Covering for Common Planning Time

 This year's schedule looks a little different in my elementary art room.  Because we lost one class in our schedule; we now cover a class each week on a rotating basic.  This allows the classroom teachers a bit of common planning time.  We were given the freedom to handle this extra class time in any way we felt worked better for our curriculum.  After some thought, I knew I didn't want to just continue with the current lesson as that would put that class ahead of the others.  I stumble across a great idea on Art of Education and immediately implemented it for this one time a week space in my schedule.  Here is the link to the article on Art of Education.  Now students are given the opportunity to explore careers that are supported by the Arts.  My students love the freedom to explore on their own and it's a great way to not disrupt my curriculum and instead to enhance it.

Most classes have only visited one time so far this school year and at 

most I will probably see them only twice.  Each time they come, it is fresh and new as they experience a new station.  I have set up six stations.  I initially was afraid too many students might be drawn to the iPad station or the Architect station but have found they are eager to experience them all.  I am evolving with this as well as I think of new ways to build the stations through supplemental materials.  For instance, I just purchased a Sphero ball to attempt so coding and drawing.  I also have one of those cute little trucks that follows a drawn line.  I should mention that I only use the stations for 1st-5th grades,  for Kinders I pull out some manipulations for a bit of Reggio play.  You can see post about my use in the classroom in previous post on my blog like here and here.

 Take a look at the AOE article and explore how you might implement these stations into your art room as well. 

Lego Architect

Lego just might be the "building blocks" for a future in the arts.  Check out this video showcasing the Lego collection of a Seattle Architect.  He still builds some pretty amazing things with Legos as well as designing the real thing.   I have used Lego in the classroom for printmaking but don't have any available for building.  The main reason is I don't want to be picking them up off of the floor.  I am wondering if I shouldn't stop into some tag sales this summer and see if I can't pick up some discarded sets for next year.  Maybe I have a future Architect in one of my elementary classes.  I do have wooden blocks in my classroom that are appealing to both the boys and the girls.  They have access to them on free art days although they could also be used for stations.  Does any one use Legos or blocks for your curriculum?  Share out if you do!