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.

Artistic Narratives - Introducing Norman Rockwell

student work

Fifth grade students are completing a unit on Norman Rockwell. The focus was on the narrative qualities of his work. The complete lesson plan is further down in this post. I wanted to share some of their completed work with you. For the 2nd half of the lesson, I will be coordinating with one of their classroom teachers where they will be writing the narratives to accompany their illustrations. We plan to post work outside of both of our classrooms. I will post illustrations with a QR code link to the written work. She will post the QR code link to the illustrations along with their written work. This will be a great way for both of us to document collaboration in the curriculum.

student work

student work

student work

student work

student work

student work

Artistic Narratives

Overview:  Fifth grade students will use artistic details to tell a narrative.  They will then follow-up by writing the story to accommodate the work of art. Creating art in the Regionalism style of Norman Rockwell. (1894-1978)

Objective: As an Artist -

      I can interpret or create a narrative depiction through art.

      I can write a narrative based on the artistic detail of my work of art.

                 I can create and understand the use of visual cues to tell a story.

Materials:  A variety of prints by the American Artist/Illustrator, Norman Rockwell

                  Pencil

                  9 x 12 white drawing paper

                  Medium of choice (crayons, markers, color pencils, watercolor…)

Week 1:  Background history on artist of choice, Norman Rockwell.  

Group analysis of a selected Norman Rockwell print with a focus on determining the narrative of the work and searching for the artistic details that contribute to the narrative.  If time: break into table groups to analyze an additional work for collaborate sharing.

Week 2: Create in the illustration style of Norman Rockwell.  Drawing first in pencil and remembering to add artistic details to enrich the narrative of the illustration.

Week 3-4: Continue to add two illustration with pencil if needed then using medium of choice begin to add color to the composition.

Week 4-5: Once illustration is completed, begin to write the accompanying narrative to tell the story of the work.  Use a dictionary, supplied, to check all spelling.  Look for good sentence structure and punctuation.  Story is minimally two full pages, hand written.  Once completed, publish both on Artsonia.

Rubric:

Refer to posted rubric in classroom to determine artistic development.

Bulletin Board for end of the year

This is the final bulletin board for the school year.  I had the 5th graders trace their hands one day at the beginning of class and just told them I needed some hands for something I was doing.  I cut them out and added first names to the wrist of each hand.  Kindergarten students then created kites.  Here is the quote:

You can't fly a kite unless you go against the wind and have a weight to keep it from turning a somersault. 

The same with man.

No man will succeed unless he is ready to face and overcome difficulties and is prepared to assume responsibilities.

-William J. H. Boetcker

Wishing all 5th grade students much success in Middle School as you fly your new kite.

The Kindergarten students were really excited to be making a bulletin board for the fifth graders.

Saige's hot air balloon project

     I've been beside myself all month wanting to post this blog but I have tried to be patient.  I'm so excited to finally share this with everyone.




     Recently our PTA president contacted me about a grant she had found on the American Girl Website.  The subject had to be hot air balloons.  I had recently pinned a work by David Kracov and knew instantly that this would be the inspiration for the project.  I began by researching the artist and learned that Kracov is a native of Boston and a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design.  This was terrific,  my students really engage when they find out about a current, living artist and this one was from our home state.  Kracov is an animator and a sculpture.  The work I had chosen as an inspiration is one of his metal works.
      Picking up the books about Saige helped me to gather a little American Girl history for the project.  The students, boys and girls really got caught up in the story of how Saige, a young girl from New Mexico, was upset when there was no Art program in her school and began a movement to start an after school art program.  This character could represent so many of my students and the disappointment they would feel at the loss of our art program.  Most of my students were alarmed to learn that some students really do not have an in school art program.  I think they appreciated me even more than normal!
      So the project:  I limited the participation to 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students.  Working with Art Foil, each student cut out the shape for the envelope of the hot air balloon.  Working together we analyzed the direction lines should be placed on the balloon to create a perspective and roundness for the balloons.  Students then detailed the balloon in a personal way and used sharpies to add color.  Magnet tape was added to the back of each balloon after twistee wire and construction paper were used to add a basket.  From here, this became an interactive collaborative project.  Students placed their balloon on a bulletin board that had been covered with a blue cotton background and white paper clouds.  After a photo was taken, all students of all grades had the freedom to rearrange the balloons in a new configuration.  Three digital images were taken for the grant application.  The balloons continually changed the entire time the bulletin board was up.
     The balloons were colorful, beautiful, original, and individual.  This was an exciting project.  If we hadn't run out of Art foil since it's so late in the school year, I'm sure everyone would have wanted to make their own balloon!