Art for Gorillas

Category: Art of Conservation (AoC) | Date: Oct 20 2008 | By: Julie

Storytelling is the theme of today’s exercise. I ask the classroom of 50 children to share stories they’ve heard from their families and friends or stories they’ve created themselves.

A boy, 10-years of age, stands up and tells a really long and convoluted story - Valerie is whispering her interpretations of the story in my ear. The storyteller’s captive audience listens intently. I must admit I didn’t actually understand the story! Together, we listen to more stories and the kids get plenty of laughs both out of the stories themselves as well as the funny antics the storytellers send out.

Next, the class votes on one story they wish to focus on - they choose Cat and Chameleon.
The story goes something like this….
A cat and a chameleon challenge each other to see who is the fastest runner to reach a chair and sit on the chair before the other one does. Both the cat and chameleon claim to be very fast. 1, 2, 3 and they’re off! The cat speeds ahead but the chameleon grabs onto the cat’s tail without the cat knowing. When the cat reaches the chair and is about to sit down, the chameleon yells, “STOP! You’re going to sit on me!” Hence, the chameleon sits down on the chair before the cat and becomes the winner. The End

Watercolors and watercolor paper are distributed to each student and they begin illustrating a beginning, a middle, and an end to their story.

Lesson Where Art Tells A Story

Student HABIMANA Leonard’s illustration.

Student MUKESHIMANA Angelique’s illustration.

Student SEBASHYITSI Pierre Celestin’s illustration.

Student MUKASHYAKA’s illustration.

Student BIMENYIMANA Fidele’s illustration.

Student NYIRABUNANE Floride’s illustration.

Student TURACYAYISENGA Claudine’s illustration.

Student NSHIMIYIMANA Claude’s illustration.

And finally, student ABIJURU Marie’s illustration.

Today’s class involving watching and listening to the children tell their stories, sensing their minds to be full of thought and creativity, witnessing a few of the more timid students muster confidence to share with everyone, and finally seeing the illustrations they arrive with for Cat and Chameleon was a unique pleasure.

Another story coming up.

Tags: Art of Conservation (AoC)