*Fun Art 4 Kids

Cupcakes!

2012-02-09T12:10:00.000-05:00

I have a 6yr.old cupcake today....all of this has inspired me to post my past cupcake images.

Our clay cupcakes... See more here.

Do you know about this great marshmallow recipe for fondant? Use it in the classroom- your kids will love it! All you need is a microwave! It tastes FAR better than the tradition kind!

Love this video

2012-02-09T09:45:00.000-05:00

This is such a simple, cute video for kids K-3. It explains the basic layout of the color wheel, including:

primary
secondary
warm
cool and
complementary

Colors!!!! check it out!

Leonardo DaVinci- Lost Notebook Pages

2012-01-16T15:19:00.001-05:00

Tape Lifting Process- A cool easy way to add new concepts to your art.

Wow! We found a few lost pages from Leonardo's sketchbooks!

Another idea to add to my earlier post- Here!

This unit is done with my third grade students. Each year we study Leonardo DaVinci and his marvelous significance to our world. We discuss his mysterious designs, inventions, mirror writing (see here) and more. This year kids are combining this information with a final project that reflects this knowledge and their own creativity.

They are creating a tape lift image collage with a personal drawing of an invention added in for effect. They will also incorporate mirror writing (click) in the design.

See the steps below.

Offer photocopies to your students (colored or black and white)
Have them use good, stick masking tape to press over the copies.
Rub with fingers or nails for a few seconds, then lift it off. (do not panic if some paper comes up....it will all look cool later)
Place the faint image on Oak Tag paper- I like it because it is already tinted and aged!
Continue- rub images and overlap them as you wish- fill in spaces.
You can add mirror writing, your own drawings, etc.

Then tint some glue or Mod Podge with watercolor paint or regular paints (be create) and spread over the area. You can dab and rub it off with brown paper towels. Some of my towel ripped off and stuck and made a fabulous effect, yeah!

Some ideas-

You can bind the pages together as a book for a school open house, conference time or keep them all separate.

Jim Dine Hearts

2012-01-10T22:23:00.000-05:00

Click and find out more about this collaborative Jim Dine lesson.

'Tis the season for holiday funart4kids!

2011-12-15T13:15:00.000-05:00

Some holiday results...

Plaster covered foam balls with Mod-Podge and Glitter snow, third grade

Toy Soldiers

Rudolf paintings for first grade

Other past projects

Santa cookie plates, Kindergarten

Mummy

2011-10-19T13:41:00.000-04:00

Human Form and Proportion Unit

These might be the cutest things we have done in a long time!

Better yet- they are easy.

Thanks to

Family Chic by Camilla fabbri
Who you can find by clicking here. Find more on this idea and how to build them on her site.

They are bendable structures that only took 2 - 40 minutes days to create. The sixth grade kids LOVED them!

We incorporated these structures into our human form unit. We will continue understanding proportions with manikin drawings in the near future.

I am adding mummy eyes to ours and will post the results.

Have fun!

An easy 40 minute kiln project.

2011-09-21T09:22:00.000-04:00

Our leaf bowls are ready for the kiln.
See the full lesson plan here.

Fall Fairy Time!

2011-09-13T10:50:00.000-04:00

Don't forget about Fall Fairy Land!

Check these out

HERE

Organizing!

2011-09-06T16:09:00.001-04:00

What works for you?

I am a color coding freak!

I am always looking for ways to keep projects organized in the art room. It is a place where things can easily get out of hand without constant management and supervision. One thing I battle with is finding a lesson plan book that accommodates my blocks of time...which is usually different than that of a homeroom teacher. I have altered the below book by cutting off the top column headers and adding grade levels in order of how they come in. I also glue in a row guide for topics, materials needed, etc. At times it may become a bunch of chicken scratch...but it helps me see things I need for the week quickly.

I also have used a quick "notes" book to track the weeks topics and themes covered along with any other important information that pops up unexpectedly. I note schedule changes, assemblies, things to pre-organize...I don't feel the need to be tidy about it- it is simply a scribble pad or "quick look" at the week to come. It is far more practical to me to have a place to jot down all of the interruptions and changes that occur in a week...right!?

I also have a binder that stores any ideas I collect and want to develop in the future. This is color coded by grade levels and

standards.

Another HUGE help in having a functional space is being organized about who gets what from where. We are always looking to cut down on bumper to bumper "traffic patterns" when we are getting supplies or taking things to the drying rack.

First, I call kids by chair color to do a particular job.
Every table has 4 different chairs.

Their tables are also color coded to match their pirate flags hanging above. We call pirate "ships" or tables for line-up and or washing hands.

Art is stored by grade and classroom on these shelves.

Uhhhga- uhga!

2011-05-06T14:59:00.000-04:00

4th Grade Students made tribal masks from large oak tag paper. We had just learned about Picasso and discussed how his art (cubism) was influenced by tribal designs.

We entirely transformed them with:

Mod Podge!!!! -tissue papers, construction paper scraps, feathers and raffia.

Our focus was to:

create symmetrical designs using folded paper,
stick to a color theme (color wheel),
create 3-D parts with folds or slits that were pulled to overlap and then stapled. (this worked awesome),
create a tribe name and write a few statements about how your mask is used in your tribe.

New Circus Elephants

2011-04-29T15:36:00.000-04:00

Here they are!

A while ago, some conversation broke out over these watercolor elephants we do using washable black markers. Some of you have tried them...and I have loved seeing the results. Thanks for sharing.

After seeing the beautiful works by Paintedpaper, it inspired me to incorporate more color around them- thus, turning them into circus elephants!

You can see my original post by clicking here.

The great things:

This is not a long project.
The kids actually yell WOW!!!! when the marker turns into watercolor paint and "bleeds" into the elephant.
The color effects are priceless. It naturally tints and shades if you do it correctly.
It is a great lesson on drawing animals: leg positioning, character, details and proportion.

Interested??? Consider these helpful ideas.

Getting the picture started can overwhelm a first grader. I do not believe in making so many marks on a paper that a kids work becomes my own; however, showing them the first "idea" of where a trunk line could be gets them off to a great start and builds their confidence to continue. I find the if we all begin with this correctly, everything else falls in line nicely for them.

We measure with our hand to leave enough room for his plump tushy-buns! Also, make the legs at least 2 fingers fat (or eraser fat). Add gumdrop toe nails...wrinkles at the knees and other key places.

Here are a few other circus elephants to see.

2011-04-27T10:24:00.000-04:00

Coil-Bored????

Coiled Turtles are a fun alternative to making "the same 'ole" coil pots. Try this new spin on the concept - they still learn, but with a twist of excitement.

My students loved them.

How did we do it?

2, 40 minute classes. (The clay was pre-measured by me- ready to go!)

Simply coil a very small bowl from potters clay (Ours were about 3"- Indian Red terracotta)

Roll 4 equal ball shapes and alter them into a short, chubby leg/foot.

Add a tail and head... but make sure they are all connected WELL!

I really recommend that the teacher check these over after kids leave. Make sure legs are on and their bodies did not get floppy!

Day 2- Pottery was fired at clay temp. Glaze only the shell and the eyes. The feet, tail and head look great left the natural red clay color.

No kiln? Use any clay and paint them with tempera or acrylic!

Don't forget about me!

