Panther Pride

 

This is a clay project I do with my 2nd graders.  I have the students roll out a slab for the face and trace a template that I made out of cardboard.  Then they cut out the small triangular nose to be attached later.  When everyone is ready, I draw a large panther face on the white board and the kids follow along, copy cat style, for the details of the face.  Once we are done with this we use a marker cap to put a circle in the eye and attach the nose.  We can finish these in one 50 minute class.  Glazing will take another 50 minute class after firing.

 

 

 

 

Eric Carle's Mr. Seahorse

Eric Carle's Mr. Seahorse

Here is our seahorse from the Eric Carle series we are working on.  We used Portfolio oil pastels, which are also water soluble.  As you can see, that is why there is smudging on the white paper.   I LOVE this product, but it is hard for students to control.   I like to introduce it in small ways such as this, so that they can get a feel for how it works.  I also notice that just the oil pastel residue on the kids fingers takes some adjusting to as well.  

Eric Carle's The Mixed Up Chameleon and The Grouchy Ladybug

Here is the second installment of Eric Carle inspired art by my Kinder and First graders.  I read a different book for each day and the students artwork was based on the chosen title.  On art pieces such as these (more complicated shapes), I draw the image on the back of the paper, and let them do the cutting for the larger or more difficult parts.  Because of the large number of students in the classroom (up to 24 in a 50 minute class), this helps us move through the projects more quickly, and lets them focus on their cutting skills.

 

 

 

Eric Carle's A House for Hermit Crab

Here is Kinder and 1st grade pictures inspired by A House for Hermit Crab.  I wish we would have had time to add all the extras, just like in the book.  But, because we are trying to wrap up so much other stuff I decided to stop here.  It has taken us 2 1/2 days to complete these, which is good considering all the cutting and pasting.

 

 

 

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Author/Illustrator Study with Eric Carle

 I think everyone can agree that Eric Carle is a must do in the art room.  So much fun to paint and add layers of color and texture.  There are always smiling faces and lots of extra hugs as they leave the artroom on these days.  This is when I hear over and over again, "when I grow up...I want to be an art teacher"! 

Our beautiful painted papers! Each class takes a base color and then each table adds various colors on top.  I will show off the art work very soon.

Honor Hearts

I do honor hearts each year with my 5th graders.  Clay is one of my personal favorites, but I do find it difficult to teach.  Like so many others, I have very little storage space.  Plus, the back to back classes make it difficult to change out projects.  So when one class does clay, we ALL do clay, all 680 of us.  It is exhausting...then the firing starts.  But when it is all said and done, I start forgetting the extra hours I put in for these beautiful little clay pieces of art.  Here are some, fresh out of the kiln.  I suspect there will be some very happy Moms on Mother's Day!

Layering with Lines

Layering with Lines

This is a two day project, and the color palette is very simple, just primary with black and white.

The first day they choose their background color, which is an 12 by 18 sheet.  Next, they selected their next layer color, which was a 12 by 12 square, they chose one line to cut (straight, wavy, zigzag).  They then chose a 12 by 9 paper, this time they chose a line to cut, but could not repeat the prior cut.  When they were done laying out their cuts on their background paper they selected paper for spirals, straight line, and dotted line.  They had lots of possibilities for laying out their work and the kids actually, did a lot of experimenting on their different options before making it permanent.  Lots of good discussion on this project! Day two landed in different places for different groups. This was done by my 2nd and 3rd graders.

 

Demonstration

Have them move things around until they find the composition they like best.

Hardest part is cutting the spirals apart.

VIP Day

Sorry school...today I was needed elsewhere.   A very important person required I be there for her.  It seems I am missing her grow right before me.  Just a year ago you were in the hospital, and we had just learned that you would have heart surgery.  That is over and done with, and look at you now!  Heart surgery success, check, feeding tube gone, check... sitting, crawling, standing, check. Walking and talking, not yet, but we'll tackle that too.  For all the Mommies that work, remember work is just that, work.  For the working moms that are teachers, we give and give for all those sweet children at school, but remember to make time for your own, we are their teacher as well, and we need to teach them that they are the MOST important of ALL!  Plus you will be a better teacher to those sweet babies at school when you balance your life, family first!

(Don't worry, no secrets here, my principle knows that today I had to spend a day with Lucy.)

Keith Haring

 

Keith Haring

Kinder, First and Second graders just wrapped up their Keith Haring projects.  We started out with this book, I wish I didn't have to sleep! 

Beside each of the picture there is 5 or 6 remarks from kids about the work.

 

 

These turned out to be a 3 day project. The first day we drew out our first person, cut it out and glued to the background. On day two we did the same and had time to cut out shapes.  Day three we finished cutting the shapes and outlined all of the construction paper people and shapes with sharpie.