Written by Fall 2025 AFA Intern Karla Banning
October 10, 2025:
On Friday, I had the amazing opportunity to shadow teaching artists Briget and Kalyani at PS 15, spending the day observing first, second, and kindergarten classes as they explored creativity through shapes, color, movement, and imagination.
In the morning, I joined Briget’s first and second graders. The first-grade class worked on paper collages using different shapes. Briget showed the students how to carefully open and close glue sticks to keep them from drying out, an important skill that helps them take care of their materials. It was wonderful to see how each student approached the project differently. Some created people using their shapes, while others took a more abstract approach, layering colors and patterns to make unique designs.
With the second graders, we began by brainstorming classroom expectations, which they wrote on the first page of their sketchbooks. Phrases such as “Respect materials,” “No Giving Up, Try Again,” and ”Have Fun!” set a thoughtful and caring tone for their creative space. Briget also reminded the students that everyone is an artist and that there are no mistakes in art, only opportunities to try new ideas. Afterward, the students worked on “heart maps” that reflected their favorite things. Each child filled their paper heart with drawings of friends, family, pets, and places that make them happy. The project encouraged them to think about what they love most and how to represent those ideas visually. It was a touching and creative way for them to express their individuality.
Later in the day, I shadowed Kalyani’s two kindergarten classes. Her warm-up sessions combined singing, rhythm, and movement to help students express their feelings and release their jitters. The children enthusiastically sang chants and had fun during 5-second dance breaks before sitting down to work on their folders, which will store all their AFA projects throughout the year.
Spending the day at PS 15 was a wonderful reminder of how art encourages children to explore, connect, and communicate. Whether they were arranging colorful shapes, drawing from the heart, or moving to rhythms, each student showed that creativity truly has no limits.
October 17, 2025:
Last week, I returned to PS 15 to shadow teaching artists Briget and Kalyani once again. It was another day filled with creativity, collaboration, and imaginative exploration across the first, second, and kindergarten classrooms.
In Briget’s first-grade class, the students worked on a collaborative drawing activity. Each child folded a sheet of paper into three sections and began drawing on the top portion. After a few minutes, they passed the paper to the next student, who continued the drawing on the next section, and so on. When everyone unfolded their papers at the end, they were amazed by the unexpected and often funny creations that had come to life. The activity encouraged teamwork and showed how combining ideas can lead to something completely new.
The second graders participated in a similar exercise but with a theme connected to school and transportation. They added buses, students, and trees to their drawings as the pages circulated around the room. Some students used their imagination to draw rocket ships to school! Beyond creativity, the project also helped them practice sharing, patience, and respect for each other’s contributions. It was inspiring to see how excited they were to build off their classmates’ ideas and how proud they felt of the final results.
Later in the day, I shadowed Kalyani in two kindergarten classes. The students began working on a paper collage using different textures, an extension of what they are currently learning about in class. They explored smooth, rough, soft, and bumpy materials, arranging them into colorful compositions. The project gave them a hands-on way to understand texture while expressing themselves freely through art.
Every class at PS 15 offered a reminder of how art can nurture both creativity and community. Through drawing, collage, and collaboration, the students practiced imagination, patience, and teamwork.
October 24, 2025:
This week at PS 15, I shadowed teaching artist Briget once again, but with a slightly different schedule. Instead of visiting the kindergarten classes, I stayed with Briget throughout the day and observed both first and second-grade groups. I loved meeting new students and observing how different classes respond to the same creative lesson!
For each class, Briget began by introducing the concept of primary and secondary colors. The students learned that red, yellow, and blue are the primary colors and that when they are mixed together, they create new ones. To make the lesson more interactive, Briget led a color game that the students absolutely loved. Each child was given a primary color, and when Briget called out a secondary color, such as purple, the students holding red and blue cards would go to the center of the rug to “mix” their colors by dancing together. The rug became an imaginary paint palette filled with movement, laughter, and collaboration.
After the game, each student created their own color wheel using a paper plate. They divided the circle into sections and used crayons, markers, and colored pencils to represent the primary and secondary colors in order. Briget encouraged them to draw objects that matched each color, and it was amazing to see how creative the results were. Some students drew fruit, such as strawberries and lemons, while others filled their wheels with flowers, M&M’s, or their favorite toys. Each color wheel became a personal reflection of how they see and experience color in the world around them.
The activity was both fun and educational, helping students understand color theory in a hands-on way. It also encouraged teamwork, observation, and imagination. Spending the day with Briget and the students reminded me how art can bring learning to life through play and creativity!
October 31, 2025:
Halloween brought extra excitement to the classroom this week as our first- and second-graders worked with Bridget to create friendly paper plate ghosts. The room was full of energy the moment the students walked in wearing their costumes. They could not wait to show them to their classmates and to anyone who stepped through the door.
For this project, students used paper plates, coffee filters, markers, and string. Bridget showed them how to draw faces, add fun details, and let the coffee filters hang like floating ghost tails. Each child made a ghost with its own personality. Some were silly, some were spooky, and some had big smiles. The students loved shaking the strings to make their ghosts “fly.”
What made the day even more special was watching how proud the kids were of their work. Their excitement made the classroom feel warm and full of creativity.
Seeing their costumes and their joy in making art reminded us how meaningful these moments are. A simple craft turned into a celebration of imagination, teamwork, and Halloween spirit. It was a wonderful day filled with laughter, shared ideas, and students who could not stop smiling at the ghosts they created.
November 14, 2025:
To welcome the Thanksgiving season, the first and second graders at PS 15 created their own slices of pumpkin pie using paper plates, orange and brown construction paper, and small pom pom balls to represent whipped cream. Before beginning the activity, Briget gathered the students on the carpet and asked what Thanksgiving meant to them. Some students shared that it was a time to enjoy delicious food, while others mentioned the importance of being grateful for what you have and sharing with people you care about. Before taping their piece of pie onto their plates, each student wrote down something they felt thankful for. Their answers ranged from family and friends to pets. Every slice became a thoughtful combination of creativity and gratitude.
In Brynne’s kindergarten classes, students explored texture, shape, and color by creating imaginative collages. They used construction paper, fabric scraps, ribbon, bubble wrap, and other classroom materials to build layers of varying textures. With glue sticks in hand, the kindergartners experimented with how each material looked and felt as they arranged them on their papers. Some students focused on large shapes and bright colors, while others experimented with tiny scraps and shiny foil. It was a joyful Friday filled with creativity and gratitude!
