For the past few years, I've been making crankies with my classes. Crankies (so named because you crank them) are scrolling pictures that usually accompany a song, story, or poem. They are a traditional Appalachian art form, but have cousins in many times and places. There are miniature ones -- my friend made one out of an Altoid box and some pencils that said (letter by letter) HAPPY BIRTHDAY! -- and enormous ones. Ours are in the middle. We use scrolls of butcher paper. We make them collaboratively, using beeswax crayons. We have illustrated songs, poems, and hand-clap rhymes, written our own crazy stories, and made one with shadow puppets to illustrate a folktale. They help the students integrate the songs, poems, and stories we learn, are an excellent exercise in collaboration, and make a fine thing to share with the families at our periodic poetry readings.
Crankies
Crankies
Crankies
For the past few years, I've been making crankies with my classes. Crankies (so named because you crank them) are scrolling pictures that usually accompany a song, story, or poem. They are a traditional Appalachian art form, but have cousins in many times and places. There are miniature ones -- my friend made one out of an Altoid box and some pencils that said (letter by letter) HAPPY BIRTHDAY! -- and enormous ones. Ours are in the middle. We use scrolls of butcher paper. We make them collaboratively, using beeswax crayons. We have illustrated songs, poems, and hand-clap rhymes, written our own crazy stories, and made one with shadow puppets to illustrate a folktale. They help the students integrate the songs, poems, and stories we learn, are an excellent exercise in collaboration, and make a fine thing to share with the families at our periodic poetry readings.
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