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Fibonacci Folding Book Project – iPad App
One of the things that got lost in the shuffle of my extra busy summer was the news that Richard developed a brand new version of the Fibonacci Folding Book Project App for the iPad. Back when Apple introduced a new operating system, it knocked out the original App out of action.
The brand new Fibonacci Folding Book Project App is formatted like a magazine and includes step-by-step instructions on making the Fibonacci Folding Book with your students. It’s free from iTunes!!
The version for Android tablets remains available on Google Play.
The photograph above shows an example of a first grader’s work, making the Fibonacci Folding Book Project. See more about this project here.
Visit to The Dalton School
Last week, I visited first graders at The Dalton School in New York City. I began by speaking to all 5 classes (or houses, as they call them) in a kind of foyer that the school uses for such presentations. I knew the first graders were familiar with Growing Patterns from discussions with Dalton staff, but I brought them new material by starting with Wolfsnail.
I can’t say enough “thank you’s” to Melissa Haile-Mariam, librarian, and Karen Bass, communications/technology adviser, for their help in coordinating the visit, taking photographs, guiding me through the school, and making an amazing video about my visit.
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The most amazing part for me was visiting House 34, where I found Fibonacci Folding Books on display!
I have more images of student books, and I’ll be adding them to my collection of student art on my main website. Thank you, Dalton!
I Read Mysterious Patterns to My Faithful Critique Group
On Wednesday, I took the F&G copy of Mysterious Patterns: Finding Fractals in Nature to Davis Magnet so I could read it to my faithful critiquers, now all in the fifth grade. We discussed the timeline of the books — from the first idea in June 2011 through the sending to the print house in October 2013. We all can’t wait for the publication in April!! When these young people were in the third grade, I facilitated a unit on writing and illustrating math stories. Read more here. Thank you, Mary Schmidt, for taking the photograph. Mary is a senior at Millsaps College who will be working with me this Spring.
Fibonacci Folding Book App for iPad Knocked Out By New Operating System
I learned from a reader this week that the Fibonacci Folding Book Project app for the iPad is not working with Apple’s new operating system. I am very sorry for the inconvenience. My developer is working to re-create the app with coding that is compatible with ios 7.
Until we have a new version, we are removing the app from the app store.
Please take advantage of the materials on my website until we have a new app available. Click here for a pdf version of all the materials in the Fibonacci Folding Book Project app. Click here for blog posts related to the pilot project we did after developing the Fibonacci Folding Book Project.
Thank you for your patience. I am so grateful to all of you teachers, librarians, and literacy specialists who use my books with students.
First Graders Use Fibonacci Folding Book App
First graders at The Dalton School in New York City did a recent reading, writing, and art project using our Fibonacci Folding Book App for the iPad. They took photographs, wrote Fibonacci poems, and made Fibonacci Folding Books. You can see their work here.
Regular readers of the blog may remember that Julie Owen and I developed the Fibonacci Folding Book Project, and that Richard turned it into an app for iPads and Android tablets.
The Fibonacci Folding Book project is also available on my website in the section labeled For Teachers. I love hearing about it when teachers and librarians use the educational materials we’ve created for Growing Patterns and Wolfsnail.
Studio Tour
I am the featured artist today on the Southern Breeze Illustrators’ Corner blog. Richard and I produced a studio tour. Take a look and let me know what you think.
Read a Book, Make a Book
I spent Saturday leading a workshop for a dozen Greenville Public School teachers titled “Read a Book, Make a Book.” The workshop was organized and paid for by the Greenville Arts Council. I appreciate all the help I got from Megan Hines, the education director for the arts council.
I taught three book forms: the instant book, the Wolfsnail on the Move Book (a scroll form), and the Fibonacci Folding Book (an accordion form). I shared the stories behind each of my books to give teachers a window into the creative process of a writer of nonfiction, and to empower them to lead their students through the same process.
We used Private Eye loupes to examine natural objects.
It was a cold, dreary day in the Delta so we didn’t spend time outside. We did a few exercises that teachers can use to prepare students for nature journaling outside, including the 20-second nature break.
A highlight of the day was making our Wolfsnail on the Move books.
I used some portions of the Digging Deep curriculum I developed this year with the Mississippi Museum of Art. I thank the museum education department’s Elizabeth Williams and Dorian Pridgen for sending copies of the curriculum, other MMA materials related to schools, and door prizes for teachers.
Photography and Bookmaking After School
I spent a delightful hour with the Poindexter Park After School Club. I read my books, guided the students in making an instant book, and turned them loose to take macro photographs.
After just a few minutes of “practice” with private eye jewelers loupes, the students took turns taking photographs using the macro setting on my Canon elph. These are some of the best images. Others were blurry, but most of us have to take many, many images to get any useable ones. I look forward to seeing how the photography improves and to reading the books they’ll make.
Whole Schools Summer Institute
Julie Owen and I taught our “Read a Book, Make a Book” workshop this week at the Whole Schools Summer Institute. We taught three book forms: the instant book, Wolfsnail On the Move, and the Fibonacci Folding Book.
Here I am showing, and reading from, a book I made when I was in early elementary school.
Here Julie is demonstrating how to make the scroll part of the Wolfsnail on the Move book.
Digging Deep Workshop at Mississippi Museum of Art
I spent a few hours Thursday, helping teach a workshop at the Mississippi Museum of Art. Elizabeth Williams, the museum’s education director, and Carol Cox Peaster, the director of the museum’s Art Garden, and I guided 15 teachers through Digging Deep, the art/science/nature curriculum we put together earlier this year. We piloted it with fourth graders at Davis Magnet IB Elementary School. (You can read more about the pilot here.)
Teachers who participated learned the 20-Second Nature Break, some nature journaling techniques, how to use Private Eye loupes, basic sketching, and how to turn a sketch into a watercolor. Everything we did was with the goal of developing observational skills for scientific research, writing, and making visual art. We didn’t talk much about photography, but I couldn’t resist taking my camera along for some more shots in the gorgeous garden.
