Book review with a project connection

I just finished reading this terrific illustrated biography written by Kay A. Haring, Keith's sister.  I loved this.   Many of the facts I already knew about Haring's life and career are included in the narrative.  The additional personal information adds clarity to my understanding of the choices Haring made in his life.  I can not wait to read this treasure to my students.

I already enjoy sharing the images of "I wish I didn't have to sleep! with students.  The companion books will definitely enhance my Haring unit.

I usually use Haring with fourth grade students.  They have done a variety of projects over the years generally focusing on the simplicity of line in Haring's images as well as the implied                                                                       movement in his work.

This year students connected Haring to a project in trace printing.  They created a Haring figure and included hearts in the image.  These were then used for printing.  Here are some images of student works.

Student work

You can find another project connection here.

Chris Uphues borrowed from Cassie Stephens

student work

 When I spotted this project on Cassie Stephen's blog I knew I had to do it with one of my students.  We were exploring printmaking and I knew printing hearts with TP rolls would be a big hit.  My students also enjoyed learning about a practicing artist and viewing some of his work.  The project took about three weeks, a bit longer than I anticipated but happily most were completed prior to February break.

student work

I have a new love

Diffusion geometric to organic

I have fallen head over heels for a new art "medium".  In the beginning weeks of school I venture into a local distributor and purchased a mega size container of coffee filters.  I intended to utilize them as dots for an annual dot day project.  Students used them to demonstrate symmetry and for mandalas.  Check out the link to our Artsonia pages to view those.  Along the way, they were used for a project to demonstrate the difference between geometric shapes and organic shapes  (draw geometric, spray with water and they turn into organic shapes).  At some point,  I became totally hooked on the diffusion qualities obtained with coffee filters.   My students have added them to Morris Burton projects, used them to make trees, as well as Artist Trading Cards.  The other day I decided to play with one for a project for an Art with Mr. E project for his #aheartadaychallenge.  The ideas are totally endless.  My newest effect was dropping on some Kosher Salt.

Morris Burton

Analogous colors for trees

Start with shapes

Spray with some water

Let it diffuse

Morris Burton using the paper the filter was sitting on to dry

Dropping on some Kosher Salt

If you haven't attempted these

Close up of  Kosher Salt affect

yet, pick some up and try it out

with your students.  The "WoW"

effect is totally worth the experience.  

For now, I'm off to do some creating 

with these new papers.

Just Sharing

Last summer I took an Art of Education course where we talked about critiques.  I have adapted the use of TAG critiques into my classroom this year for grades 3,4, 5.  My goal it to get them thinking more deeply about their own art and the art of their peers and famous artist by writing about them.  Here is what TAG stands for:

T: tell something you like

A: ask a question

G: give some advice

For their first experience in writing a TAG, I used one of my own pieces of art that I had created as an example for a project we had been working on in class.  Since I work in two buildings, I use the example from the opposite buildings so the students would not recognize it as mine.  I refused to divulge who the artist was, saying only it had been made at the other school.  It was interesting to see how seriously they critiqued my work and gave me a great deal of insight into their thinking processes and the information they had retained from the lesson.   For one of my personal student goals, I had pledged to practice TAG with students four times over the course of the year.  

 To have students apply understanding of the purpose of Art making by writing artist critiques in the form of a TAG. Critique their own work, the work of peers, and the work of professional
artists, and demonstrate an understanding of the formal, cultural, and historical contexts of the work (National Art Standard - Responding, Anchor standards #7, #8, #9; MA: Re7.1.4, MA: Re 8.1.4; MA:Re 9.1)

For their second tag, we wrote based on the Artist Trading cards we received from the Mini Matisse' card exchange.  Throughout this process, students have wanted to be able to communicate more directly with the artist of the work they were viewing.  For their third TAG, I have decided to pair them with a classmate.  They will exchange papers and TAG an actual work from that classmate.  We will call it a Valentine TAG because these will be happening the week prior to February break which also occurs during Valentine's week.  I am sharing the worksheet I have put together for them.

With this being our third attempt at a TAG, I will be looking at the language they are using as they talk the art, specifically the use of Art Vocabulary.  Please feel free to download and use my handout to practice TAG critiques with your students.

Burton Morris in 5th grade

student work 

Thanks to Kids Artist blogspot for this great lesson on Burton Morris.  I was looking for a quick 2-3 day fun project for my 5th grade students and stumbled upon your lesson.  They are so loving this lesson and learning about the work of Morris.  My students always seem to enjoy investigating the work of a living artist and Morris's work was no exception.  I allowed them total freedom as they discovered the materials they wanted to incorporate into the making of their hearts.  There are many recycled papers and even some pressed tissue paper in use.  I love the results!

student work

student work