My students LOVE my Classroom Friendly Sharpener!

If you haven't tried out the terrific sharpeners from Classroom Friendly Supplies, you are missing out on the best sharpener on the market.  Most of the time, I use it and sharpen all the pencils for my students but it is so easy that even my third grade friend here on the left can use it with ease.  Not to mention the fact that all my students are eager to give it a try.  It does such a great job that I have completed stopped using my electric sharpener.  It chews up the pencils; my classroom friendly sharpener sharpens them to an amazing point.  Check out the bottom photo for that image.  I especially like the ease of removing the cutting blades to easily clean out broken tips.  I chose not to mount mine, keeping it sitting on top of my desk instead.  When a student's pencil breaks, I grab my sharpener and take care of it right at their table.  It's amusing how fascinated they are to see a crank sharpener.  "That is the coolest sharpener" rings through my room daily.  If you haven't been lucky enough to test one of these out, head on over to the Classroom Friendly site and grab one for your classroom by clicking here.  There are lots of colors to chose from to mesh with your own color preferances or classroom motifs.  Next on my wish list is a purple one!!!

Observational drawing from a Fall Still Life.

Fourth grade students have been working on their observation skills as they drew a still life.  I often question myself as to whether this is too hard for a 4th grader but based on the results this year, I think they are definitely up for it.  I was really pleased with many of the results.  They were challenged to focus on shadows, colors and laying down their color in a way to add the illusion of dimension to their work.  For their first attempts at this type of work, I think they did really well!

Massachusetts Fall Conference

Impressionist style art by a 5th grade student

For the first time ever, I will be presenting along with a colleague, at our states fall conference next weekend.  I have done this type of thing before, just not in my art world.  Needless to say, I have put a lot of thought and hours into preparing for next Saturday morning.  Our theme is Classroom Hacks.  At first, I felt a little stumped with what I could bring to our presentation.  I wasn't sure I really did anything that would qualify as a classroom hack.  Not to mention the added fact that I am an avid Pinterest follower so I was concerned about presenting ideas that everyone has already seen because the market is so saturated.  I began first by making myself a list.  What exacting did I do that might be worthy of sharing with other people and also have a bit of originality to it?  I began incorporating some Reggio methods to my Kindergarten curriculum this fall and had attempted to create stations with little to no out of pocket expense so that seemed like a good place to start.  Before I have ventured very far, I had filled a full paper with ideas of methods I use in my classroom that I could consider hacks.  I realized that many of my ideas had come initially from Pinterest but, as is usual for me, I had taken them in other directions to make them work more effectively for my personal needs.  So, I guess I am ready.  Since some of you just might be in my session next week, I won't let any of the hacks leak right now but I will share with your after next weekend.  If you haven't signed  up for the Massachusetts Fall Conference, I think you still have a day or two left to sign up and join us.  I hope to see some of you in North Adams this weekend.  You will have access to Mass MOCA, The Clark Art Museum, William's College Art Museum and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.   Be sure to say "HI" if we cross paths.  See you there!!!!

What October looked like in the Art Room

1st grade Piet Mondrian

4th grade Observational Drawing of a Harvest Still Life

5th Grade 1 pt Perspective Review

3rd Grade Dia de los Muertos Mask

2nd grade 3D color mixing pumpkins

Kindergarten - What I saw when out Trick or Treating

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.

Kindergarten with Reggio Emilio

I have to be honest, I don't really understand the attraction to a light box.  When  taking an AOE class this past summer, my research often referenced the light box.  I knew I didn't have the funds to invest in a retail model so I went to pinterest in search of a DIY one and put one together a few weeks ago at minimum cost.  This week I introduced it to Kindergarten classes and sat back to observe the process.  It really is a mystery to me, the attraction to the light.  But, my students took right to it.  I even had to put it away in one class because they weren't yet ready to share.  I was able to gather up some cast off colored disk and teddie bears from a retiring teacher last spring that I supplied for the students to use for manipulative s.  I also cut some animal shapes out of colored transparent dividers.  Here are some photos of my students at work.  Can anyone share their personal expertise or experiences to help me utilize the light box better?  For now, I'm just letting students freely experiment and create in the Reggio style.  Please...comments!