Organic Shaped Monsters

Student Work - Flower Monster

I have been trying to come up with a color mixing project for my students using model magic for a while.  I have made pumpkins for many years with 1st and 2nd grade students but wanted something else that would connect with my curriculum for students a bit older.  After a unit on Organic Shapes where students tore paper to create a shape and then turned it into a monster, (here it is) I had a light bulb go off.  What if I followed up with a sculptural project that revisited the organic shape, this time in 3D?  An so...this project was born.  It worked great to reinforce learning and the kids loved it.   My only expectations were for them to make their monster's body using a secondary color, they had to mix it using two primary colors, and that the monster's body was an organic shape. These are made with Crayola Model Magic.

Student Work - So many teeth!

Student Work - Sooo many eyes!

Here are some more of the fabulous creations by 2nd grade students.

Student Work - Monster with a Bow

Student Work - Orange monster

Jasper Johns interpretation by 5th grade

 "Alphabet" by Jasper Johns was the piece used for inspiration.  

At a recent professional day experience, our group shared ideas for printmaking.   One of my colleagues shared a variation of this project.  She had planned the project as a color mixing experience for Kinders.  With a twist, I introduced it to 5th grade students who totally enjoyed the color review and the opportunity to add individualized touches to their work. 

Week one student were given tempera colors in the primaries and instructed to paint all the colors of the color wheel.  They were further told they could not mix colors on their pallets but instead had to mix right on the painting surface.  There were not specific instructions as to how the finished work should appear, only that it should be non-representational.

Week two students used tempera in the fluorescent primary colors to mix secondary colors and print using bubble wrap.  They did the mixing right on the bubble wrap.  Very messy, but they all seems to really enjoy the bubble mixing process. (Paint one primary on each end of a strip of bubble, fold and rub the two ends together to mix.)  At this step, they reviewed show colors "work" off one another and were reminded that complementary colors seem to "pop" when used together.  Personal choices were made as to where to place the different color prints.  As they completed this step, drawing paper was used along with any left over paint to practice painting letters and numbers using a flat paint brush.

Week three began with additional practice with the paint brush if students felt it would be beneficial.  They moved on to adding letters and numbers to their paintings.  I was delighted with the variety and the enthusiasm as students moved through this project.

3D Color Mixing Pumpkins

Color Mixing Pumpkins

I have done this project with my 2nd grade students for a number of years but felt I wasn't making the strong Math connections that I wanted.  I was motivated to create a template for the project where students could more closely be involved in the measuring of the clay  to make clearer connections.  Here is the template I created.   I made enough copies so each child would have their own and ran them through the laminator.  It can be used like a place mat to actually do the work on.

First I measured out the red, yellow and blue model magic clay for each student.

I use scissors to cut the individual pieces.

Measure off pieces and mark in the clay

Use a ruler to connect the marks

I used the side of the ruler to connect the dots and mark the cutting lines

Blue pieces are much smaller

I began by handing out the three colors of clay that were needed:

The place mat ready to begin

First step, mix red and yellow 1" pieces together.  Add in an extra piece
of red that measured 3/4" x 1/4".  This gave a red-orange
color for the pumpkin.

I conducted this project as a directed activity, walking them through each step, one step at a time.

Next the brown for the stem was formed by mixing the very small
pieces of yellow, red, and brown. 1/4" x 1/4"  The 3/4" by 1/4"
yellow and blue were mixed to make the leaves.

Placed on a tray with student's names until they are dry
enough to write on the bottom with a sharpie

Kindergarten Formative Assessments

Student Project

How do you determine baseline levels for your new incoming students?  For years I have been using this project as my initial assessment of student skills.  I tell my students it is a "follow the leader draw".  As educators we call it a directed lesson.  As I begin the lesson I determine student understanding of line names such as horizontal, vertical and diagonal.  Some usually are familiar but not necessarily comfortable with the words.  I have students draw with their "magic pencils" (index fingers) in the air in front of them as I say the word for the line and then they repeat it back.  We do this for several repeats as they draw first horizontal lines from edge to edge of the paper, followed by vertical lines and finally a few diagonal lines.  Next we embark on the primary colors and shapes.  The lesson might go: color a rectangle red.  I would ask someone to tell me what a rectangle might look like before they color.  A square could be blue or yellow and the final color would be a triangle.  Each time someone shares what the shape should look like so that all students are able to identify the shape they should be coloring.  Secondary colors are introduced by combining the primary colors.  "What will happen when we mix red and yellow?"  This happens for all three secondary colors as more shapes are colored and circles are drawn and colored.  The entire lesson involves active student participation in the discovery with much repetition of words and concepts.  As they work I am constantly taking in the process and looking for struggling students and competent students.  As we all know, there is a huge discrepancy in skills with incoming Kindergartens some years.  This lesson really gives me an overview of what I need to focus on and whether students have already mastered basic skills due to PreK exposure or home involvement.