2011-04-19T09:02:00.000-04:00

Funny Bunnies (chalk pastel blending)

Fifth grade students really enjoy getting silly with these cartoon creations. They are pretty simple and always come out with such neat character.
See more....here!

Personal Victory!

2011-04-17T16:40:00.000-04:00

I had to share our new baby...JP (if its a boy) Jay-Peeps (girl). It is our only survivor from the incubator, so we named it after Jeff Probst, our favorite Survivor host!

Born today 4/17/11, 8:50am.

Mandalas

2011-04-11T10:19:00.001-04:00

Here are a few of our 5th grade Mandala designs.

We focused on the historical concepts and radial symmetry.

Oil Pastels were used. 

We used one quarter of the paper to design a template. This was spun and traced with the 'ole charcoal method.

Take a charcoal pencil and trace a design. This puts a nice dusty layer on the lines. Then, you flip over the paper and press the lines again (you can even rub the entire back with a spoon.) This presses your charcoal on to a new paper in the desired spot. "A poor-mans copy machine." In this design, that technique was repeated in a spiral (spinning)from a center point on a larger square. So, the kids pressed the design four times- one in each quadrant.

Dr. Seuss

2011-04-05T12:26:00.000-04:00

File this away for the beginning of March (which is his birthday).

We used the inspiration of a "Plethora of Cats" to create a collaborative hall design.

Our design

A Plethora of Cats

See other Dr. Seuss ideas here.

Kindergarten Flowers

2011-03-29T10:22:00.001-04:00

Spring

I am desperately trying to scare away the snow in north east Pennsylvania!

No luck!

Kindergarten created simple flower images as an intro to painting class this past week.

We began with a large, simple design for a reason! Their little puppy-paws have trouble painting small spaces and their frustration gets the best of them.

First, we drew our design directly with a brush and black paint. The next class, we moved between colorful tempera paint stations.

Our Cupcakes!

2011-03-22T15:23:00.003-04:00

What fun...so easy!

These directions break down making these cupcakes into easy to understand steps.

After seeing these cute ceramic cupcakes on several blogging posts, I decided to try them myself.

The project took 2, 40 minute classes.

The results were fantastic!

Day One

Create both the top and bottom with potters clay.

Each section is a pinch pot.

The bottom is then pressed into silicone molds. I found these at a craft store (cake section). A cherry ball is added with careful consideration. Score and use slip.

Dry and fire as directed
by the clay you use.

Tip: Have your students put their name on color coded class papers. Layer them between the two sections of clay.

Day two

Glaze the two sections. I did not allow the cake bottom or icing bottom edge to be glazed. I even dipped that section in potters wax to make sure and wiped that area with a sponge after the kids left. Then, they sat easily on the kiln shelf- and did not stick. (The stilts I had to hold them up were too big and wobbly to deal with.)

Color Wheel Introduction

2011-03-14T22:23:00.001-04:00

As one of our introduction lesson to the color wheel, I gave each table a bowl of miscellaneous items to plot (using teamwork) on their wheel. They had a variety of colors, including ones that did not quite "fit" on purpose! I watched to see how kids would respond, how it would spark conversation and finally, how they might socially come to an agreement on its placement. This was a great way to start discussing intermediate colors (between one primary and secondary neighbor.) They really enjoyed this. Thanks for all of the bloggers who inspired this idea!

Interactive Spring Bubble Snakes

2011-03-08T11:15:00.003-05:00

A fun idea with your bubble wrap prints.

I was breaking brain cells trying to come up with a cool art project for my second grade bubble print papers.

The original printing lesson can be seen here.

So, after some thought, I came up with these interactive "springy" snakes...they really do spring and bounce when held by their popsicle stick tongues! This fun-factor makes them a hit with the kids.

1. Draw a spiral on the back of your paper. End with a head shape that is fat enough to not break easily. Cut while fixing/trimming the tail area to look pointed.

See a free template at Art Projects for Kids.

2. Add a popsicle stick tongue. Double sided foam dots work great! They are strong and ready to hold well immediately.

3. Glue on the eyes of your choice.

4. You may have kids draw belly lines on the other side.

5. Name your new friend, hold their tongues and take them for a bouncy walk.

Here is an afterthought...

Would large black dots (with the other tiny colored bubbles) make the paper look like boa skin? If anyone tries this please let me know- thanks!

2011-02-22T15:58:00.000-05:00

Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) was a fabulous artist during the Art Noveau movement. His use of patterns and rich colors created flowing portraits and landscapes that resembled tapestries with intricate details.

Second grade used printmaking skills, cut paper and oil pastels to create imagery that celebrated this romantic period of art. The gold ink and papers were a "hit" with the students. We looked at a variety of works and found some of his most popular images, shapes and symbols to try in our own designs.

Creation day one- we used silver, white, black and gold papers to create layered blocks on a larger square.

Creation day two- we used stamps and found objects to print in gold ink.

Creation day three- we used oil pastels to embellish the spaces we felt needed a boost.

Part of my display.

Sculpture-Kindergarten

2011-02-13T09:20:00.001-05:00

The Lizard Playground!

I love this project!

(everything about it- including the "no mess" factor)

I teach kindergarten about sculpture.

First with a neat little slide show...and then, by creating these fun lizard playgrounds that use concepts of 3-D structures!

If you have never used these "magic noodles," try them. They are great, easy and fun for ANY age and/or motor skill level. We often use them for OT kids. They stick together with a touch of moisture and are quick and not messy.

You can also send out the alarm to have the FREE white ones collected by your parents. They are used in packaging. Be sure they are not the foam peanuts. I believe these are made with corn starch. They are a simple cylinder shape.

How to do it?

Bounce the noodle on the "sponge trampoline" 3 times. (too much water will entirely MELT the noodle.)

Then, hold your noodle in place for a count of three. Simple!

Have fun teaching your students ways to make a sturdy construction. Consider slides, tunnels, ladders and climbing bars.

Add a foam lizard sticker (or other animal, bug) to the playground.

Wow, I wish I was a lizard!

Add this paper to communicate to parents about the activity!

Jim Dine

2011-02-10T10:48:00.000-05:00

Oh, the wonderful world of Dine Hearts!

I have seen all types of Dine hearts all over the blog world for a year now and thought I had better "get with the program" and try some myself.

What I love about this project is how successful a kindergarten student can be with their attempt. They also take on a quilt effect when grouped as a collaborative project.

Each student was given an 8" square watercolor paper.

We looked at Dine images and talked about how some looked camouflaged.

Then, they used a tracing pattern for their heart.

They colored the heart outline heavily with a black crayon...then, inside of their heart with fantastic "party" colors.

The outside (we learned the word background) was done in watercolor paints!

Tip

2011-02-08T14:29:00.000-05:00

Kids drawing too tiny?

I often tell students, "If you cannot (pretend) color a small detail or object with your pencil eraser, then it will not work in marker or oil pastel either." They can relate to that visual and I usually get better results from them.

Dali Elephants

2011-02-03T22:40:00.000-05:00

Dali and Surrealism

There are so many ways to approach Salvador Dali and his unique work. The most difficult challenge is finding appropriate images to show kids in my Power Point show. I admit to cropping photos of his work in my presentation-not changing them. In theory, I feel that exposing them to blips of his work is better than not showing them anything at all.

