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. 

 

What do you do when they have NO supplies at home?

All Student Works

My most frustrating challenge this year is that students don't have the basic necessary supplies they need for Art class.  Many of them lack paper and pencil.  I've often encouraged scrounging through the recycling bin to use the back of envelopes, cardboard cereal boxes and other materials to repurpose for drawing supplies.  It actually breaks my heart!  I tried using Pear Deck with all of my student for simple responses but the kick back from parents was painful.  So with the quest for other ways to make art, I decided to dig deeper into Google Drawing.  All of our school issued computers have it available so it seemed like the best first step.  I was inexperience myself so I turned to YouTube where I found this terrific video for beginners,  Easy Drawings with 3D Shapes  This guy is terrific.  One of the things he does is to keep it real.  He makes mistakes and then corrects them, he changes his mind if he doesn't like a choice.  He approaches it like a kid would so they can easily relate.  He inspires.   In my live lessons, I play a portion of the video and then stop and repeat the process with my own demo so it can be slowed down and repeated as many times as possible until we are all on track.  It took about (3) three 30 minute classes to complete the first project.  But, I am so happy with the successes!  Realize your students are going to be really pumped to continue to work with the lesson after class time so the final step on day one was to create a new Google Drawing template that we labeled "Just for Fun" so they could experiment independently without touching our in class work.  So, in the works for future lessons are Notans, using value, mosaics, and a go at perspective and portraits.  I set using Google Drawings with my students as this year's professional goal so I will need to incorporate at least 25% of my lessons using the program.  If anyone has any great lesson ideas that you've had success with, please comment and share!  Thank you and Happy Google Drawings!!

 Here's another adaption we might give a try

to when we work with gradients.

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???

Big Cardboard Birds

Over the years I have found so many great ideas on the Krokotak blog and the Big Cardboard Birds was a recent one.  I am planning a early spring Artome' Art Show with the theme of Birds.   My fourth grade students have finished their framed art and they are doing the Big Birds for wall decor as a collaborate work.  I pre-cut all the cardboard shapes and each child painted a section with fluorescent tempera paint.  Each student could make their own decisions about color and pattern.  We reference the work of Romero Britto and his patterns and bold colors to guide the work.  When completed, each student had input on how their piece would be assembled.  They are so proud.  Only one class has completed the bird but I will add photos of the others as they are finished.  Complements were generous all day long from all the younger students.

Size is about 3 feet by 3 1/2 feet

Winter Mini Watercolors

Jen Arnayi was the perfect choice for a one day project the week before holiday break.  Her illustrative style offered simplicity and yet a very colorful mini painting.  Fourth grade students painted on a round format using 4 x 4 scraps of watercolor paper that were left over from a previous project making this a win-win.  I saved some small pieces of paper avoiding waste.  The lesson began as a directed draw with instruction to draw a line of pointed mountains across the center area of the circle.  A horizon line was drawn under the mountains curving downward to the bottom area of the circle.  Based on personal interpretations, all of the projects began to develop their own style at this point.  Later discussions included adding a 3D dimension and texture to the mountains.  Students then shared previous knowledge as to what the cool colors are as they began to paint the area above the mountains.  Everyone was excited to tape a mat on these and take them home to share with family for the holidays. 

       

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!

PEZ

PEZ dispensers are a favorite of mine.  I've been collecting them for entirely too long and am in a constant battle with myself not to purchase yet another one.  I think it came out of a need to validate my purchases that I started bringing PEZ to school for my students to draw.  The first experience was in a Warhol lesson so many years ago that I don't even remember.  Students selected a dispenser and drew it large from four different angles.  I wish I had work to share with you but that was in the days prior to this blog and also prior to Artsonia where most images are now stored.  The latest number of years, the dispensers have made their way into my lessons to demonstrate Space in art.  Students have total freedom to select which PEZ they wish to draw with the vision of demonstrating space.  The focus is on overlap, size, placement and linear perspective.  Fourth graders have previously exposed to Space in earlier grades but with this project they take the reins to plan the composition.  Let me just say, it is a home run every year.  Something about those PEZ dispensers that they can hold in their hands and play with as they draw makes this an instant success in popularity.  I'm still working on getting them to see and understand shadow so forgive any striking errors you might note.  It is a work in progress.  What do you love that you can bring into your classroom for an engaging lesson???  Think about it, telling your students you love something seems to really spark interest.  Oh, and the other positive was all the PEZ gifts I received after the fact!

Student Work 2019

Observing and drawing like Scientist

Here are some Oil Pastel creations done by 4th and 5th grade students from Observation.  I purchased several of those really large artificial pumpkins on clearance several years ago.  They have naturally aged and gotten slightly dirty creating different colors making them great for an observation work.  Students were task with drawing a pumpkin as it looked and not stylized with a rectangle stem sticking on the top of a circle.  We talked about the texture of the pumpkin and how it was not truly smooth but had irregularities that we wanted to make apparent in our work.   Using oil pastels in analogous colors, students them added color and dimension to their drawing.  I'm really pleased at the variety of the completed projects and how each of them hints at the 3D element of the pumpkin.  They were allow to finish them as they chose which is evident in the many different backgrounds.

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.  

Winter Cardinals

Sharing some watercolor painting done by 4th and 5th grade Art Club members over the past two weeks.  Working toward understanding transparency with watercolors to achieve varying hues from a singular color, watercolor wash, and managing brush use in a more professional way.  They used a tracer to place their bird but the rest of the composition is free hand.  I'm proud of these kids, they worked really hard!

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