Lilacs in Spring

student work

student work

 I always scan through the weekly lessons when they are updated by Artsonia.  A few weeks ago there was a post by Patty Miner of Winding Creek Elementary in Oklahoma called Purple Flowers that I knew I wanted to adapt for my students.  It so happens that I have a fragrant Lilac bush growing just outside of the art room in one of my schools.  The flowers are beautiful and of special interest to many of the 3rd graders because their classroom teacher loves Lilacs and the students pick and bring in the blossoms for her daily when they are in bloom.  I was sure I could adapt Patty's lesson for my 3rd graders and it would be a great hit.  I went out and cut a few blossoms of the Lilac for the art room as the first step and we talked about how the flowers were formed on the stems.  Week one, students used watercolor to create a background wash for the bloom.  Week two, oil crayons were used to add the stem, leaves and an insect.  Most students drew a butterfly of their color choice.  With the drawing complete, they began to finger paint first with purple paint and while it was still wet, overlaid the color with white finger prints allowing the two colors to mix.  They turned our rather nice.  If it weren't time to take down the bulletin boards for the end of school, they would definitely be on full display!  Thanks go out to Patty for the inspiration and thanks to Artsonia for a terrific program.

student work

student work

student work

student work

Charley's quilt

I've noticed a lot of purchases by one of my student's families this year on Artsonia but I couldn't figure out what they might be buying.  When attending a recent district wide PD recently, another Art teacher from the northern part of our county shared a photo of a beautiful quilt one of the women who worked in her school had made.  She went on to share with me that the woman was the grandmother of one of my students and was encouraging her to participate in the Artsonia program because the family was so thrilled to see the work of her grandson.  They were the family, it turns out, that were making all the purchases on Artsonia and they were purchasing the quilt squares.  Check out this amazing quilt they have made using Charley's art.   I ask for permission to share this photo with my readers.  I am really thrilled to see a family so pleased with the Artsonia experience as well as delighted by Charley's art!  Isn't this the greatest quilt  you ever saw???  What a wonderful way to capture a period in time with a timely quilt.

More about Artsonia

For my art, I used orange.
I have ghost, witches and pumpkins

My older students are requested to write an artist statement for every completed project on Artsonia.  I have always worked with younger students in this area as well but not with the same expectations.  I was really unsure when I began Artsonia, just what a younger student would be capable of writing.  For my Kindergarten students, I have them talk to me about their work and I generally write a one sentence statement based on their explanations.  This is not for every project but periodically throughout the year.  After talking with a first grade teacher a few years ago, I was encouraged to write a prompt on the board and have students complete the prompt. Naturally, I received a lot of repetitive statements.  Those of you who use Artsonia know that repetitive artist statements get kicked back at you.  This year I decided to try another approach and I have been very happy with the results.  I write a word bank on the board for students to help them with spelling and to review the vocabulary we have used during a project.  Students in first and second grade are asked to write one very good sentence talking about their work for the Artsonia artist statement.  I have been both surprised and thrilled with the sentences I have been receiving with this new approach.  Many students only give me the one sentence but others write multiple sentences that really give me insight into their interpretation of the project and what learning has been taking place.  I'll share a few with you....

Piet Mondrian used primary colors.
He was an art maker.  He used black.

I like to ride in shot air balloon
because it is fun.

Me and my dad went on a air balloon

My pumpkin patch has a bloody gnome,
candy man, ghost, and lots and lots of pumpkins.

I used the primary colors.

My students are posting their own work on Artsonia this year

photo center

I am so behind with my posting but I will try to catch up soon.  I have a lot of things I would like to share with you.  Today I want to talk about Artsonia and some of the terrific great changes that have occurred this year.  I really love everything that Artsonia brings to my program.  I like the ease of sending updated information to all of my student's families through the use of the newsletter.  I love that the new National Art Standards are available to add with an easy drop down menu to every one of the galleries I post demonstrating to families and my administrators that students are continually being exposed to Art standards with the lessons I teach.  Lastly, I love that my 4th and 5th grade students have enthusiastically embraced posting their own work this year and the time that saves me each and every day.  I set up a station in both of my schools that makes posting readily available to students at anytime during their art experience.  The iPad is ready to go placed on an old locker shelf.  Students log in and snap their picture with ease.  I no longer struggle with missing names on work because students post themselves.  I also am able to go back in and re-crop work if I'm not 100% pleased with how a student cropped their work.  I have a students add an optional title when they photograph and then move to another area or the room and another device to add art statements to their work.  This all happens totally independently of what is happening in my classroom and with my teaching.  I am freed up to help other students and also relieved of the "what do I do next?" question.  This is my photo station, above right, missing the wire rack.  I had initially tried an iPad holder but found it was not strong enough to withstand use by my students.  Below is the new poster I created to remind them of the steps to posting their work.

