Roll an Elf on a Shelf

We did a Roll a Turkey activity the days before the Thanksgiving break last month and one of my students requested we do an Elf on a Shelf the days before the Holiday break.  So, I came up with this for them.  I'm hoping it is not too hard for 2nd - 5th grade. 

 

Games for Visual Meetings

I have been having a virtual visual meeting with my students once a week for the past few weeks.  Numbers are growing but it is still a small manageable group.  My goal was to offer this time to help any students who were struggling with lessons.  Despite my poking and prodding, those students still are not showing up.  Instead the time has turned into an Art visit where students share what is important to them and we draw together.  Last week I took a suggestion and the students drew along with me as I used a white board they could view.  This week I was searching for something different and decided on a "Roll-a-Dice" I found on Pinterest.  It was for making "Silly Spiders."  Thanks to whomever created it cause my kids loves it and we had fun first drawing a number of spiders and then coloring them.  I was able to locate a dice that we could manipulate on line so my students could be a part of the choosing the number as well.  I found that here.The virtual visual gave us the opportunity to share with one another by holding our work up to the camera of our computer.  As we were leaving this week, I ask the group what they would like to do when we are together next week and they suggested a Roll-a-Dice Silly Animals.  So, I Googled and came up short.  There are many animal sheet available but they are usually themed by animal and my students wanted silly animals.  Very broad but I rose to the challenge and have successful created an official "Roll-A-Dice Silly Animal" for next week's session.  I'm sharing it here with anyone who would like to use it. Let me know how it goes, okay???

1st grade Mono printing

I discovered this great post over on Mrs. Knight's Smartest Artist the other day for Northern Light mono prints and I immediately knew I wanted to try this approach to mono printing with my first grade students.   I reviewed the steps as they were given and every student experienced success.  Our approach was just for a winter scene that reflected what we could see around us after a recent snow storm.  Here are a few photos of student work.

 
  

First Graders are weaving

4 1/2 x 2 " cardboard

 So, I wanted to transition my first grade students from paper weaving to something a little more functional.  I don't have enough of those big card board looms you purchase from the suppliers that are pre notched but I do have some donated heavy cardboard from a colleague.   I decided to re purpose this into tiny looms for my students.  First, I cut this up into 4 1/2 x 2" rectangles as shown on the left.

Holes punched along each side

 I added small punched holes on each end in an odd number.  To attempt to space them fairly evenly without having to measure, I started with a hole in the center, one on each margin and then attempted to place one in the middle of each of those.  I had marked my punch with a sharpie to attempt to line them up as evenly as possible.

Create slops for the warp threads

 Cutting from the edge, I cut to each hole to create a slot for the warp threads.  I did the warp with some light weigh embroidery weight thread and gave students a plastic needle and yarn for their weaving.  These are small enough that they can easily be completed in two class periods which is all we had left for the school year.  It was a great re purpose of donated materials, an easy transition to traditional weaving and an easy take home to complete if students didn't finish before the end of the year.  They can be taken off by cutting the warp threads on the back or can be left displayed on the loom.

A completed weaving

The Clay Box

Summer is just around the corner.  I know many of you would like to keep your little ones busy with some hands on activities.   Check out my friend, Ruth Post, from The Clay Box.   This is a subscription service that sends all the materials for you to complete a project.   I have used some of the materials as well as the lesson instructions and found them to be easy to follow and work well. 
Ruth is a retired art teacher and this is how she is using her time in retirement.  I don't think you will be disappointed with the program.  https://www.theclaybox.org/  I'm not getting any type of kick back for this; I just think it's a great program!

3D Habitats

Polar Bears and Penguins near icebergs

I'm loving the imagination visible in these 3D Habitats by first graders this past week.

Arctic Habitat with a Narwal

Seals, Owls and Arctic Hares

Arctic Fox

Summer is only a few days away

Okay, I have made a commitment to my students to post this summer on my student summer blog, here.  I intend to have weekly ideas for my students to complete during the weeks of summer.  They are also challenged to complete any of the assignments for their sketchbooks with completed sketchbooks fetching a "prize" when school starts back up.  So, I'm putting this in writing to keep me true to my word.

Jump on over and join us this summer if you'd like.  As for me, I'll be doing some creating of my own cause for me that's what summer is all about!!!

Did you know? Are you even interested????

A while back a co-worker handed me one of those plastic shoe box containers full of old crayons and other miscellaneous trinkets that her grown children had left behind in her basement years ago.  She knew I melted down broken crayons to use as prizes in the art room.  I was thankful to receive them but didn't get to the box right away.  My colleagues are great about sharing broken crayons with me so I had a fairly large stockpile.  A few weeks ago, I started peeling the crayons in the box to begin the crayon making process and came across some labels I had never seen before.  I retained one determined to learn more about what it was.

I didn't have to do much research to discover this terrific site that enlightened me as to the contest that occurred back in 1993 for students to name a crayon.  I know I have seen the crayon, Macaroni & Cheese in newer boxes for crayons since that day.  The site was truly fascinating with a complete history of crayola.  If you're into this type stuff, just over and check it out.  It was interesting to discover the visual changes that have occurred to this common everyday material in the Elementary Art Room.  

Practicing Cooperative Creativity

A little interactive fun with some of our group collaborative work using technology!

These girls were really funny; always talking about how they
were going to work together but not always achieving
success in those endeavors.