First, I want to mention that I was inspired to change my ideas up a bit after seeing Dali's elephants on the Georgetown Elementary Art Blog! Thank you for your inspiration- I loved your results. The link is here.

These are the results for my 6th grade students:

Above: one of my incredible girls, Ashley

Dali's elephants are a fun way to engage students creativity while exploring the concepts of Surrealism.

Ours were sketched out on watercolor paper. We considered ways to shade our elephants using our pencils- which was a great review of the gray scale and finding different values to make an object more 3-D.

We used watercolor paints for the background.

The Dali slide show can be found under the presentation link - top, right document share.

Google Art Tour

2011-02-02T00:47:00.000-05:00

THIS IS A MUST SEE FOR ART TEACHERS.

Google has created an amazing program which allows you to tour many great museums: zoom in to see incredible details, interact, save favorite works, etc.

Thank you Google!

Throwing Pottery

2011-02-01T21:07:00.000-05:00

The other day I was taken back to a great memory- the first time my hands ever felt the mushy, smooth clay on a potters wheel. This time it was because of my son, Spencer. Since mom is an art teacher, he has the benefit of getting to have this experience sooner than most kids.

Sadly, some never do. I am unable to have all kids do this during class because of space, supplies, scheduling, etc. I tell them, "when I win the lottery we will knock out the exterior wall and build a sun room studio, complete with a full ceramic set-up!" They love that idea. Between dreaming, I do demonstrate the concepts and let them all see how it is done- that is also loved! We do many hand-built projects in each grade instead.

I just thought I would share this cool moment with my blogging friends. I was so happy to see him enjoying it! Oh, memories! Thanks for this "mommy moment."

Coil Pot Game

2011-01-22T21:45:00.001-05:00

The Coil Pot Game is a high energy skill game we play during those crazy days that one class is ahead, another behind, or a snow delay has left us no other choice in scheduling! It is also a great lesson for a substitute teacher to follow through with- quick and easy directions for someone not comfortable with usual art plans.

Students are divided into teams of 3-4 and given equal amounts of modeling clay per group.

They are given a review on rolling coils, using a "pancake" bottom and general construction.

Students are asked to develop strategies with their group. They should consider theories on construction, like: how they can best use their amount of clay...large coils vs. small coils? Also, divide jobs between teammates.

The timer is set for approx. 15-25 minutes (you choose).

BUZZZZZ! Measure all standing structures to determine the winning group!

Remember:
Students must let go of their vessels on the buzzer. Falling coils are disqualified, sorry! Structure and construction are important. Many of my winners do so on the "slow and steady win the race" theory

I enjoy watching each group look at their peers ideas...they learn, rip apart, recoil, etc. I feel this game builds fantastic problem solving skills.

We often call it our "Survivor Challenge" for all of you reality TV fans out there.

Stash this one in your emergency folder!

Graphic Design

2011-01-14T08:13:00.000-05:00

P o p A r t

Color Images Text
How do we use these concepts in design?

What commercial ways do we see them used in society?

5th grade students created these text/photo canvases from magazine print and altered images in honor of Andy Warhol's "Pop" style.

Students were given an 8x10 canvas board.
We used acrylic paint for the background- their choice of patterns.
They collected the first letter of their name- looking for unique print in random magazines.
FotoFlexer.com altered our portraits.
Mod Podge (gloss) is a fantastic way to glue letters on and seal the final work.

Aurora Borealis

2011-01-06T15:52:00.002-05:00

These Aurora Borealis images were beautiful to create. My sixth grade students got really into the salt mountains, the chalk pastel smears in the sky…and my “science kids” were simply into the fact that they were getting such cool information about this fantastic earthly phenomenon! I would definitely suggest this project to others.

First….These were posted by Rachel on her Color, Collage and much more site.
Please see her images here!
I think her mountains have a neat look- she used suran wrap on them!

Read More here on how we made them...

You will need:
watercolor paint-brushes-paper
spray bottle
salt
oak tag (or pattern paper)
construction paper (sky)
chalk pastels- paper towel

We discuss facts and explore images of the A.B. before we dive into the art!

Day one (mountains)
Spray your watercolor paper with enough water to allow colors to easily blend. This helps your white and blue ice areas to blend easily and smoothly. Students should sprinkle salt over the wet areas. I encourage students to have ice or snow colors near the top. Cool colors work well throughout.

Day two (finish sky and glue parts)

Make a the pattern in the shape of arctic mountains- the same size as your watercolor paper design.

You will need this as a template and "mess paper." First, mark the right front side so that it does not get flipped around incorrectly. Use it to place on top of your watercolor mountains and cut them out. SAVE THE SCRAP.

Now, place the pattern paper in front of you. Color blobs of Aurora colors along the front top edge. I have them use 3-4 different colors. Place the pattern on top of your good sky- lined up with that paper. Use a towel to swipe the chalk color up into the sky...do not over-rub it.

Then, glue your mountains down in place. Have kids switch their scrap mountain piece with a neighbor. Glue that one at the bottom.

Enjoy.

2010-12-30T11:09:00.001-05:00

Picasso is a staple in my fourth grade curriculum. I love his work and the diverse ways we can branch out after learning about his life and style of production. I have done many different projects using his inspirations- this is one. Here, we focused on cubism and his work The Three Musicians.

We explore my power point presentation on Picasso-

Click here for this free download.

This explains his entire life...and by the end they understand his realistic works, Blue Period, Rose Period, Cubism, Picassoism as well as see examples of his fun sculptures. (We love those!)

These were entirely cut from our scrap box and layered with my favorite... Mod Podge glue. I love how it seals and shines the entire final look. The kids thought of cute details, like the having a dog in their image. (Do you see the dog in Picasso's? The kids love to I SPY that during the image show- proving that art is not always seen or understood in the first glance!)

Our inspiration by Picasso!

Merry Christmas Friends

2010-12-23T22:35:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas to all of my blogging friends!

My Family
(Me) Lori, Spencer, Riley and Jack

Our cookie plates for Santa!

2010-12-20T10:47:00.000-05:00

Here are the results of our kindergarten Santa cookie plates.

You can see more on how we created them here!

Icicles

2010-12-13T10:17:00.000-05:00

Fast and cute! Any grade level can do

these in a snap!

In person, these have a periwinkle glimmer because of the tinted glue and iridescent glitter we use. The kids LOVED making them- I even had parents running out to AC Moore for their own supplies!

Here is how:

Simply roll white Model Magic clay into simple carrot shapes- pointy at one end.

Buy or (make your own) hooks. Push a hole into the top end of the icicle to create a small hole. We used our pencils. Add one dot of Elmer's glue in that hole and then press the small loop end of your hook into the icicle top. Gently press the clay around the hook to secure it.

Dry over night (or just go for the next step if you are in a serious hurry)

When dry, tint Mod Podge glue with a periwinkle effect. A tiny bit of tempera or acrylic will work great. Glue the entire icicle and then bury it in your choice of opalescent glitter. We used my favorite from Oriental Trading. (see this snow glitter here)

Hand Print Candies

2010-12-13T09:45:00.000-05:00

One of our Kindergarten teachers, Mrs. Bennett, had these little treats hanging outside of her door. I thought they were cute enough to share!

Her students used pattern concepts to color the inside of the candies. Their hand prints made the wrappers.

