September Selections

Read

Enjoy this poem on autumn by Effie Lee Newsome. Read it aloud two or three times. What words or lines stick out to you? Why? What kind of feelings does the poem evoke when you read it? Why? Consider how you would describe the seasons in the place you live. Are there two, three, four? What defines each season for you?

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Nature Study

Depending on your climate, you may have spider webs still around you. If there are any nearby, run your finger gently along the outside line of a web; then try touching the inside ones. How is the texture different? Go on a nature walk and think about the texture of things you see--tree bark, grass, mulch, maybe even snow. If safe, pick something up and feel the different textures it contains.

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Observe

Look at the vase above and write down (or tell someone else) all the details you see. Notice the shapes, the colors, the textures, the way the light hits the vase, etc. You might even try sketching it as well. Now famous but not at all respected in his own time, George Ohr was an American potter in the late 19th century who experimented with pottery as not just a utilitarian trade but as art in its own right. He loved to experiment with colorful glazes and unique shapes and created over 7,000 pots that were discovered after his death (read more via the resources below).

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Further Resources

• More about Geoge Ohr's Life (Smithsonian)
• The Mad Potter: George E. Ohr, Eccentric Genius
• Why Spiders Don't Get Caught in Their Own Webs

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