The Dot

In my K-2 classes, I try and find a book to go with every lesson. I read The Dot to my Kinder class and we created three different lessons based on it. For this particular lesson, they focused on value. First, they drew their own dot, taped it anywhere on the page, and then painted around the dot using blue, black and white. They loved how the blue changed colors when adding white or black.

Texture Draw and Fill

The First grade class has been focusing on each Element of Art and this lesson had to do with Texture. They drew any kind of picture they wanted, but of course they loved my example so much so there were lots of mountains and houses. After they drew their picture they had to tessellate it and then they were free to color in using texture rubbing. I really let them use their creativity and imagination for this lesson. Sometimes I find it hard to say "no" to their wonderful ideas!

ShapeScapes

Oh how I love Kindergarten art. They LOVE everything you make in art and they work harder and more quietly than any other grade! This month we have been focusing on shapes, and for this particular lesson they created cities or the community they live in using basic geometric shapes

The Color Wheel

Part of my 5th grade art curriculum is a color wheel. This project was definitely a challenge, because in 5th grade you start to become way to cool to listen to directions! However, this project turned out very successful for most students and they learned a lot. I have to be honest, that coming into a school where students in 5th grade have no idea how you create purple is kinda scary, but I've learned that not many people do know what colors you mix to get out secondary colors.

Name Tag

This lesson was taken from Deep Space Sparkle, which has helped me so so much! My fourth grade class began the year making these Name Tags. They are all so different and I will try to post more pictures. It's amazing how you go into a lesson with requirements and they change when the students start to create. The process was:

1. Write your name in an interesting way up, down or across the page in block letters.
2. Outline pencil lines in black marker and fill in letters with color.
3. Create pattern around letters but not IN letters.

Most students followed this, but they had a hard time grabbing the concept. It was a lot of no don't do this do that, but then I sort of gave up and let their imaginations take over. I just kept hearing "but isn't art about being creative?" So, yes I gave in and let them go to town.

African Masks

This was part of the 7th grade "Art Around the World" unit. We looked at a variety of African Masks and then designed one of their own. They used oil pastels on black paper.

Mixing Color Tessellation

My 2nd grade class created these within the first month of school. I introduced primary, secondary and intermediate colors and demonstrated how to make colors using just our primaries.

They began by creating a tessellation, which was a bit of a challenge. After outlining their pencil lines in marker they experimented creating secondaries and intermediates in each area. It was a long process, but well worth it!

Artists-In-Education

I was lucky enough to start off the year with an AIE grant. Since November my 2nd grade class has been working with an Artist creating "African Wear." They have created beautiful paintings working in large groups. The paintings were then cut up and used to collage figures or animals that will be featured on their vests. They also created necklaces and they will soon create fans. This has truly been a great experience!