More Student work!

I am in love with this first grade project! Brand new one I tried out this year and we mixed our own colors, it involved several different techniques and materials, AND it fits in with them talking about different environments and what lives/grows there.

After the cactus pictures, we did the chilly penguins again, and I am currently teaching them about Dale Chihuly's glass-blown sculptures.  We watched video clips of glass blowing artists and the process they go through to create these masterpieces. They are decorating plastic cups and I am using a heat tool to melt them while the students watch - takes like 10-15 seconds. (Somehow I didn't even up taking many pictures of either of these projects, so I'll share later).

I totally forgot to share a photo I took from my kindergarten class for THEIR reward day where they got "Free Choice" materials to make their own project - which they always love.  I talk briefly about waste with them and remind them they need to be responsible with the materials they use and HOW MUCH they take.  I find the very young grades and older grades are the most responsible with this.

This little girl made a bunch of paper dolls. She didn't want to glue them to her background because she said she wanted dolls to play with when she went home.


My second grade students completed their block printed snowflakes!  I made a mini mural I'll photograph later.

We're in the middle of Wayne Thiebaud sweets - they learn about 3D shapes in their classroom, so I actually taught them how to draw those FORMS before their teachers introduced it, hopefully it made things a little easier for them...  We are focusing on form and value (I'm focusing hard core on these two in 2nd and 4th since I reviewed last year and realized I've been kind of weak in those areas).



Yes, I also realize that I ALSO did 2 separate snowflake lessons with 2nd and 4th... different processes, but they both fit into their curriculum (snowflake Bently, symmetry, changing physical properties ect.), our county does a winter wonderland exhibit (got so sick this year, I actually couldn't turn anything in!). 4th Grade did melted crayon prints with sandpaper - always another big hit, especially when they realize they get to take the sandpaper home and all they need is crayons and an adult with an iron and they can do it at home.

I don't think I mentioned this before, but if anyone has questions on how I went about doing these lessons, feel free to leave a comment or send me a message! :)

Flying Machines for the future

My fourth grade students are just finishing up their "Flying Machines for the Future" project.  This is another one that I love because it has SO MUCH all packaged together.

We discussed Leonardo Da Vinci and looked at his inventions (something they also do in their classroom) and talk about how he was a visionary, far beyond the technology of his time period.  They were tasked with creating their own flying machine for the future when our technology has advanced way beyond today - in the case flying in space in a time when every can buy a rocketship (like the family car). They needed to design a ship with 3 unique features that may or may not be visible from the outside and write an advertisement trying to sell their product to others. They needed a name, what fuel it runs on, and how fast it travels as well.

They absolutely love this project.  The only thing I want to tweak now that I have done this twice is have them write that rough draft for their ad completely with their plan when we start. That way, the initial excitement about something new is still there to drive them before they realize they're doing a writing assignment in art.  Most of them still do a great job, but I think I can snag a few more that kind of lose the drive later.

Great project to revisit value and form (I previously mentioned I am pushing this hard with a few of my grades that seem to really lack knowledge in those areas).

Happy 2017!

The past 2 months have been FULL!  Got sick a total of 3 separate times in 2 months, which has never happened to me before! Felt like every time I kicked something, I caught something else.  Hoping that it's all out of my system now!

Time to catch up with what's going on in the art room!

My PreK just finished some winter tree scenes. They earned 10 marbles in their reward jar, so I had a reward day where we mixed colors straight on the covered table with our fingers! They are starting resist painted mittens soon.

The Kindergarten has completed their fish and I have finally transitioned them to whole class instruction, no more centers! We did a project on Kandinsky's concentric circles and are currently in the middle of creating mugs of hot cocoa - I was very impressed with their ability to create cylinders and the checker patterns this year.

Things keep pointing back to how valuable and effective it has been to pre-record all my lessons (Flipping my classroom).  It forces me to review every word I say, clip it down to what is needed and organize the information.  It's also very VERY easy to see what was lacking after a lesson that the students don't quite pick up because I'M watching it with them. I can go back and add a clip if I have time or I know to emphasize something before/after the video.  Either way, instruction is smoother, my ability to grow and self-reflect has drastically increased, and (NOT KIDDING) nearly ALL of those kids who constantly call out and interrupt while you're talking/instructing.... DEAD silent during the video.  More of them pay attention; yes, there are still some who don't, but I try to look on the bright side that at least the rest of the class can focus on instructions.  I can use proximity to encourage those few to watch instructions, or deal quietly with a bigger problem.  AND if a student comes late or didn't listen, I can sit them at the computer and replay the video (in part or whole) if I need to circulate to help the other students.

I'll save more student work for tomorrow! I am trying to build a really nice portfolio for my classroom and I am taking apart my old one today to start fresh!