State Coin Project

Way back in February I posted a lesson with 3rd grade students where they create a coin based on a personal representation using metal tooling foil.  I have never posted some of the finished projects.  Here are a few of the student works.

Connecting to the Common Core Training

Day 1 of the county wide training today at MCLA.  The highlight is always meeting with like-minded people with a common goal.  For our studio activity, we began to create a book.  Since our focus is connecting to ELA in the arts, a book seemed appropriate. Here is my little book.  I'm not sure how I will be filling it.   Ah, the possibilities!  The second photo is a great little cartoon I discovered in one of   the magazines.     I'll make a poster for my classroom out of this one!

"See Son, that's what happens when you
don't wash properly"

AOE Convention

WOW!   What a day.  So much information and new ideas and brain overload!   I am so inspired in so many ways.  I now know how to take those wonderful art videos off of you-tube and use them in the Art Room.  I have a full list of I-pad apps to explore and learn.  Thank goodness summer has only begun...I have so much to do!

AOE Convention tomorrow!

Starts tomorrow!  I'll be sitting by my computer to connect with presenters from the blogging and professional art world.  I can't wait!

Cartooning and books on the last day of school

It's impossible to really introduce a new lesson in the final week of school so I traditionally turn to cartooning videos to end the year with a fun activity.  This was the last day of school.  I only had Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students.   In Kindergarten, we read and discussed the book One by Kathryn Otoshi.  This is a fabulous book about using your voice and peer interactions.  Written very simply, even the youngest student understands the message of speaking up for yourself.  My students love the book and in some classes, begged to read it twice.  On the second reading, they chimed in as I read.

2nd graders enjoyed the Veggie Tales Video How to Draw.  Here are a few pictures of them happily at work creating Bob the tomato and Ms Blueberry.

First grade students drew along with Ed Emberley's Squiggles, Dots, and Lines.  My copy included an instructional and promotional handout.   I always photocopy it for the students to follow along with.  It is a challenge for them to keep up with the video.

So that concludes yet another school year.   The end is always bittersweet but I have to admit, I was really ready for a break.  Hope you are enjoying a much earned summer vacation  as well!

First day of summer

Last day of school!   Half day today.  I'll only be seeing three classes,  a delightful group of kindergarten students, 1st graders and 2nd graders.   Can't believe another year has sped by.   I always feel like there was so much more I wanted to cover and where did the time go!
Hoping to purge some old files while I pack up for the summer.  I will be participating in the Art of Education on-line convention next week and a professional development addressing the new Common Core.   Only other big goal for the summer is figuring out how to finally get my studio and hook up that kiln or ...... sell off the equipment and move on.

Tee Hee! Sounds toooo much like me

Art Teacher

"I always loved art teachers because they were so bizarre. They were like the homeless people of the faculty -- all disheveled, wearing smocks, covered in paint, always digging through the garbage, looking for bottles and egg cartons and things." -Ted Alexandro

Just discovered this posted on another blog.  Love this, it explains everything so well!

Fingerprint Birds with Kindergarten

Inspiration Project from Mrs. Weber's Art Class

I found this cute little project on pinterest from Mrs. Weber's Art Class and was inspired to do this lesson with my kindergarten classes.  My focus in kindergarten is all line and shape so this project really meshed well with my curriculum.  First students defined the horizon on their paper and then used a curved line to create some hills above the horizon line.  This most reflects the environment where we live and I wanted our landscapes to become familiar.  Then using shapes, houses were added to the landscape.  Parallel lines defined the trunks of trees and curvy, cloud like shapes formed the leaves.  Next parallel lines were used to create modern looking telephone poles which were connected with curve lines to represent the wire.  Stamp pads were used to print birds using just the tip of the pointer fingers.  Beaks, feet, eyes and wings were added to each little bird prior to coloring the composition using crayons.  Here are in progress photos from my students.  I always allow time for them to add their own personal touches to a project to avoid cookie cutter art.  I used this wonderful book, Birds by Kevin Henkes prior to the project.  It actually has illustrations of birds on telephone wires.  I think it was a perfect read!

student at work

This flock appears to be taking off

completed composition

student at work

dig the pink and purple house

student work with large beak birds

more of a community look with added truck

busy coloring 

Memories of Elementary School

I found these boxes at the Crane Paper sale last August and bought a case not really knowing how I would incorporate them into my art curriculum this year.  With the year almost over, I decided to investigate box art and see what I might come up with for ideas.  Many current artist use a box form to create art often collaging the interiors and exteriors or filling the boxes with found objects that relay a feeling or emotion.  With the emotion in mind, I decided to use the boxes with my 5th grade students.  They would create a work of art that reflected their memories of elementary school.  I put ideas out to them to give them a starting point but the box art was to become very personal in nature so the students were encouraged to take them in the direction that most reflected them.  I was extremely pleased with the results, so much so that I am hopeful about purchasing another case this summer.  The students took about a month to complete the project.  Here are some of the results.