First graders completed a Rizzi City project a few weeks ago.  Our next project was to further explore Rizzi by working collaboratively to create a mural of a city.   Students worked in groups of 4-5.  It's alway interesting to see what will happen with a collaborate project.  Some students do terrific with this style work; others struggle.  You quickly can identify those who will take on leadership and will moderate the group and those that will hang back and wait for instructions from the self appointed group leader.  You also will identify those that will attempt to engage as little as possible.  I always tells them that the purpose of the project is to

These guys are doing really well sharing the work load

Super group dynamic here and they  took turns being in charge

A closer look at the actual project

work together and that I will be monitoring cooperation.  I am looking for them to gain communication skills and work things out amongst themselves.  I never intervene other than to tell them to go back to the group and work it out together.

Love Birds 2003

1st grade student work

 This original work by James Rizzi was the inspiration for the following works by 1st grade students the past couple of weeks.  They had been exploring the many works by Rizzi and had already create smiling buildings in a Rizzi type city.  Students followed a directed draw to create the birds and then embellished their work based on "Love Birds.  They were completed with watercolor.  I am so in love with these sweet little paintings and the endearing way students created their interpretations.

student work

student work

student work

student work

Chameleons in mixed medium

I'm developing a love for bleeding tissue paper this year.  Seems like each year I get stuck on some medium and explore it unreasonably.  This year it seems to be becoming project with that tissue paper.  Here is the latest, done quite successfully with first grade students.   They drew with a black crayon and then watercolor for the background and the little chameleon was glued on top.  This was a two week lesson.  I was really please with the results.  We also paired this with some factual information about Chameleons found in the book. 

Sorry I've been Neglectful and ARTOME'

I will start this post by apologizing.  I can't believe I have neglected this blog since April.   The last several months of school seemed to be only slightly manageable...too much to achieve with so little time.  I was busy but there is no excuse for neglect.  So this post is my first attempt at catching up a bit.

I brought in Artome' to put on an art show at one of my buildings this year.  Frankly, I was very skeptic about having an art show at all.  I was certain that no one would show up and I would devote a tremendous amount of my time to an event that would be an embarrassment.  We've all been there, send out the announcements, invites, etc and only a handful of people show up.  The response was always, they would have come if you put out snacks.  Really, that keeps the people from administration from showing up?  For years, my principal didn't even bother to show.  I think that was the hardest blow.  I really felt a general lack of appreciation for anything I was doing.

So, when my "new" principal put the idea of an art show out there I was more than reluctant.  I kept hoping the idea would dissipate in the hectic ebb and tide of the school year.  Maybe she wouldn't notice if I conveniently "forgot".   I began to see postings on Art Teacher-ing pages about Artome' and everyone appeared to truly be pleased with their outcomes.   The idea of now having to mat each and every piece of work and frantically hang them with high hopes they wouldn't fall off of the walls was very appealing so I decided to dig a little bit deeper and look into the possibility.  After all, it could be a win/win.   My principal okay-ed the idea and the parent's group agreed to take on the money making venture.  I signed on and the process began.

Let me say, it was not as easy as I thought.  I easily spent between 20 - 24 weekend hours over the span of three weeks preparing all the artwork, labeling, checking for correct spelling and categorizing the way I wanted the work to be exhibited.  It was not a complete win/win...I had to put some work in.  But, the day of the show was fabulous.  The crew of two young men came in and quickly set up the show, filled me in on information I might need and defined their roll for the evening.  I walked down the aisles making certain all the art was hanging correctly and that I hadn't grouped too many like pieces together.  It looked pretty good and I was nervous but ready.  I still feared we'd be a wash out with few attendees.  Boy was I incorrect!!  It was way beyond my wildest expectations and the parent/teacher organization made some money as well.  Best of all was the attendance by a school council member.  I'd say this was a BIG WIN/WIN for the art department and I own some of that myself.  Feeling great about Artome'!!

The 5th grade chorus provided
entertainment toward the end of the
event.

The Orchestra provided a wonderful
backdrop to the show.

Buttons to identify student volunteers

Gallery information about the show

Welcome to our Art Show

Before the crowds arrived

It's clay time!

Loading the kiln

I pushed my clay unit off until after February Break this year.  Here we are at week four and the greenware is going into the kiln.  I taught a few of the old standbys with the kids and threw in a few new projects this year as well.  Third grade explored the Egyptian burial process and are creating Canopic Jars.  We stepped into Ancient Greece for fourth grade and they are created urns to be decorated with slip or underglaze with geometric patterns.  Clay is a favorite unit of the year.  In about a month I will post some of the completed projects.

Canopic jars - the Jackal was a very popular choice

A powerpoint for the Canopic lesson

District Exhibit for Youth Art Month

Student work top row center

Last night our local museum hosted the opening reception for our county YAM event.  The turnout was fabulous with people from the community as well as families and students.  It was great to see a few principals in attendance as well as our city's superintendent.  Hopefully, this is the begging of a great art movement for our county.  Photos capturing my student's work and some of the performers from last night.

Student work top row 2nd from right

Student work bottom right

Student work bottom round print
Top left

Student work top center

Student work top center

Student works - near bottom center
Bird and Bear

student work fish

High School band kicked off the night

One of my school's alumni now in HS band

Elementary Musicians performed