The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever Hardcover by H. Joseph Hopkins(Author),Jill McElmurry(Illustrator)

My friend Alyson Low, the amazing children's librarian @ the Fayetteville Public Library (which by the way if you have never been too...is AMAZING) introduced me to this book. It is a wonderful NON-Fiction book about Kate Sessions and her story of turning San Diego from desert to a lush green environment. It is a beautiful story and fabulous illustrations. I have 2 groups of students working on pieces with this. One group is doing their version of the cover of the book. It was a great lead into teaching PERSPECTIVE in art. You can see their beginnings here. I also decided to have them take actual PHOTOS of each other from up above to collage into their watercolor pieces. They selected books to look like they were reading in their art work. Yes...I'm all giddy already!

And even better is what KINDERGARTEN is going to do with the book. I love the first page of the book where it talks about Kate using nature to create artwork and get her hands dirty. This week my kinder artist will be using nature to paint their backgrounds...and finishing their pieces with a muddy hand print right on top. Yep...I will probably pull my hair out...but how stinking cute it will be!

Well...I had left over paint that my kinders used today. But I have already made changes for tomorrow. I really want to just use shades of GREEN for the backgound nature printmaking. Then do the muddy handprints on top. I have my fingers crossed...and my room is a disaster!! And our custodians are not real happy with me right now, :).