Thursday, June 11, 2015

Big Crab Contest - 2015 - 7th Annual


Mrs D's First Grade at the Big Holiday Party

 Here are the winning crabs from this year, 
ta-da-dee-da!


Alayia-Looks Most Like Mrs. D


Alexa-Happiest


Anna-Reddest


Carter-Tastiest


Cervantes-Most Like a Robot

Cristhian-Most Crabs on a Page


Dulce-Longest Claws


Frank-Most Friendly to the Environment


Ian-Best Hidden Crab


Jonah-Coolest Crab


Juan-Most Realistic Crab


Kai-Looks Most Like Dr. C.
My super powers enable me to consume a pound of white chocolate at one sitting.


Kaleah-Most Bashful



 Kaylee-Bluest


Kyle-The Maryland Crab


Kylie-Best All Around Crab


Marleigh-Slitheriest


Mia-Fattest Crab


Nijayah-Best Eyes


Noah-Most Colorful


Nyseem-Toughest Crab


Rah'Zir-Most Artistic


Wesler-Strongest

See you next year!


Friday, May 24, 2013

Big Crab Contest 2013 - 5th annual

Mrs. D's Class at Christmas
Please note the composition of the Crabs this year.  
The students were instructed to create the pictures entirely on their own. I think you will agree that the great variation in interpretation this produced is fascinating. 

Autumn - Best All Around Crab
Don't forget to note the lipstick on the Rockfish
in her claw, and the tiny crabs in waiting. 

Matthew - Fuzziest Crab
A new category this year. Rhymes with "warm."
Closest thing to a cuddly crab we've seen. 

  
Emma - Most Artistic
I find this interpretation, clearly from the Red Ryder School,
to be definitely Fin de siècle. You have a great future, Emma.  



Nai'ema - Biggest Claws
You have to appreciate the asymmetry of this crab. 
Just when your brain is creating an anthrophomorphic
picture, that fifth leg throws it catawampus.

  
Georgann - Best half-cooked
This reminds us that crabs when cooked go blue to red.
There is much risk in going from blue to red; many of us
would prefer red to blue.

  
Evan - Cutest
The simple lines of design, the stylized appendages, this
goes to make a crab compact and appealing.

Jaidyn - Slitheriest Crab
 There is much to ponder here. Piercing eyes, smeared
lipstick, happy companions. There is a story behind this crab.

Mason - Crabbiest
This is a much sought after prize in the First Grade Set.
We just thought that Mason's looked like the closest to the ideal.
Remember, there are crabby qualities other than grumpy!


Imani - Tastiest
We gave Imani a mulligan on this one since, 
while perhaps King of the Bay, the uninitiated might get confused, 
and think he came from Alaska. 
But all that crab's going to taste real good this Summer.



 Jordan - Looks most like Mrs. D
Whoops! The judges made a mistake here, it should be Ms. Krabs.
But, they were overwhelmed by the colors (and the purple stockings).



Jonathan - Most Crabs on a Page
Actually, it is the ONLY entry with more than one crab.
There are some other aspects of the composition that are noteworthy. We're not sure if Van Gogh liked crabs, but you have to like the Starry Night. (don't forget to count the legs)

Braxton - Skinniest Crab
This guy is definitely on a diet. But, then, he lives under a rainbow.
And, of course, he's a friendly sort.


Emilie - Bluest
Yes, in their native habitat, crabs are blue. They also 
play slide guitar and a harmonica. They sing sad songs
about Jimmies and She Crabs. 



Jose - Most Colorful
I have a hard time getting my brain around what prompted
this color scheme. It is almost geod like. Note the stance.
Ready for action.

Omar - Happiest
Omar realizes that brushing teeth is important business. 
He is also quite capable of recognizing the true essence of that rara avis, the happy crab.



Benjamin - Most Handsome
Ben really wanted the crabbiest trophy. But the bow tie did it for him.
Sorry, Ben, you'll appreciate handsome when you grow older.
(P.S., it isn't Squidward)



Emmanuel - Looks most like Dr. C.
Not only is there a bow tie, there is a stethoscope.
There is also a rather sinister mustache. Can't have everything.