Dubuffet Reindeer

2010-12-10T11:20:00.001-05:00

Here they are…

As promised, these are the results of the Dubuffet reindeer that my first grade "wonder-artists" did.

To see the complete lesson and images please click here!

Beary Christmas

2010-12-03T15:33:00.000-05:00

Bendable Bears!

My friend and neighbor here at school is home to a small group of students with special needs. She came to me the other day with a cute pattern for a bear and basically wondered what to do with it- how to make it cute????

I remembered that I had a box of donated fur stashed away in my closet...Ah, ha! I knew there was a reason I was a pack-rat!

Here are the results!

Simply cut the shapes for your bear...head, arms, legs and belly. Assemble them with metal brads! They will bend to pose!

You may want to add buttons over the brads as seen here.

Then, add a leather nose and eyes of your choice.

Thanks for the inspiration Mrs. Petrewski!

Gingerbread House Architecture

2010-11-30T21:56:00.000-05:00

Architecture for Kindergarten

'Tis the season for clever holiday projects...some of which we simply do because they are just so darn cute or fun. When possible, I still try to include an

“art smart moment”

- just to make my college professors happy! So, this is my way of introducing

architecture

to Kindergarten students. We can cover the basics, like columns made from candy canes, of course!

We end it by gluing the places the icicles would hang. I lay them in my large tub of glitter snow and cover them, then shake them off.

By the way, the best snow glitter I have found is from Oriental Trading. The chunks are quite iridescent and shiny. Love it!

Supplies: Brown paper bags, stickers, pre-copied images, crayons, glue, glitter, etc.

Fall Fairies

2010-11-22T11:27:00.000-05:00

I love everything about these Fall Fairies! They are so easy, cute and can be made from many materials you probably have laying in your craft drawer. Better yet...kids of all ages love them!

Credit goes to Pink and Green MaMa and her inspiring blog of ideas. We changed up a few things as you are all welcome to do. I even thought these would make great elves for Christmas! Imagine the possibilities!

Stack yarn for hair- tie.
Begin with one regular
pipe cleaner.
Thread the hair through- to the
center of the stem, then fold it in half.
With hair at the top, slide a head bead
into place. Continue, but don't forget to
add (wrap) arms around the
shoulder area. Beads and buttons are random.
The leaves and face beads are from
Oriental Trading Craft Company.

So cute!

Dubuffet Reindeer

2010-11-18T16:01:00.001-05:00

What would a Dubuffet reindeer look like?

This was done by First Grade Students!

This is how we did it:

After our Dubuffet explanation, students were given a rubber glove and a paint tray (that looked like a Pollock design.) We used "furry" colors. They hand printed away....with many smiles and a good batch of laughs!

The next session, we drew the design-outline- of a reindeer on the back. We included a fluffy mane on the neck and back legs that have a realistic shape. Then, we cut.

We used the next class to add Dubuffet eyes, hooves, tail, mane, etc. with paint.

During the last class, we traced our hands for 1/2 the antlers and used a pattern for the other side.

I included an explaination to the parents on the back side- since many will not understand the relationship they had to Dubuffet! Please see this link for that information in PDF form!

Santa Cookie Plate

2010-11-12T14:28:00.001-05:00

It's Santa Cookie Plate Time!

I am posting this now because this project will take time to fire up in the kiln if you choose to do it.

For the past 6 years we have created

Santa heads, reindeer, elf heads, snowmen,
gingerbread men, stockings...

I wish I had photos of them all for you!

These are so much fun and the project I hear the most about from appreciative parents at our school. You cannot be weak at heart, though...they do take preparation and time, but I will tell you that it is SO WORTH IT!

We begin with potters clay (I use versa white 20 from Amaco because it is smooth, easy to work with and fires white and clean)

I have my fifth/fourth grade kids help me roll slabs and cut the circle or miscellaneous shapes for me from patterns. They are placed on the plates (below) which are then given to each Kindergarten student. I once rolled them all myself...all 80 or so! Not anymore. Besides, my older kids love the idea of being an elf and it only reinforces their slab concepts.

I take the morning to organize all of the items and clay parts I will need for a group of 20 smiling kiddies. For example, I roll a quick slab and cut sloppy little strips of clay for the fuzz of Santas hat. I am a big stickler for having the kids assemble these parts with as little of my finger prints on them as possible. When they get a chunk of clay for the nose, they will roll it, dip it in water and stick it on. The BEST PROJECTS I get are the ones with funky eyes and silly smiles. I only fix something that will break/fall off or fire sharp. I figure the parents want their cute paw prints anyway...not mine.

After they are dried and fired in the kiln, we paint them with food safe glazes. I do check that they are complete and have often put a "final" clear glaze over them to make sure they are sealed and ready for the kiln.

We also make a big fuss to wrap them in Christmas paper as a surprise for their parents. First, our local grocery store kindly donates the foam food boxes from their fish department...like the kind you take restaurant food home in. Then our teachers donate old wrapping paper to us, etc. So much fun!

Parody Fun

2010-11-05T15:47:00.001-04:00

Art History Computers Imaginations

I love this lesson for sixth grade. We watch a complete introduction on parody examples which always sends the kids into stitches of laughter. I have shared it here for you to use. We have a great time blending detailed conversations of The American Gothic, Mona Lisa, and The Scream with the rich and humorous parodies that others have created - poking fun at these greats. I ad-lib through the presentation and discuss key points I feel are important to know. I ask the kids to find the "hidden pitchfork" image in the farmers overalls...among other mirrored images throughout the work. They are impressed to know that the farmers were really his dentist Byron McKeeby and his sister Nan. (not really farmers at all)
We discuss the Gothic window and how unusual that was to see during this time. With Ms.Mona....who was she? The wife of a rich merchant or a secret image of Leonardo himself? The slide share has these images to explore and more.

In the end, we go to the computer lab and create their art parodies from a shared file of about 35 different famous images. We use Photo Impact 10 because I find it to be far more "kid proof" and easy to navigate for the students. It has all that I need to teach kids simple concepts of computer design.
We have another folder of our teachers (kind enough to be used) that they can use as well as images off of the google image page.

Here are some of the results!

Thank you!

2010-11-02T11:45:00.000-04:00

I was thrilled and honored to hear that my blog was chosen as one of the Best in the Northeastern Region!

Thank you so much for helping everyone find us here in the blog world through your site.
This great linking, sharing and communication has really helped teachers, like myself, to diversify their strategies and improve lessons.

http://www.teachersalaryinfo.com/top-teacher-blogs/top-art-northeast/

Self Portraits

2010-10-21T11:54:00.002-04:00

POP OUT PORTRAITS!

I struggle here. I feel a great responsibility to teach kids about proportion, guidelines and human form to enhance their art knowledge- but with out a little song, dance show and a few clever "magic art tricks" the kids just seem to grumble about doing them. So...I have tried to make them easier than I have in the past.

This year, I found pre-cut head shapes (not too bad of a cheat, right?) They are neat because they allow you to staple them to a bulletin board (slightly folded) to pop out just a bit. They will also stand upright on a desk because of the back flaps (not visible in the photo). This makes them great for conferences or open house time.

