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Ms. McDonough's UA Class: Week of 5/17 - 5/21

K - 2 Activities

1. Watch the video linked below to hear the story, "The Night I Followed the Dog."

2. Get your art supplies: you will need a piece of drawing paper, a pencil, and any coloring materials you have. 

3. Maybe you have a dog or another animal at home, think about your pet or make up one from your imagination. What would your dog - or other pet - get up to after you go bed? Does she have a special place that she goes to like the dog in the story? Does she meet up with other animals to go on an adventure? Does she take over the house while you're asleep? Be creative, draw a detailed picture of what you would see if you followed your dog. If you have coloring supplies, be sure to color in your picture, and remember to add lots of details!

4. If you'd like, click on the link below to watch and follow along to a dog drawing video.

3 - 5 Activities

Kindness Stones or Character Stones

This craft involves painting small rocks and stones, so the first thing to do is go outside and find some! The best stones to look for are relatively smooth and flat on at least one side. Collect as many as you would like to make. This is a great activity to involve your whole family in!

Once you have collected your stones - and cleaned and dried if necessary - you will paint them. The best kind of paint to use is acrylic, this means it will not wash away right away in the rain. Paint markers can also be used. You can either paint the entire stone or only the surface that will be showing. You can use one color or mix some colors together. Your choice! You may find that some colors, especially lighter ones, may need two coats of paint. 

The paint on the stones must completely dry before this next step. While you’re waiting for them to dry, make a list of kind phrases or adjectives that are empowering (examples of this could be: courage, hope, brave, kind, etc.). The phrases or words will need to fit on your stones.

Once your stones are dry, you will write your messages and add any other designs. A permanent maker, like a Sharpie or paint marker, is the easiest way, but you can also paint them on. Let everything dry. If you have a spray fixative or something to coat your stones with, like Modge Podge, that is great, but it’s not needed. This will just help them last longer in the elements. Over time, with the sun and rain, the words and colors will fade. But that’s ok, because you can always make more! 

The final step is to place your stones out in nature! This part is so fun, think about it like leaving a little surprise for someone else to find that will leave a smile on their face. Some possible locations would be at a local playground, on a nature trail, under your mailbox, along your sidewalk, or even leaving them as a surprise in your grandparent’s yard or garden!