. So it depends on what dog you have. How many different colors can dogs be?” - Brady
“I want to learn more about the colors of butterflies and where they live in the world. I wonder if they can camouflage? - Leah
![JK on the Run [Photos]](/Images/1px.png?command_1=url&url_1=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.shorecrest.org/userfiles/shpsv2mvc/images/news-images/JKontherun.jpg&command_2=resize&height_2=85 "JK on the Run [Photos]")
