Texas Essential Knowledge and Stones

It's the last few days of first grade. The girls are getting antsy for the end of school. And so, apparently, are the teachers.

Each day we ask the girls what they did in first grade. Sometimes we get an answer, sometimes we get (already!) "nothing." Both Abby and Alexis report that, this week, what they have done in first grade is "we painted rocks."

I went onto the Round Rock ISD website and did some research into appropriate first grade activities and learning modules. I did not find a reference to rock painting. I've been trying to think of how it furthers their math, language, and/or social studies skills. They are not writing stories about the rocks. Or counting them. Or using them as representations of famous American historical figures (green rock as Lincoln, blue rock as George Washington Carver). They are literally just painting rocks.

I do have great empathy for elementary school teachers. By the last week of school, I could see myself telling the kids "I've got nothing else to teach you, go do an art project. We're out of art supplies? What do we have? Some paint? No paper? Go find something to paint. I don't know. Go outside. Yes, sure, paint the rocks. Knock yourself out."

The good news is the skills they learn through this activity will translate to, well, activities they could be required to do through community service, while institutionalized, or in jail.