Sub didn't show

Every once in a while, we run into the unfortunate situation where a substitute teacher cancels a job for some reason. When they do this on short notice, we have to split classes or cover for that teacher. In this instance, I had a class and 1/2 come to art. What to do with 30 3rd graders? We have been working on landscapes, so we created these mini beauties to demonstrate Foreground, Middleground and Background. Cray Pas were used for sky and details. 

Woven "Blankets"

Totally stole this from Pinterest, so if you are the awesome art teacher who thought this up, thanks so much!  It was a perfect end of the school year activity.  My first graders had to learn to weave with paper.  I'm sure we're all up to "here" with the rectangle checkerboard placemat.  I've made them into houses, We've drawn designs on them.  I've even seen them turned into a picnic basket picture (maybe next year).  But this year, after completing the weaving, I turned the kids loose with my scrap box and let them create their little heads poking out of the top of the "blanket".  What personality.  They really enjoyed this.  We had discussions regarding the way we sleep, that we don't always fall right asleep, not everyone sleeps on their back, etc.

Cinderella Stories

Part of the scope/sequence for this 9 weeks here in Nashville is Narrative Artwork with 1st grade.  Since we had used Cinderella as a jumping point for our observational shoe drawings, I decided to keep going with a good thing.  We talked about our favorite parts of the story- we summarized, talked about important details for particular parts.  We also had a quick talk about action, and using lines to show action.  Then, I turned them loose, and had them sketch out their scene.  When they came back the next session, I had the paints ready, and they just went to town,  Honestly, I haven't met a 1st grader who doesn't like to paint.  In their enthusiasm, the painted scenes were a little hard to decipher, so when they returned the next session, I had them trace their pencil lines with Sharpie.
 

Trying on the Slipper while the jealous step sisters look on. 

Preparing for the ball with the help of the Fairy Godmother

Running away at midnight

The loss of the slipper

Cinderella Story

The scope and sequence for my district this 9 weeks asks us to explore observational artwork with 1st grade.  Not an easy concept, and such a wide skill set with 1st grade.  Last year, I developed a neat little lesson which coincides with my 1st grade classroom teachers' exploration of Cinderella. (At least I think they do that).  Anyhow.  We start by learning the word observant, and taking a glance at a William Wegman book I have, where the dogs act out Cinderella.  Very wordy, but the pictures are cute, and it gets the idea of using humor to tell a story across.  We then take off a shoe- which the kids think is hysterical, and we draw it- being very observant, and trying to be as accurate as possible.  I have them trace with sharpie, color with crayon, and cut it out.  The sock/leg combo is added, and they write their name on the back- this is very important, because I then have them write 3 simple clues about themselves.  (I have green eyes, I have freckles, etc).  I then display the shoes and clues in the hallway, and we encourage those in the hallway to try to match the shoe to the artist.

The girl is in 1st grade-amazing when she's in the zone. 

Not sure if the hairy leg is funnier, or the fact that it's a girl...

She preferred pants to bare legs

Sweet Art Project

In getting ready for my annual school-wide art show, typically held in March, my students and I used the heart as our jumping off point.  I was curious as a teacher to explore variations on such a simple theme, and Jim Dine is a very appropriate artist for elementary, and for February.  I did not foresee all of the snow we've had.  Our art show is now scheduled for early April. But, since I haven't seen my kids through 1/2 of February, and Spring Break is at the end of March-we're pressing on, and presenting our hearts in spring.

This little project was done with 2nd grade.  We drew a bunch of hearts.  The only rule was they had to show overlapping.  I did not care which way they turned them, and I even allowed stencils.  We then traced our designs with sharpie on overhead plastic, or acetate.  This allowed us to lay tissue on top, and trace pieces. Once we had the pieces traced, they were attached by spreading a thin layer of glue onto the acetate.  A large sheet of tissue covered the entire thing.  When the glue is COMPLETELY dry, the design can be peeled back off the plastic, and attached to white paper.  This gives it a stained glass look.  We constructed frames, and used black paint to add the contour lines.  The kids absolutely loved the look of it.  I like this project because it can be adapted to many themes- I've done ocean scenes with it as well.  All students can find a measure of success, because it is a lot of tracing.

Masks 3rd Grade

Every year, I teach a mask unit to the 3rd graders.  It's one of my faves.  There is a lot of buy in from the kids- they are so excited when I drop the word clay- and they'll do just about anything I ask, knowing that mask making is upon us.  In various years, I've presented a variety of themes; this year, my theme was... no theme.  Yep, I didn't make any requirements such as animal theme, or Day of the Dead Skulls- no requirement other than they had to choose a feeling, or a main idea, and their work would support their idea by shape, color, texture, etc.  A lot of choice.  We did practice sketches, talked about various ways they might approach this, and looked at a lot of masks, discussing the first reaction those masks gave us.  When it was time to paint, I again offered choice.  One side of the room was reserved for acrylic paint, the other for the oil pastel/black paint resist technique floating around pinterest lately.  And, finally, I had wire, pipe cleaners, feathers, beads and sparkles available. 


Thoughts?  I am fried.  This was a lot to manage.  It's not for the faint of heart. 
Did all students succeed?  Well- hmmm.  Not all of the masks were pretty, or well done.  Many students should have spent more time on their painting (but that's usually the case).  BUT- my kids are delighted. They love their creations.  They were so excited to take them home, and I didn't settle one argument about who did which mask.  They simply knew their work- they were attached.  And dying to see their masks at every stage.  There's a lot to be said for that. 
Will I do this level of choice all the time?  I'm not sure.  Will I increase the opportunities for choice?  You bet!

Kandinsky inspired art projects

Here in Nashville, it is Artober- a monthlong celebration of all things arty around town.  It's a lot of fun.  In our schools, we chose Wassily Kandinsky as a focus artist (he has an AMAZING retrospective exhibit at The Frist Center for the Visual Arts right now).  Here are some of my 3rd and 4th grade responses to his work. 

3rd Grade- we used Kandinsky's concentric circles as inspiration to create these amazing circle weavings.   I have the students plug the hole in the middle with a button for a couple of reasons.  It's cute.  Also, the center of the weaving is often filled with the most mistakes, since it's the beginning, and by the time we get to the edges, the kiddos are much better weavers.  It's a nice way to finish it.  I hot glued the weavings to mat board, and had the kids decorate the edges with colored sharpies.  It allowed for some element of choice in a pretty regimented project.

 

 



4th Grade- Little more complicated.  We looked at a variety of Kandinsky's landscapes from the more realistic to the mostly abstract, discussing how lines and colors can represent a feeling or an object.  I played Vivaldi's 4 seasons, and students sketched lines to each seasonal song.  From there, students created a circle, and divided it into 4 sections, and each section was to represent a season.  I had them use cray-pas to color, and we attempted some blending with baby oil.  This was hard.  Some had a difficult time with the idea of blending.  They wanted to just keep mixing the colors.  Others just colored as usual and put oil on top.  It proved to be a difficult concept that I'm going to have to keep working on.  But, in the end, there were some really great attempts.  Abstract was also a hard concept to teach to the students, I acknowledged that our brains naturally want to "file" everything we see into a definite category; we want to know what something is. And, we just kept trying and adapting.