Student Project

Back to School with International Dot Day Projects

We just completed our first week of school, 2 1/2 days with the students and we are off and running with projects for International Dot Day.  My teaching focus for this year will be writing artist statements using great artistic vocabulary and connecting and understanding the Elements of Art.  My older classes experienced a few AHa moments as we reviewed the elements of art and reflected on how our art making projects had incorporated multiple elements throughout their years. The students caught on as they began to remind me of their favorite projects and what they had done to represent the various elements.  The big one was Form and the realization their clay projects from previous years were classified as forms. I planned to have each grade connect to the elements in a conscience way with their "Dot" compositions.  The one on the left is from a fourth grade student.  The assignment was to demonstrate space in their composition.  We review past concepts of placement on the page, overlap and size to show space.  The small works (4" x 4 1/2) were then framed in a swirly frame as in the book "The Dot" by by Peter H. Reynolds.
I will share other projects as they are completed.  Fifth grade students are being challenged to create a composition that will reflect three of the Elements.  They will then write an artist statement defending their choices and explaining why they chose the Elements.  Third grade students are creating a dot based on something they might have experienced during the summer based on the dot shape.  I was particularly amused by some of the ideas they came up with for their dot.  I will share when they are completed, you must see the ferris wheel!  Second graders have turned their dot into a symmetrical image reflecting positive and negative spaces as they practiced effective use of scissors.  First grade classes have analyzed color mixing, some by creating a dot only colored with the primary colors and others by designing an original color wheel.  They used the primary colors to mix the secondary colors on the wheel.  I am hoping to have bulletin boards full of dots by September 15th for International Dot Day and prior to Meet the Teacher night.

Kindergarten color mixing and cutting practice

A good example of the orange, green and brown from mixing the colors

 Color mixing and cutting skills are a big focus for Kindergarten students.  Although many come to Kindergarten having developed skills in the use of scissors, many have never used them and must be taught even the most basic of skills, like how to hold them correctly to even manipulate them to work.  I few years ago, I created this simple pumpkin shape to use for a color mixing lesson.  Any medium can be used for completion but I prefer to use a pressed crayon or art stick that will blend easily.  I have used this lesson in October and turned the pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern or often save it for November for a

This student didn't quite color enough to produce a rich color finish

Thanksgiving pumpkin.  Students begin by coloring the entire thing with a yellow color.  I pick that up and hand them a blue one which is used to color the leaves and stem only.   Finally they trade the blue for a red which is used to color the stem and the pumpkin body while avoiding the leaf areas.  Using the colors sideways to make a broad stroke increases the opportunity for the colors to blend well.  Finally, is cutting practice as students cut only on the dotted line to produce the finished pumpkin shape.  

October and it's Pumpkin Time!

Ruby's pumpkin with multiple stems

David's Pumpkin with long stem

Codey's pumpkin with cylinder stem

This is one of the favorite projects for my 2nd grade students each year.  The purpose of the lesson is to review color mixing and the lesson touches on Math connections as well.  Students are given a piece of red model magic about 1 1/2" x 1/2" and they are to divide it into three sections.  A similar section of yellow model magic is divided in the same way.  Students take 2/3 of the red clay and 2/3 of the yellow clay and mix them together to discover they are making orange clay.  It is formed into a ball and a toothpick is used to slightly indent the clay to make the pumpkin ridges.  The pumpkin ball is slightly flattened on the bottom to keep it from rolling around.  The remaining red and yellow pieces of clay are divided into two halves.  A very small piece of blue clay is handed out and divided in half.

Emma's pumpkin with stretched stem

Students combine 1 of the blue pieces with one of the yellow pieces to form a green piece of clay.  This is rolled into a cylinder.  The ends of the cylinder are slightly pointed and flattened a small amount.  The toothpick is again used to add details to what will now form the leaves.  The remaining clay is mixed to form a brown for the stem.  Colors will vary depending upon how large or small students have made the sections of clay as they divided.  The brown is rolled into a cylinder for a stem and them stretched if desired to make it look more like the stem of a pumpkin.  

September 15 - International Dot Day!

Finally my students began their Dot Day projects on Wednesday.  Many of them were too wet to photograph.   Here are a few to share.  The older students will be posted later when there are some completed projects.

1st grade "Dots" in the dry rack

A few dry 1st grade dots

First grade students used pipers and liquid watercolor in the primary colors to create their dots after a reading of  "The Color Kittens" by Margaret Wise Brown.  The purpose was to create the secondary colors in a tye dye effect.  Some students delighted in the mixing and created a secondary color dot.

Second grade students created symmetrical dots using the primary colors and tempera paint.  The dots used for both projects were coffee filters.

2nd grade symmetrical dots