Since the basic structure was set, we were able to dive right in with the concepts you all know: Guidelines always split a space in half, five eyes wide, pupils are a basic determination for mouth width, ...etc. We hit them all -mixing in quite a few jokes along the way. We even take time to turn off the lights to watch their neighbors pupils change when the lights come on- can you believe they don't realize that in 5th grade! Wow!

In the end, the kids all agreed that they did a great job and improved their knowledge greatly! These were simple and still hit all of the areas I like to cover. They just went a bit faster and did not drag the kids into boredom.

*We painted the skin color.

*Used oil pastels for the eyes, hair and shirts.

It was then cut and glued on.

We traced the head on a separate
sheet and designed the hair there.

Totem Pumpkins

2010-10-19T15:54:00.000-04:00

Scratch Art Pumpkins

These totem pumpkins were done with easy scratch art (black over clear) papers. The students first used crayons to color a yellow construction paper background. They rubbed different oranges and yellows all over the background paper to give it a "not so flat" look. Then they designed pumpkins, some chubby guys and some tiny or tall (all with different looks) on their scratch art papers.

Hint: flip the papers over to protect them from further scratches- then staple the two corners at the top to secure.

Better than grading

2010-10-13T11:22:00.005-04:00

Grade or no grade?

A look at portfolios

I say PHOOEY to the O, S, U systems, number grades and other marks that say nothing to parents!

Go ahead, argue! I know some people who put a real value on this sort of grading. I have heard good points, like, it holds kids accountable and it is one form of assessment that gives their class validity. Sorry, but I simply feel as though an engaging teacher will not struggle with getting and keeping the interest of their students.

I just feel there are better ways to assess and there are other ways to deal with behavior problems and kids who lack drive. Some students think they are the best little artists in the world. Grades based entirely on skill can criticize that enthusiasm...why squelch that? The point here is that a typical report card (like mine) does not say enough anyway...how could it? Maybe yours is different.

Here is where I stand. I do believe in communication with parents and providing them with feedback. Thus, my frustration! Parents want measured achievement- something they can relate to or understand. So do I!

A matter of fact, that is why I do not like traditional methods (O,S,U or number grades.) This traditional system does not say anything informative to parents. I am left averaging behavior with participation, projects, motor skills, knowledge...come on. All of these things to consider for a silly "S" (satisfactory) on the report card? Satisfactory what??? It is so generic and subjective.

Unfortunately, I faithfully sit and log at least 3-4 grades per quarter for each of my 500 kids into the computer (which, by the way, consumes huge chunks of time away from actually teaching, preparing and assisting kids.) Naturally, I am supposed to have a formal rubric for each of those different assignments, too. No problem. Uh huh, right? You do the math. It does not work, people!

To make myself feel better:

I have started to really put effort into portfolios.

Just simple mini ones that give a little "blip" of information to parents. They provide straight forward visual information, like: before and after drawings, concept development, art skills, color wheel info, etc. The great thing is that these little books carry an ongoing skill, concept and effort indicator that a letter grade cannot! They are accumulative and take as little or as much effort as you wish. Some of the lessons are quick class enders- using only a few minutes I may have here and there. Other pages are more extensive and art historically rich, or detailed. Either way, they are a keepsake- full of hands on learning, personal work, hand written notes from me and occasionally class photos...just for fun. As a parent, wouldn't you rather receive this than an "S"?

Upon request...here are a few images of things you could use. Some are ready for you at the free document share link at the top right of my page. Enjoy.

How do you handle grading and communication with parents?

Say Goodbye UGLY space.

2010-10-11T20:48:00.001-04:00

I have to take a minute to say...
YEAH!
After 13 years of a crowded unusable space with cruddy storage- we finally redesigned a few sections of my art room to help maximize the 4 walls that just won't seem to move! Is there anyone else with that problem?

Check out this BEFORE photo below

And now the AFTER

I have a great L shaped desk that allows me to swing right over to the new art/design island. This is wonderful since I need to go from computer work, grading large items, creating examples and assisting kids, at a moment's notice! Provided there is any time to actually sit...right?

I now have an adult height sink! This was before the top was set...so,Don't look at the mess on top.

The bad news...construction was going on the entire first week of school. Then, it trickled on and off until now. Not fun!

I will be glad when the details are finished.

I found out that they will not put the new kids sinks in until next year! What am I to do?

Yeah for storage!

Pumpkin Buddy Prints

2010-10-07T09:10:00.002-04:00

Printmaking

Use your ink wisely to make your pumpkins

"glow!"

These were so much fun...took a few 40 minute classes, though.

Day one:

We simply drew one oval (tall or chubby guy) on 4.5" x 6" foam scratch board sheets. Flat meat trays work as well. We cut out the shape and put vertical, curved lines pressed into the printing foam.

Day two:

Print...using one blob of orange ink and one yellow (on the right and left side of a tray.) This will give you a very neat illuminated effect as you roll your pumpkin (foam) and print it on brown paper.

Note: Students made two prints. One of their own...then, we stopped- made a GROUP SWAP- then did our second print of a buddies. Be sure that they have their names on both (2) brown sheets prior to the ink mess!!!! Trust me!

Day three:

Design the background as you wish. We created ripped paper hills- and used the extra piece for ripped earth textures. We made a few crayon lines and obviously designed cute faces, colored stems and added small "fish eye" stickers for an extra boo- effect. Be sure to place a moon somewhere with purpose-these really do "GLOW" in person because of the yellow ink on one side of the pumpkin.

My Mummy!

2010-10-03T21:41:00.000-04:00

These are probably better in person-

I saved all of the nice white paper towels our school use to get for the kids bathrooms. After my students cut these mummy outlines from a pattern -on two seperate sheets (one for legs, one for chest and head) they simply wrapped long paper towel strips that I had pre-cut on the paper cutter...around their mummy. Glue a little dot every few wraps so that it does not unravel on them. Add eyes and design a background....and POOOOOF!

They really enjoy this one!

Ancient Owls

2010-09-23T15:47:00.001-04:00

Batik made easy!

No heat or difficult materials!

Draw the head and wings...then the belly.

Add eye ovals, a beak and fabulous feathers!

Outline all of the work with a black crayon...and make it dark!

Then color well using heavy wax...no white spaces!

Wrinkle away...gently smash your owl into a ball.

Press it hard and open again slowly- do not rip.

Repeat this step about 6 times until your owl has "wax cracks" throughout.

Set up a Batik station like the above photo. You will need:

Watered down black paint
brushes
wads of paper towels

Students will rub a 4" area of their owl with the watered paint and then blot (not rub) it up from the wax. All of the ink will saturate into the cracks...not the wax...giving your owls an ancient effect.

What a HOOT!

Candy Corn Pins

2010-09-21T12:10:00.001-04:00

Can anyone tell I love candy corn?

These are actually tiny pins...about 1 and 1/2" long.
They are so very simple.

In one class we can easily roll and form Model Magic air dry clay into triangles. Set aside to harden.
The next class is spent painting them with tempra or acrylic and adding clear "sugar" glitter.
I add a pinback for them with hot glue.
EASY!

Batty Pins

2010-09-21T08:00:00.001-04:00

These shrinky dink pins are fun and easy to make! Simply:

buy black shrinky dink film (rough and ready is sanded- regular pack needs a quick sanding that is easy to do in 3 minutes.)
provide students with a pattern so they can trace the outline of a bat (with white pencil).
cut them out with their name on the back of the wing.
Use a white colored pencil to create fangs and eyes. (You could also use silver markers.)
shrink as directed and
add glitter if desired and/or
add a pinback with hot glue for them!