Artsonia Artist of the Week!!!

One of my students is a finalist for the Artsonia Artist of the Week contest.  Please jump on over to Artsonia and cast a vote for her.  If she wins, she will receive a $50.00 gift card to Blick Art Supplies.
Here is the link:    www.artsonia.com/aotw/vote/0/40059900
You can vote everyday.  Thanks!!!

Here is her work.  It was a complete a composition assignment using some greeting cards donated to us by Crane paper company.   They will be donated by the school to local venues to be given to patients who are ill to offer them cheer during the fall season.

Celebrating International Dot Day 2015

Student work with tint

It always seems like the first of the year crawls to a start.  First there are all the logistics to work out with classes.   Then you introduce and lesson and finally in week three, you might have a few students who are turning in completed projects.  I am so thankful to finally make it to week three and a few completed projects!  International Dot Day is always my go to for the first project of the year.  The timing is terrific and the possibility of multiple ideas across the grade levels is an easy.  This year 5th grade students reviewed and demonstrated an understanding of color mixing to create value.  Some chose to make tints and some chose shades, painting their dots in any pattern as long as value was evident.

Student work with shade

4th grade student's Elements Dot

 Fourth grade students reviewed an understanding of the Elements of Art.  Their challenge was a bit more creative in that they needed to apply their knowledge of the elements to their dot.  They could incorporate them into the design of their dot or they could simply illustrate evidence of knowledge of what they were.  The end results were a range of interpretations.  Here are a few of those:

3rd grade vanGogh

4th grade student's Elements Dot

3rd grade movement dot

3rd grade vanGogh

3rd grade vanGogh

Third grade students discovered the work of Vincent vanGogh as they developed work for International Dot Day.  Their challenge was to show movement in their work and illumination.  They could approach the subject either abstractly or realistically.  They quickly discovered that their use of line and the direction of line as well as color would assist them as they created their dots.

Second grade student explored symmetry for their dot projects.  Some students drew and colored for symmetry and other classes cut symmetry.  

2nd grade symmetry 

2nd grade cut symmetry

2nd grade symmetry

2nd grade symmetry

2nd grade drawing symmetry

traditional style color wheel

1st grade color wheel

1st grade color wheel

First grade students explored design possibilities using the color wheel.  They first explored the many color wheels evident in the art room and discussed the commonality among them answering the question "What makes it a color wheel?"  Once they had determined the order of the colors of the color wheel and why there was an order they set off to create their own interpretation of a color wheel.  Here are a few of their original color wheels.  

Each project was completed when it included an artist statement which was published with the work on Artsonia.  You can view our galleries here  and here. Now we are off and running in the art room and eager to create art in a variety of ways.  Hello new school  year!!!

My student is nominated for Artsonia Artist of the Week

I just received the news this morning that my student, Ryder714 has work being considered for Artist of the Week.  Please, let's give him a win!  Ryder is in Kindergarten.   Here is the link for voting: http://www.artsonia.com/aotw/vote/0/38517470    You can vote every day!  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a win for Ryder.

Common core connections - writing

In my district we are all about fulfilling the guidelines of the common core.  There is a big push on making connections across the curriculum as well.   When the year's PD plans called for integrating writing into all subject areas, it was a given that the specialist would be in attendance to determine how writing would become a part of their program as well.  Earlier this month, we spent an afternoon planning how to have students do opinion writing.  I immediately decided to present artist statements as opinion writing and approach my students with materials in hand for what I thought would be a 45 minute writing period.  Three weeks later, I grabbed the computer cart, wheeled it into the art room and supervised classes intensely typing extensive art statements into their Artsonia accounts. In reflection, this took a tremendous amount of time away from artistic creation.  I do see the value of making the connections and think the most important connection was to have students understand that what they do  in English class can easily carry over into the art room with their art writing.  By week three, most students were making connections and had gotten beyond resisting my request to write because we were in the art room.  We will continue to create regular artistic statements because the students really seem to enjoy writing about their art.  I hope we can scale back the process so that it doesn't take so much time away from valuable art making.  It is important for students to be able to talk about their art making and to develop a strong artistic vocabulary.  This is a valuable portion of the art making process.  I hope that those connections and writing will strengthen student skills in writing and in art making as they become more reflective about their own work.