Marilyn - Fattest
Please note that this is a Ms. Crab. So, Sponge Bob's influence 
is not universal. Note also the neat bracelets this happy crab has.
The apparatus in the right lower corner is probably the pot
that Ms. Crab has just jumped out of. Tasty.

 

Mikayla - Most Original
One has to be impressed with the detail of this crab.
When the judges picked it most original,
it was for the draftsman(woman) quality of the rendering.


Charlie - Most Sparkly
Unfortunately the picture doesn't show the blue sparkles
Charlie added to his rendition. Texture, Charlie, texture.
Makes you want to pull out your nutcracker and hammer.


Braden - Funniest
This little guy is just laughing his way across the bottom of the Bay.
There is a ghost in the background, but we won't mention it.
Don't want to scare him, do we?

Monday, May 7, 2012

Big Crab Contest 2012 (4th Annual)


The fourth annual big Crab Day drawing contest was held recently in Mrs. D.'s First Grade (Easton Elementary School). We had some fine crabs.

Here's the contestants (with the elves in the background).


Brooklynn - Award: Most Like a Space Alien (new category this year)


Tyshawn - Award: Most Like Dr. C.
What can I say - it captures the mood.


Olivia - Award: The most Bling
I had to look this up but I think it has to do with Lil Wayne or Slick Rick. Part of the effect of Olivia's crab is lost since there is a lot of glitter in red and green.


Reagan - Award: Most Like Mrs. D.
The judges latched onto this immediately. I think she does like lemonade and grapes.


Allison - Award: Most Colorful.
Please note the use of stars. Starfish?

Ceyleer - Award: Cutest
Its hard to imagine a cute crab but, hey, everybody is cute to somebody.


Cassidy - Award: Most Ladylike
Of course some wag immediately called it a "she" crab.


Enley - Award: Biggest Claws
This is actually an exceptionally well drawn crab.


Finnegan - Award: Best All Around Crab
The scanned picture does not do justice to the colors; the central carapace is a subtle mixture of greens and blues to give just the right tone.


Darwin - Award: Most Crabs on One Page
Please appreciate the sense of development here, one might almost call it evolution.


Giselle - Award: Tastiest
After all, what are crabs for?


Maddi - Award: Biggest Eyes
I wish, I wish, I wish we had palm trees with coconuts, with smiling suns and observant crabs!


Madeline - Award: Funniest
There is much to peruse in this story. Sympathy for the plight of the less fortunate. Knowledge of the right seasoning (Old Bay). But we should caution her about standing on stacked step stools. She might fall in with her friend!

Maya - Award: Best Mr. Crab.
I'm not sure what the attraction of Sponge Bob is to kids. I guess it is just zany. On the other hand, it could be a Dalek.

Elijah - Award: Most Original
Notice the filigree about the eyes.

Aunesti - Award: Cutest Face
A pretty good crab. A more interesting name. I suspect that she will make a good politician!

Taylor - Award: Smartest
We were unclear what the apparatus on the top of Taylor's crab was, but it is possible that it is a secret device connecting her with aliens (see above).

Nicolas - Award: Most legs
This was easy. Clearly fit this description to a T. However, we did wonder about the eyes. They look a little like those found in botanicula.


Kevin - Award: Happiest
We like smiles. The red gloves, though, are a little much.


Edwin - Award: Crabbiest
Now, we do not want to get involved in a long discussion of what is the essence of crab. That is, what is a crab's entelechy. Or why they seem to be associated with the curmudgeons of the world. But Edwin sort of put it in perspective.

Kirsten - Award: Fattest
This was clearly the fattest, though it also has an abundance of legs. This could be the Goodyear Blimp of crabs. The one that on the solo could fill a bushel basket. The one you would need a back hoe to pick.


Kyle - Award: Skinniest
This one was hard to pick because we like to think of crabs as fat. So, bear in mind, skinny is relative (like in life :)  ).


Annah - Award: Most Handsome
He is handsome. One has to be careful with green eyes. One is never certain whether it is Edna O'Brien, jealousy, or jaundice.