Candy Corn Dish

2010-09-14T14:53:00.001-04:00

My second grade art students made these cute candycorn plates.
Students are given chunks of potters clay the size of a large apple. Then they roll their slabs to fit a pattern I provide for the shape of the candy. Use a cutting tool to cut the image. Smooth edges. Lay your shape in a paper container lined with paper towel or plastic wrap. This will help form the sides up so that it does not sit flat- so you may need to adjust them a bit. Dry and kiln process.
Paint with your choice of glazes. I find that it helps if I dip the one end in the white first. They finish with the orange and yellow.

Leaf Bowls

2010-09-12T15:42:00.003-04:00

Fourth Grade Leaf Bowls

I love these fun fall leaves. They are quite easy to do if you are fortunate enough to have a kiln at your

fingertips!

Each student starts with a fist sized lump of potters

clay. Review and complete wedging of the clay as usual (to prepare it from air bubbles, etc.)

Simply roll the clay into 1/4" slabs using rolling pins and two guide sticks which help you get an even result.

Place a large leaf over the clay- facing up so that the veins are down. I have them select leaves as big as their hand- spread wide. Roll the leaf twice to press the design into the clay.

Use a sharp trimming tool (thin/long nails, an opened thick paper clip or better clay tools work well here) to cut the outline of the leaf shape.

Smooth the rough edges with one finger and a bit of water.

Lay some plastic wrap, a paper towel or a thin cotton cloth inside of a disposable paper bowl. Lay your clay leaf inside of the bowl and gently press it down to take its new shape.

Dry for several days and kiln process as usual.

I love to use Sax colorburst glazes for fantastic fall results!

https://store.schoolspecialtyonline.net/OA_HTML/xxssi_ibeSearchResults.jsp

Have fun with this one!

2010-09-02T20:57:00.003-04:00

Collaborative panels: using mod podge, contact sheets, lettering, wood scraps, magazine images and color copies transfered to clear mod podge glue sheets

(rubbed with sponges)

This was such a fun project! After careful planning of the available space and resources, my older students began bringing in nice images of cartoon characters. We used a fantastic process where you glue acrylic gel glaze or Mod Podge glue over the color copy...let it dry and repeat at least 8 times. Each class added these layers until there was a thick, dry, uniform shell of clear glue over the image. They flipped over the colored print and wet the paper backing (non image side). They used a wet sponge to make round circles, rubbing gently until the paper began to peel away. Continue.

Over time you we see the image start to appear. Be careful not to rub the good ink away- stop when you feel all paper is gone. Only the image will remain- like a fruit roll up (texture)- but your image!

These transparent sheets allow you to layer other images or words under them for a very cool effect! This process can also be done by sticking clear contact paper over an ink photo copy of anything. You should rub it on with the reverse side of a spoon- then remove the paper backing as stated above. You will have a similar effect with less mess and time as the above suggestion; however some people prefer the thinker layer the glue process creates.

Here are some close ups!

The 3D blocks were a fun, creative way to highlight key focal points.

Fun Photo Play

2010-08-12T23:17:00.001-04:00

Pop Art images made easy!

Work smarter...not harder!

There are many free photo manipulation programs available to choose from online. A new favorite of mine is FotoFlexer, where you can make cartoon images, painting effects and these bold Pop Art images in seconds. They make quite a bold statement in the hallway and are a fun way to introduce a new group of students outside of your room.

Also try: http://bighugelabs.com/, http://www.picnik.com/

Contour Shoes

2010-08-12T22:16:00.002-04:00

Lines!
Fifth Grade- Contour Shoes

I know these are not new in the art room, however they are still a favorite. We break these shoe drawings into several basic steps to ensure student success. Every students is amazed with how well they do. This is a big confidence builder!

Students are asked "what is a line?" Kids take turns coming to the board drawing a line (different from the person before.) We played up the "serious straight lines" as being mathematical and the curvy ones as being organic, free and artsy.
After a discussion on contour lines, we start planning the basic scale of their actual shoe which will be outlined. (I would recommend putting the shoe on the opposite side of the table for a clear side view.)
We begin the contour drawing...not stopping, but being careful to see and exaggerate bumps, edges, fabric changes and other wrinkly details that add interest. Students are asked to try to keep their eyes on their shoes as much as possible...barely look down- only for directional checks and guidance.
I do allow students to add internal contour outlines of basic shapes and fun details. No shading!
I love these in a simple permanent marker outline; however, a touch of watercolor...no more than 3...also makes a classic finished effect.

Scratch Art- for a busy week!

2010-08-06T09:31:00.001-04:00

Scratch Art: An easy start to a busy first week!

Consider this simple abstract design as a way to start up your students imaginations this year. This material is great for any time you have a million messes building up in your room. The kids love it, there is little mess and you can do so much thematically!

We have done Paul Klee fish, underwater magic places, Op Art by Bridget Riley...etc.

Scratch Art Papers come in so many varieties and can be found in many local stores. Art catalogs like School Specialty's- Sax Art and Craft Division is a favorite place for me. Try the black ones with sparkles, rainbows and metalic layers! Also cut sheets to save money!

3rd grade color quilt

2010-07-19T23:40:00.001-04:00

Color Themed Quilt Blocks

Use any lesson on color groups to collaborate with your class on a quilt that demonstrates their knowledge of your lesson. In third grade, we discuss warm and cool colors. Students picked their favorite group and raided the magazines to find interesting visual texture patches. They worked within an area that allowed an inch border on paper that matched their theme. In the end, it was a simple grouping on large roll paper that pulled the entire quilt idea together.

Here are a few close up images.

1st and 2nd grade froggy

2010-07-19T09:02:00.002-04:00

Cartoon Frogs

For no other reason than they are so cute...my little guys occasionally cartoon these large,18x 20, froggy friends.

We start with a large body shape (in pencil) and then outline in crayon or permanent black marker. The lollypop toes are a MUST! I give the kids a wide range of different thin green glitter temperas for fun. The lines still show through that way. Cut and glue on a separate sheet.

6th grade Aboriginal

2010-07-19T08:45:00.002-04:00

Aboriginal Study
Australia

Each of the above images are individual 8x10 acrylic paintings done by my 6th grade students after a historical overview of aboriginal art. The history is rich and interesting to explore.

The art process begins with many visual aids. I use a media projector that I have hooked into my computer to rotate a slide show of images on a large screen. It is important that the students also have handouts of aboriginal symbols to draw from. I ask them to express a possible aboriginal thought based on the "dream time" discussed in their cultural study.

Hints to get started:

Draw basic designs first...no details yet- until background areas are finished
Slightly water or thin any thick acrylics when making dots
Use the opposite end of a brush or old pencils (eraser ends) for dots...Q-tips get "hairy"
Keep designs simple, but require the use of certain things, like: symbols, animals (I have patterns for them) concentric circles, dots, color theme.

kindergarten pigs

2010-07-19T08:08:00.001-04:00

Piggy Paintings

Who doesn't love a pig? I usually change up the type of animal we paint in kindergarten during their farm unit. These are so easy, as you start with a basic large oval/circle body, head and then simple leg lines (in pencil or black crayon) that they thicken when paint day arrives. After paint, we outline with a black crayon, add google eyes (for character) and facial details-then cut out. If time allows, I would do far more to the background before gluing on a construction sheet. We were short on time.

