Another International Dot Day Project

 4th Grade students incorporated math concepts to create these radial symmetry projects.  Folding and fractions were reviewed as students first created a half circle then quarter circle and cut the circle to obtain four quarter circles to begin their project.  A stencil was created from a chosen 3, 4 or 5 letter word.  Concentration on negative space and it's placement helped to create a more interesting stencil.  The stencil was then traced 4 times to create the repeating design element.  Again, concentrating on negative and positive spaces, students used colored pencils to emphasize portions of their design that were repeating.  Here are a few completed student projects.

Trash Monster Buckets

A update on my sand pail trash buckets.  The custodian came in the other afternoon and ask me if I was really doing Art this year! : )  He was teasing me, naturally.  Custodians really can be our best buds!  His remark was based on the fact that my trash cans were consistently empty daily.   I explained my new procedure with table trash buckets.  I call them recycle buckets with the kids.  He was thrilled at how well the kids were taking to using the buckets and how successful we were being with recycling.  Hopefully this will be a continuing trend.

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!

Sketchbooks

I make sketchbooks with my 1st - 5th graders every year.   Inside the front cover is a list of assignments with full  instructions on completing them.  Most often, I leave the sketchbooks as an assignment when I have a substitute.  Students also use the sketchbooks as a go to when they finish a project earlier than anyone else.  Over the years I have given students the option of decorating their sketchbooks to their own liking as long as the illustration included their name prominently on the cover.  I am not always pleased with the effort the students put into the covers of their books.  I always hope to see something that they feel passionate about and often I see something they have rushed through just to get it done.  This year, after viewing many different pins on pinterest, I decided to approach the project in a new way by having the cover represent a review of concepts from the previous year.  Here are my new covers for 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade.

I plan to take the 4th and 5th grade sketchbooks in a new direction as well by perhaps having them design their own covers along the same format.

First, Second and Third Graders Dot Day Bulletin Boards

First grade students explored color mixing for International Dot Day this year.  Liquid watercolor in the primary colors was used with a dropper to create secondary colors on a coffee filter.  Here is is the bulletin board displaying all of the dots.

2nd and 3rd graders bulletin board for Symmetry and Asymmetry

3rd Grade Dots

These asymmetry dots were created by 3rd grade students for International Dot Day 2013.

Radial Notans

5th grade students observed International Dot Day this year by creating radial notans.  The emphasis was on negative and positive space.