There was nothing scary about the monsters that showed up at Willow Brook Elementary School on Wednesday morning.
Kindergarteners saw their ideas come to life when they received stuffed animal likenesses of their hand-drawn monsters.
Pattonville Heights Middle School family and consumer sciences teacher Elizabeth Stockmann collaborated with kindergarten teachers Kristen Gartland and Samantha Stuppy on the project.
“In January, our students all drew their own monster pictures and gave them a name and shared some interesting things about their monster like what it likes to eat, its favorite color and what it likes to do,” Stuppy said. “They were so excited to have the middle school students visit and personally present their monsters to them.”
Easton Simril named his monster Racecar and it was eighth grader Jose Alvarado Armenta that brought his vision to reality.
“I drew wheels on my monster because it can drive around in an invisible car,” he said. “Can you see them right here?” he said when holding his new stuffy.
The FACS 3 students had to interpret the drawings students made and create a real-life version of it.
“The students had to think about colors and patterns and about adding anything to it like yarn for hair or maybe a pipe cleaner in order to get the legs or arms to bend and move,” Stockmann said. “Last year, we worked with Bridgeway students and this year, we were able to partner with Willow Brook.”
Alvarado Armenta said he went layer-by-layer coming up with a strategy to make Racecar.
“I had to sketch my design based on the original drawing and come up with a plan to make it,” he said. “I’m just glad he liked it.”
Nala Augustine said her monster, Mimi, likes the color pink and enjoys dancing.
“I love it,” she said. “I am going to sleep with it tonight and cuddle with it and put it under the covers with me,” she said.
Kindergarten students presented thank you notes to the middle schoolers for making their special gift.
Stuppy had students read with their monsters after the presentation as part of the school’s Read-a-Thon.
“The kids are just amazed at how their pictures came to life,” she said. “The middle schoolers created them exactly the way they designed them.”
Photo gallery: https://pattonvillesd.smugmug.