Enjoy... Oink, Oink!

Sixth Grade Mugs

2010-05-28T12:28:00.002-04:00

The finale is here!

Sixth Grade Pottery Mugs.

At the end of the year I try to save time for this final project for my sixth grade students.

We create hot chocolate mugs for their finale project. Students are given the task of creating thematic vessels that take on character, which in turn makes a sculptural piece. The results alway make me smile. After I show them examples, I discuss concepts of form. We brainstorm on ways to acheive form through pattern templates or coil pot structures. Students chose which will suit their need.

Day 1, we cram to fit this in our 40 minute block. I recommend at least 50 minutes! Day 1 is strictly devoted to getting a solid cylinder or form that could function as a mug. (tiring day)

Day 2-3, we start to add details...

and after the first firing

Day 4-5 is spent glazing.

basic construction, right

My advice...do not let kids do lettering, numbers or designs like Sponge Bob, peace signs or football teams! I strive to make them think, problem solve and be unique! I don't want to see something that could be purchased in a store.

Our breakfast party celebration!

below

Keith Haring Mural

2010-05-19T15:26:00.002-04:00

Keith Haring

Way to go Megan and Sarah!

These two seniors teamed up on this life sized mural outside of the elementary gym for their senior project.

After a dance and freeze activity in the gymnasium, students held their positions and were traced by the girls. The girls adjusted the students' outlines to fit the style of Haring and placed the patterns on thin plywood sheets to be cut. After they were painted, each were glued (with contractors puddy) and secured in place with a belly button screw until dry. This has really brightened up the front of the school!

Picasso Fun Faces

2010-05-18T15:50:00.008-04:00

Picassoism and Kids: A funny mix!

We spend quite a bit of time going over Picasso in fourth grade. He is an instant hit! Kids love his fabulous child-like designs, colorful compositions and playful subjects. After a power point show of images from the Blue Period, Rose Period, Cubism and Picassoism...we dive into drawing people. We discuss the way Picasso showed many angles of a person in just one image. We also emphasize his large noses, linear hair and chubby fingers. We break the drawing into steps with lots of style ideas. These were finished in oil pastels; however, I have used paints in the past as well.

Don't forget to show your students

the hidden shape of the toy car in his Baboon and Young sculpture

...it is the form that makes up her head. Picasso had borrowed these from his son Claude. Her tail was an automobile spring. The baboon's ears were made from cup handles and her belly was a large jug. The handles form the shape of her shoulders.

They love that!

Lazy Lizards

2010-05-16T22:16:00.001-04:00

A simple one day lesson

(40 minute class)

This is an easy idea for the end of the school year and the kids

LOVE IT!

I used Model Magic- however you could use anything.
I let kids have two colors to swirl for the body. They rolled a ball and then rolled it out to form a pointy carrot shape.
They took an additional chunk and divided it up in 4 ball shapes for legs. These were rolled out like hotdogs and bent into "L" shapes.
The eyes are silly puffy eye stickers.

This is very easy and would work for any grade level.

Going Crazy?

2010-05-09T14:52:00.001-04:00

Feel like a crazy chicken missing your head?

Please share your favorite one day spring lessons that help you get through the last month of school. We could all use your support. Comment below or send links to your blog ideas! Thanks!

Kandinsky's Circles!

2010-04-29T15:53:00.003-04:00

Kindergarten and Kandinsky!

Simple enough! After introducing Kandinsky to students, we worked on painting a series of our own color circle experiments. These were done in groups of three; however, I have also had kids do one big circle. Carefully placed together, as a collaborative wall mural, they make a big impact in the hall.

Elephant Power!

2010-04-29T15:35:00.006-04:00

First Grade washable marker elephants

These elephants are so much fun and always come out great!

Day one-

First, the children spend an entire class drawing their elephants. I will put an image up front to reference.

As a "cheat"...I will put a dot on everyone's paper right at the place I want them to start drawing. On this image, it was the top of the head. This helps to get students on track with proper spacing. We continue with step by step directions as I draw an example line and then monitor the room. You may need to help them with important ideas, like: the belly is lower in the back and comes up hill to the armpit or to make "gum drop" toe nails.

Day two-

We trace the entire body with washable black marker!

The wrinkles, toe nails, eye and tail hair get a fine tip permanent marker!

Day three-

With plain water...brush over the little guy. First, wet inside the belly and head (away from the edge). Then, Simply trace over the actual washable marker outline. The marker "bleeds" and spreads right into the pre-wet areas of the elephant with spectacular results! Do not over do it. I tell students that the best ones have light and dark places (shadows and shines).

Day four-

Paint a background. I chose this fun sunset marbled paper that already had perfect African sky colors. Encourage kids to place their little trees where the elephant might not hide all of it. Any paint will do, but I used tempra.

Day five-

Cut, keeping a nice black edge. Students glued as I helped them to flip over their elephants.

Enjoy!

2010-04-15T09:43:00.003-04:00

Spring Dragonflies!

Kindergarten
One 40 minute class
With the below steps, your kids can make these super easy and cute dragonfly clips.

You will need:

Fimo or Sculpey oven clay

wood clothes pins

Strong nippers (cutters)

Colored popsicle sticks

oven

Here are the steps!

First, pre-cut the colors and get them ready for the kids.

They are ready for the oven!

You could go over them with a gloss, sparkle glue if desired. They look cute either way.

Also, consider strong magnets for the back. They are great fridge clips.

Hippity-Hop-Hop

2010-04-01T23:07:00.004-04:00

Funny Bunnies (chalk pastel blending)

Fifth grade students really enjoy getting silly with these cartoon creations. They are pretty simple and always come out with such neat character.

Drawing them step by step:

I demonstrate a variety of ideas in the front of the room. We start by finding the center of their colored construction paper.

Kids create the nose at that point (making a "V") The mouth is a curvy "W." I encourage kids to keep them silly by adding goofy, unequal front teeth and eyes that bubble close together- which adds to their cute nature. We add fluffly or spiked hair right above their eyes which make perfect spacing for either upright or floppy ears. The body could be finished off in a variety of ways. These hopping hares just fit on a 12x18 paper. I like my students to use chalk pastels to finish off the color because it adds a soft, fluffy nature to them. The final touch-a black outline in chalk...but be very careful that this step is LAST! Finger smears make such a sad mess.
Enjoy!

DaVinci

2010-03-28T21:23:00.002-04:00

Third Grade: Leonardo DaVinci's Mirror Writing

This is such a fun way to be Leonardo for a day! Kids enjoy this "secret" writing and giggle quite a bit! I also like that it breaks up art days into a game day-where kids are still learning, sharing and exploring history!

Students in third grade learn about Leonardo's many talents.

• After viewing a power point information show, we will further explore his notebook entries and mirror writing by seeing an online code generator that decodes the English alphabet into his Italian script. http://www.mos.org/sln/Leonardo/LeonardoRighttoLeft.html
• Students will then be given his Italian alphabet on paper to decode. This is easy to put into a print out by using the above site. Just type the abc's and print or copy and paste your results.

