Dig It and still Learning Lessons

For months, the fifth grade has been working on their music program, Dig It: Traveling through Ancient Civilizations, and last night they finally got to perform it.  It was fun and the kids did a great job ... least you think I always say that, word is that the 4th grade was totally and completely ill prepared for their program (yes, Emily's that I sadly missed because I double booked myself).  Apparently, it was bad.  Really bad. 

But back to Dig It ... Rebecca and the girls in her class had the part of Egyptian Princesses.  In December Rebecca started telling me I was to sew 8 white Egyptian dresses for the girls in her class to wear for the performance.  I was doing no such thing, until I saw a note from the music teacher outlining costume needs for the program.  By Tuesday when I hadn't heard anything official, I emailed the music teacher.  The girls were to wear heavy eye make-up and had talked about some kind of headband/head dress, but hadn't really decided what it would be.  They wanted more, but didn't really know what.  

The internet mixed with desperation provided two "do-able" costume options I felt I could duplicate eight times in two days.  I wanted something I could bang out in an hour.  The headdress in this YouTube video fit my criteria ... Gold Jumbo RicRac and safety pins.  All the Egyptian costumes I saw had gold or colorful collars.  Using white butcher paper I made a collar similar to what I saw as a test.  We colored it jewel toned markers and added three tin foil diamond jewels to the front.  Cute and quick.  I emailed the teacher offering to do these two options for the kids, suggesting that we use the butcher paper at the school, orange or yellow, to make solid color collars for the kids to make.  

As you can see, the teacher took me up on my offer ... you'll also notice that the collars are NOT a solid color.  I did not stand my ground.  And I can't articulate why, other than I was in a hurry.  Wednesday after school I stopped in the office to show the music teacher the collar and get paper.  I had 15 minutes to get what I needed, pick up kids and get Sam to a dentist appointment.  The music teacher took one look at the collar I made - stripes and all - and never heard a word I said about, "What solid color would you like the kids to wear?  Orange?  Green is pretty.  What about blue?"   "I really like the stripes."  ... this is where I should have stood my ground.  I should have said ... Yes, I like how it turned out too, but I don't have time for stripes.  I have time for a solid color.  Which one would you like me to use?  ... instead I said.  "Well, we could layer them I guess."  

Despite the hours I put into them, and how upset I was at myself for not standing up for myself and sticking to what I knew I could do and handle, I am pleased with how they turned out.  Most of the girls happily wore them, and they did exactly what we needed them to, simply and inexpensively transform the girls (with the hugely helpful aid of their make-up) into Egyptians.  The time wasn't a total waste.  I reinforced the "seam" used to get the collar on and off with packing tape and they were reused the same night by the sixth graders.  Mrs. A is planning to laminate them for future years.  

I'm keeping this in mind for future Halloween costumes. 

FYI - The tin foil diamond shaped jewels ... I colored the tin foil with a gold maker (the bold colors of Crayola markers), covered it with packing tape so the marker wouldn't come off, and then cut the shape out gluing it on with a glue stick.  Surprisingly effective.