Field Trips
	Whole Foods Market Earth Day – April 22, 2008
We learned about vermiculture which is "The raising and production of earthworms and worm castings". Did you know that there are three different kinds of worms that like to eat organic matter and aid in composts? We each had our own pile of worms to examine before we put them in the compost for them to do their work. We also had a tour of Whole Foods where we learned about organic foods, and we tasted a Pink Lady apple, “sunny” drops, a raw beet, “certified organic” grass-fed cow milk, and vegetarian cookies!
Tallahassee ~ What a great trip! Thursday April 17 – Friday April 18, 2008
To read about what we watched in the Florida Legislature go to http://www.orlandosentinel.com/community/news/villages/orl-housefun2008apr20,0,1657120.story
Hannibal Square Heritage Center Tuesday February 26, 2008
We learned about the story behind this mosaic. This mosaic was a community effort last year - a project led by our very own Ms. Tomlinson!
Mr. Imagination described how much of his art is intended to be touched because it moves, like these sculptures on the swings. The arms on the guitar (to the right) move, and the scupted head is a self-portrait.
This is the Memory Wall sculpture at the Heritage center in Hannibal Square, Winter Park after our class added items to the lower left-hand side. This collaborative public art installation will involve all members of the community and focus on the meaning of Heritage in our community. Other Dommerich fifth graders will add items throughout the week, and the public unveiling will be Saturday March 1 from 5-7pm. The Art form: Mr. Imagination is what is called sometimes called a Folk Artist, a Visionary Artist, or a Self-Taught Artist Folk Art: Art originating among the common people of a nation or region and usually reflecting their traditional culture, especially everyday or festive items produced or decorated by unschooled artists. Visionary Art: art produced by self-taught individuals, usually without formal training, whose works arise from an innate personal vision that revels foremost in the creative act itself." In short, visionary art begins by listening to the inner voices of the soul, and often may not even be thought of as 'art' by its creator. There is a great Museum in Baltimore, Maryland, called the American Visionary Art Museum that shows the work of artists like Mr. Imagination.  Here is a list of educational goals from their website: http://www.avam.org/brainfood/goals.html Lynn Tomlinson, Sam’s mom, worked for several years on this website featuring Florida Folk Artists and Self-taught artists: http://www.folkvine.org The Game Room on Folkvine features games for elementary and middle school students and "zines" for high-school students that help teach about the artists on the site. http://www.folkvine.org/gameRoom.html The Artist: As you know, Mr. Imagination's home burned along with a lot of his art.  Here is a website about him and his community's efforts to help him recover: http://www.misterimagination.com/ There are links there to several newspaper articles which your students might find interesting. This isn't the first time "Mr. I" has had to overcome tragedy.  Here is a brief biography from the website for Jeanine Taylor Folk Art gallery in Sanford, who carries his work: Gregory Warmack was born the third of nine children in 1948 in the poverty-stricken South Side of Chicago. The love and support of his mother, Margaret, pulled him through the difficult times and encouraged him to be artistic and unique. "I slept under the kitchen table because my bedroom was covered with art", Mr. I explains. As he grew older, rocks, beads, trinkets & found objects would work their way into his masks and jewelry. While selling his jewelry on the street one night, he was shot at point blank range and left to die. During his slow recuperation in the hospital, Warmack experienced an "out of body" experience that seemed to sail him rapidly over the continent of Africa and Egypt. This powerful imagery led to his recovery and a new dedication to his art. In the early 1980s, he started using the name "Mr. Imagination", a name that came to define him personally and artistically. Creating magical art out of bottle caps, buttons and a concoction of plaster, Mr. Imagination soon became one of the most famous self-taught artists in the world. His love of community and children is illustrated best in his outdoor installations - grottos, domes, benches, arches, walls. Like a pied piper, Mr. I weaves a trail from his art to the hearts and minds of the viewers. The Project: During Mr. Imagination’s residency, he will work with Lynn Tomlinson  (Crealdé Public Art Coordinator & Golden Rule Project Coordinator) to lead community members, artists,  and area school children in the creation of a Memory Wall sculpture installation in front of the Heritage Center.  It is suggested participants bring the following items to contribute   to the construction of the wall: costume jewelry, shells, ceramic dishes   to be broken, tiles, stained glass, buttons, keys, religious icons,   belt buckles, doorknobs, hardware, utensils, and small tools.  The Partners supporting the project: Crealdé School of Art  The core of Crealdé's belief and mission is that the arts are for everyone. Each individual has a story worth telling and something creative to contribute, making a positive impact on their peers, family and the entire community. Crealdé School of Art remains committed to offering stimulating, educational hands-on arts experiences and gallery exhibitions to Central Florida’s diverse population. Crealdé's Hannibal Square Heritage Center: The mission of the center is to inspire residents and visitors alike to participate in and celebrate their own community’s history. Through learning about the story and contributions of the West Winter Park community, residents young and old have the opportunity to reconnect and learn about their own neighborhood’s history, and people from everywhere, not just Central Florida or Winter Park, will be moved to explore their own. The Golden Rule Foundation: The Golden Rule Foundation believes fostering character development in children is serious business. That’s why we’ve made it our mission. Our Central Florida non-profit agency is dedicated to helping schoolchildren build character through community service. To accomplish this, we raise money to support class projects that meet a pressing community need, provide real-world applications for students’ classwork, and help them grow from the experience.