Organic Shapes are really monsters!

After reading the book "Jeremy Draws a Monster" by Peter McCarty, students tore an organic shape out of lightweight paper.  I used some donated paper, the type with the pin feeds once used in printers.  Students were instructed to tear their paper by keeping thumbs close together to control the tear and by not looking so as to not plan the finished shape.  Students actively participated in making a list of what characteristics might determine the aspects of a monster.  From this list they began to plan ideas for their personal monster. Instead of beginning to create the monster immediately, they were encouraged to turn the shape around and over to visualize what might be hidden in their organic shape.  Monsters were created using markers with a focus for vivid color and detail.  When completed they were set aside as students designed a habitat for the monster.  These were drawn with crayon for added contrast to the colors of the markers.  Thought was given to the practices of the monster as the habitats were created.  Finally students answered a series of questions while reflecting on their monster to write an Artist Statement for their Artsonia exhibit.  Here are a few completed works.

Student Work

student work

student work

student work

Artsonia to the rescue!

With the new state evaluation in place, my biggest concern was parent communications.  Most of my communications I the past have been in the way of progress reports or casual conversations.  Really, how much do specialist have the opportunity to meet parents.  With 600+ students this has felt very overwhelming.  But, as I said before, Artsonia to the rescue!   Their newsletter feature is the best.  You can target specific grades or send a newsletter to your entire roster.  A blanket letter can included a small note that is also grade specific.  I now have a way to give background information concerning  the intended focus and outcome of projects.  I used to try writing a quick note on the back of completed works.  It was tedious and I often felt short of my desired outcomes.  With the newsletter, I have a way to communicate quickly and efficiently to as many parents as I would like to reach each month.  I now also have an email data base if I feel the need to contact specific parents.  I feel in the loop with the communication piece and know I am now able to meet that goal.

Learning to use Artsonia

creating an Artist Statement on the iPad

 I decided to use Artsonia in my schools this year after years of looking at it and feeling like it would just be too difficult to manage.  These start up days are pretty intense.  With 600 students to put into the system and parental permissions to enter along with art work, I feel like all of my time has been on Artsonia the  past two weeks.  I'm beginning to see the rewards.  Fourth grade students are in the process of completing projects.  There are always a few students who manage their time well and finish well ahead of everyone else.  I have set up the desktop in my room and my iPad so that students can go into the program and enter their own artist statements.  I covered all the expectations ahead of time with the entire group and even supplied a dictionary for checking the spelling of challenging words.  I have been truly impressed with the writing skills of this group.  They have really put a lot of thought into what they are saying and taken pride in their art and the process.

Using the desktop to add an Artist Statement on Artsonia

The Artsonia program is going to help me with many of the challenges put forth in our new teacher evaluation and my colleagues are impressed with the writing the students are creating in art class.  I'm feeling really positive about all of this.  If  you haven't looked into Artsonia for your school, you really should check it out.

Here is a sample of a student's statement:

When I do art I think of so many ideas. I do not know which idea to pick from. I love art so much and art is fun to. I think my art is inspiring to other people.If you do not think you can do it try and try hard until you think you are good like me. Thats what I feel when I am doing art.

New to Artsonia

Welcome Teachers to Artsonia is at the top of the opening page and it looks so inviting.  I decided to finally set up Artsonia accounts for both of my schools this year.  I'd be holding out on you if I didn't admit that it was a LOT of work to set it up.  But with the weekend of work behind me, all of my students are now in the system.  The permission slips have been sent home and I've downloaded about 40 pieces of 5th grade artwork.  I feel like now it is just wait and see and mostly I am hoping that the parents really do give permissions.

Here is what I like most about the system.   After I've downloaded the art, I can instantly tell whose work is missing.  I haven't graded anything, yet, but I can go into the exhibit to review work and grade them later.  Now if someone accidentally takes home a work, I have a copy of it to look at later and it's not lost.

I especially like the ability to send email newsletters to families to keep them up on what is happening in my classroom.  With the new push for parental communications, this feature should make my job easier.

Editing works and enhancements are a breeze.  Now I realize how everyone makes their student's work look so professional, I'm on board for that!

I'm sure I will spend more time downloading work but suspect I will become more efficient with the process with practice.  I did download the app for iPad and iPhone for multiple downloads.  It worked well.

To sum it all up,  I think this process will be a win-win and if the Art Room brings in money all the best!  Oh, and I only will have to add new students and the incoming Kinders next fall!