• Now, they will successfully demonstrate their knowledge of mirror writing by completing their name and a secret word. (I have them bend back one corner of their paper to form a flap-they love to write their answer there)

• Students will check their answers with a mirror and

• Share their secret words (game play) with friends as they attempt to break each other’s codes.

Self-Portraits

2010-03-23T22:08:00.001-04:00

5th Grade

Express yourself!

Oil pastels are a favorite in my art room. They are bold and painterly-which are a perfect solution to teaching kids to play with color mixing. I use this lesson to encourage kids to discover shadows while tinting, toning and shading.

Spring Butterflies!

2010-03-23T16:13:00.004-04:00

Fluttering around with...symmetry!
These Shrinky Dink down to a great pin for Mother's Day

Who doesn't love the old Shrinky Dink art papers from our childhood? They are still wonderful.

To create these fun pins, you will need:

Clear, 6" Shrinky Dink paper/plastic sheets

pinbacks
perm. marker
hot glue
black and white coloring page butterfly images/clip art
sand paper (unless you buy the "rough and ready" pack)
perm. markers or colored pencils
oven

First, if you do not have the "ready to go" pack...rough up your SD plastic with sand paper.

Students will then trace their butterfly images from the coloring pages you provide. Lay their transparent sheets on top of image and outline with a permanent marker.

Color images with colored pencils (I use these) or perm. markers.

Cut the shapes out.

Teacher bakes them briefly as directed on SD box.

Watch them shrink to about 2 inches wide!

When removed from the oven, the teacher will gently presses their little wings up a bit by using the edge/lip of the baking tray.

Cool and add the pinbacks with hot glue!

You could put thin wires out the tops for antenna. I have done this before and curled the points into a swirl.

These are uctually really easy for how cute they end up.

Moms love this for Mother's Day!

Eat the Color Wheel!

2010-03-22T23:25:00.002-04:00

Yes...I said gobble it up!

Who says color mixing can't be yummy?

This great marshmellow fondant recipe is a sure winner...and incredibly easy, too! All you need is marshmellows, powdered sugar, food coloring (I like the gels) and a touch of water.

The following site has you knead this play-doh-like icing with crisco hands, but it is even easier in a heavy mixer. Just grease the bowl instead of your hands. It is very quick and a premade batch of primaries are a great mixing activities for your little guys. They love this treat!

http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Rolled-Marshmallow-Fondant

Don't hesitate to let your kids sculpt with it, either.

It shapes very well with no cracking-and dries fairly strong!

The cake on the right was created for my daughter's birthday.

The fondant blends beautifully!

Paul Klee

2010-03-18T23:04:00.004-04:00

First Grade
Paul Klee's Senecio
Check out these "Seneaky-Copy-Cats"

I have created a Power Point show for students that introduce them to the abstract, child-like images of Klee. They love the idea of making "copy-cats." I have them use a circle pattern to get the heads positioned. This really is a good boost to organizing the composition. I then walk them through the steps of drawing their images on my white board. We use rulers to divide the head in half. Oil pastels are used so that students can practice mixing colors while achieving vivid colors and a painted effect. I like to have students use only warm colors on the first coloring day, since his painting reflected that scheme. Other work days are free although I encourage tinting colors with white. They love the control they have over these new colors. Please save the black outline until last. It helps to prevent smearing.
Enjoy!

see Klee's work online.

Henri Matisse

2010-03-18T22:38:00.002-04:00

Matisse-Third Grade

Matisse is always loved by my students. We start off with a power point show that celebrates his love of red, patterns, vivid paintings and cut images. In third grade we focus on his goldfish bowl. Before filling in the color with tempra, we spend two classes drawing (and discussing ways to show fish at different angles.) When dry, consider outlining the shapes with crayon that is one shade darker than the shapes.

Bubbling into Spring

2010-03-16T15:22:00.006-04:00

Second Grade- Bubble Wrap Printing
I saw this idea recently online and had to try it! The kids went CRAZY over the idea...cheering and begging me to let them add more layers of dots to their work next week. This was so much fun!

Simply roll out printing ink (or paint) in a tray as you wish. Mixing colors creates a neat effect. have students press the bubble side of their bubble wrap into the ink. Remove the wrap carefully and line it up on colored construction paper. Press it without sliding the ink. Pull the wrap from the paper. Repeat if needed fpr more layers. Drying them a bit between prints helps the design.

What else can you do with these fun prints

Make Snake Toys!

See the lesson here!

VanGogh Sunflowers

2010-03-14T22:24:00.000-04:00

Georgia O'Keeffe

2010-03-08T15:33:00.011-05:00

Third Grade
Students created beautiful oil pastel flowers imspired by the life and works of the fabulous Georgia O'Keeffe.
After a slide presentation, my third grade was given the task of choosing and then enlarging flower images (like O'Keeffe) to magnify their details.

Students had a base knowledge of the color wheel and how to tint and shade with those colors (using white and black- or a darker value.) We also explored how complementary backgrounds could enhanse their flower images.

Claude Monet

2010-03-04T21:44:00.011-05:00

First Grade: Linnea in Monet's Garden

Shaving cream and elmers glue!

This is every student's favorite. The thick paint mixture is fun, easy and a great way to explore Claude Monet's style as an impressionist.

We discussed his life and works in a slide presentation and watched a WONDERFUL

video called Linnea in Monet's Garden. I highly recommend this great story which is available through Netflix.

I use about 1 part glue to every 4 parts shaving cream. You may color it with tempra as needed.

Water Lily Pond

After the introduction of Monet's style
fill containers with the paint recipe- slightly colored in a blue tint
continue to add more blue (or blue/violet) as students twist long blobs and smears on their boards or paper
let dry
next class- add the lily pads and flowers with the same process
encourage kids to have objects fall off the edge

View Art Lesson Plans Reviewed by Teachers

2010-03-03T21:11:00.001-05:00

11070 Art Lesson Plans Reviewed by Teachers

Youth Art Month

2010-03-03T20:53:00.001-05:00

March is Youth Art Month!

What do you have planned for the celebration?

If you are away from a place you can get messy, visit:

http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/for-kids.htm

for a great place to find ideas as a teacher or parent. KIDS!!!! Click on the activity game link for a fabulous list of online creative explorations!

Dr. Seuss

2010-02-22T21:09:00.013-05:00

First Grade
March 2nd celebrates Dr. Seuss with Read Across America Day!

Many people do not realize that Dr. Seuss created many paintings- not just the ones he designed specifically for illustrations in his books. Some of the most enjoyable works I love to show my students are the fabulous sculptures he made from old animal parts (saved by the Massachusetts zoo.)

During this unit, we dive into his wonderful book, McElligot's Pool and create model magic sculptures of fish on wood blocks which share his fun, imaginative style.

"click" and visit the art of Dr. Seuss

Lathrop Art Happenings

2010-02-08T18:17:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the latest news in the Lathrop Street Art room.
K-just finished learning about sculptures and explored Keith Haring cartoon designs.
1-Studied Paul Klee's abstract art designs.
2-tree study (pen and ink details)
3-Georgia O'keefe flower designs in oil pastels
4-Picasso study
5-Romare Bearden (collage and Jazz)
6-Personal Logo designs