3rd Grade Weavers

Students learn about the art of weaving. After reviewing a brief history of weaving and how the technique is used today, they began their personal weavings. In some cases optical illusions were created as they wove.  This class wove twisted tissue into black construction paper.  

3rd Grade Students Learn About Analogous Color

Below you can see three different Analogous Color schemes. Analogous colors are colors that are related, in the same family. They are located next to each other on the color wheel. Many times, they can invoke a feeling or a mood to the artwork.  My students have been learning what analogous colors are and why artists might use them in their paintings or drawings.

First Grade Portraits

Portraits are always a fun project to do with 1st grade students as they learn about the proper proportion of the face. In these projects, students also learned about the medium of oil pastels. They experienced layering and blending them to create new colors.

2nd Grade Students on Warm/Cool

These students have been learning about warm and cool colors and how they can create EMPHASIS in works of art.

Empty Bowls are ready for delivery!

The After School Art students have molded and glazed our 48 bowls for the Empty Bowls Luncheon.  Now they are being packed up for delivery. What a wonderful way to teach about service and contribution to our community!

Monochromatic in Fourth Grade

My fourth grade classes are studying Monochromatic Color Schemes. This is a real mind bender for them as their palette is limited to ONE color, plus black and white (which, by the way, are not considered colors). This skill, of creating tints and shades of a color, takes some practice. You may see more examples coming soon!  This is really pushing their boundaries and brains!

Creating Alma Woodsey Thomas Eclipses

My second grade students worked on these abstract collages with a substitute. It turned out to be a wonderful project for them and for her, as well. They observed Alma Woodsey Thomas' Eclipse, talked about the work, observed how she used her color, and discussed what is meant by "eclipse". Then, they cut a black circle for their eclipse and began tearing warm and cool color construction paper for their radiated light. This was also a great time to review gluing techniques and teach RADIAL design!

Moving toward Choice Based Projects

I recently attended our State Conference and was in more than one workshop that focused on the movement in art education toward student choice learning.  That means that the student should have more input into the subject matter and/or medium that is used in their project.  I have been working toward allowing my students more choice in their projects, whether they have a choice of media which they can use or creating their own image within certain assigned parameters (which is personal choice and problem solving) .  Here students are working on still life drawings where they chose which art supplies they wanted draw as well as how they were arranged.  I am continuing to work on allowing more choice so students can truly own their work, as well as learn to make personal choices and solve visual problems with confidence.

Art in Everyday Life

My third grade students designed stamps, with my substitute, as part of a study of art in our everyday life. We are inundated with and respond to ART everyday from what clothing we will wear, homes we live in, games we play and even the stamps on our envelopes.  These students learned a little about the history of the stamp, how they started and how they have been designed throughout history. They were given the assignment to design their own stamp. These are a couple that were completed.

Kindergarten students are learning about PRIMARY Color

These cute little birds were a great way to teach a lot of little lessons to my kindergarten students. We practiced tracing circles, estimating space, how to paint correctly, experimented with different media,reviewed line and pattern, and, of course, we learned about The First Colors! Other kindergarten classes are doing the same thing but their circles are turning into fish, and teddy bears.

Art students working on Empty Bowls project

After School art class is starting off with a community project called Empty Bowls.  Here they are making bowls that will be given away as a fundraiser for the Food Bank.

Wonderfully hysterical story!

Got this for my birthday from my wonderful husband.  Soooo funny!

Back Already???

Time does fly when summer is here.  This year our theme is "There's no place like home".  My outside board is about getting kids to be courageous and be creative.  I hope they get it!  And just as the movie "The Wizard of Oz" goes from black and white to color, so does my board.

Art Professional Learning Community

Today all of my colleagues and I shared artwork, discussed how to review for assessment, and participated in soap carving.  Lots of fun.

Teaching Movement on Valentine's Day

These fifth grade students were in between lessons on Valentine's Day so it was a perfect day to teach about movement in art with hearts!

Art Walking

This is a wonderful exercise I learned to teach kids to talk about art.