Magic and Whimsy Series: Grandmother Winter

Are you a K-5 dance teaching artist looking for inspiration as you wrap up the semester, and maybe make a dance to celebrate winter? I encourage you to check out Grandmother Winter by Phyllis Root, with artwork by Beth Krommes.

Grandmother Winter is a magical character that is interacting with the animals, creating snow, and more. "When the days burn down toward the longest night Grandmother shakes her feather quilt. Flake by flake the snow begins to fall." You, the teacher, could be the narrator of the story, with your whole class dancing the story. Students will move like feather, animals, and snow. I love the idea of the students shifting shapes, qualities, and ways of moving. 

I think the book can be a fresh take on the theme of "winter" in your classes. 

As for music, one album I am loving right now is with the beautiful sound of kora and cello, Chamber Music by Ballake Sissoko and Vincent Segal (available on iTunes).