The United Arts Council hosted Family Art Night at the school for children and their families on October 17 at the school from 5-7 pm. This event focused on music, theatre, and art to help foster family engagement and teach parents how to use creative activities to help their children learn.
Participants had pizza and went to 4 different classroom stations. They made pumpkin paper plate frames & spider hand art. They also sang and danced and performed improv theatre.
Participating Artists and Activities were:
Beth Crosley – Music
Beth Crosley has an associate’s degree from Edison Community College (now Florida SouthWestern State College), where she majored in Art. Beth is a painter and she has shown and sold her work at various outdoor art shows, restaurants and boutiques in Southwest Florida. She has been teaching art to all ages throughout Collier County for 19 years. Beth was also a professional musician — a singer and keyboardist — and has been teaching piano and music to young children for several years.
Beth’s activity: “Fun with Music”
Children and parents will sing, dance and explore percussion instruments. Musical activities help children develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Beth’s activity will help children understand the difference between beat (steady pulse) and tempo (speed) in music.
Kayleigh Campo – Theatre
Kayleigh Campo has a BFA degree in Musical Theatre from the University of West Florida. She has performed, directed and taught young people about theatre in the hopes of continuing to bring related arts to new generations. She is currently pursuing her acting career while also teaching kids yoga and theatre. This is Kayleigh’s second year as a teaching artist with United Arts Council.
Kayleigh’s activity: “Intro to Theatre”
Children will learn basic theatre warm-ups and we will discuss what are theatre, acting and creating a character. We will be using movement to show how we can portray different characters in a show.
Sebastian Melendez – Art
Sebastian Melendez Saá attended Florida Gulf Coast University in Estero. He has a bachelor’s degree in Art with a Digital Media Design concentration and a minor in Art History. For the past two years he has taught at many different schools for the United Arts Council of Collier County.
Sebastian’s activity: “The Tickly Spider”
We will read the book The Tickly Spider by Margaret Wise Brown, which is about the importance of sharing. We will discuss spiders and some fun facts about these special creatures. Children and parents will make spiders together by tracing their fingers on paper and cutting carefully along the lines with scissors. They will also add fun “googly” eyes and black cobwebs with glitter glue. Children will learn the difference between warm and cool colors and the importance of contrast in art (illustrated by the Halloween color combination of orange and black).
Kimberly Walbert – Art
Kimberly Walbert attended Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota and Lynchburg College in Virginia. She has a bachelor’s degree in Art. Kim has been teaching art to students in preschool through fifth grade for 16 years. She is currently the lower school art teacher at Seacrest Country Day School. She has also taught at numerous schools for the United Arts Council of Collier County for 15 years.
Kim’s activity: “Pumpkin Masks”
We will read the storybook Pete the Cat: Five Little Pumpkins by James Dean. We will discuss the shape, color and size of pumpkins. Students will learn about primary colors and how to mix orange. The children will practice their painting skills by decorating a pumpkin mask.
