ART for 1170

Students begin this lesson by learning about simple shapes and how simple shapes combined can create pictures. They use cardboard geometric shapes to trace their body form and then use oil pastels to add the color to their costumes. This looks just like her princess costume

Remember when Kindergarten was Kindergarten?  Not that I want this post to turn into, "Back in the days...., but it used to be about learning AND learning how to get along with others, keep our hands to ourselves, share, take turns, and PLAY? My heart goes out to our classroom teachers and the enourmous pressures to keep up and keep upping the test scores. However I am so sad to see groups and grade levels arriving at school or progressing through the lower elementary MISSING so many of these attributes. What gives? IMAGINATIVE PLAY! Seen by many as "play" time. You could insert in the quotes what some may think of as wasted time but I need to rally the wagons! Our students NEED time to use, create and explore their imagination.  The other day I had a particularly challenging group move from center to center investigating modeling clay, paper and simple shape stickers, blank paper and paint, blocks LOTS of blocks. It was beautiful to hear and see. Notice how they are...

In past years I have usually done a two day lesson on Mondrian. We paint large black lines across our body and then paint in primary colors the next lesson. This year I have a young (er) group of students and since it's only week 3 they are still learning procedures in the art room. I decided instead to discuss line in a different way. On top of that some wonderful staff member put a HUGE stack of precut strips of colored paper on my desk. I HAVE AN IDEA!   We discussed how lines can bend and fold and go over and under.  The students were so excited. I also tried out plastic containers with sponges soaked in glue.  Much less messy but make sure the sponges are just barely moist as water and glue make an adhesive that may not stick as well.  An update on the master's research...10 more weeks and I won't know what to do with the 20+ hours I will have to, oh I don't know, create ART!

Happy Valentines Day! Last week the kindergarten students made clay tiles. They used a paper cut heart to protect the center of their heart from the texture stamps they used around the perimeter. The students used their finger to outline the heart shape so it would show up better. Then they found their name on a tray of alphabet pasta to push into the center. We glazed in shades of red, pink and purple. For a final touch we added a red string to hang from the holes inserted with a straw prior to firing. I really like how they turned out.

  A kindergarten lesson I do every year. I decided at one school to have the students fill in the spaces with washable markers and then let the students use water to "Color" the space. At the other school I used Alphacakes and I definitely like the painted lesson much better.   TASTE OF CLARKSTON!!   My Boys enjoying the great food!

Oops, trying to get fancy with photo placement and it's not working. Anyway I am looking back on the last few lessons and the answer is YES, I am flower crazy this spring.  Kindergarten used Purple and yellow paint to create iris'.  They get to see first hand what happens when these complimentary colors mix and a review of symmetry.  We painted one side and then folded the prefolded paper so it prints on the other side, a magic moment for kinders. The next week we drew and then cut out the leaves and applied. We could have just drawn the stems and leaves but I felt we needed to practice more cutting. I do have another flower lesson to share soon. Stay tuned! and HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!

A different spin on the cherry blossom branches that I have done in the past.  I have so many students this year that attended the Early Childhood Young Fives so I don't want them doing the same lessons as last year and honestly I like to change things up, yep, that's my attention span too. So we used a straw to blow brown or black paint (depending on school and what I had), stamped yellow corks dipped in paint and then added tissue paper blossoms on top. I showed them how to twist a piece of tissue paper around an old pencil then dip in glue and TAdAAA...magic blossom! Seriously I think I got applause!

I usually spend some time in first grade talking about symmetry. This year I decided to start in kindergarten. We made symmetrical Butterfies and using liquid starch, attached tissue paper. The next week we cut out our butterflies and placed them on blue paper and then added details with crayons.

My kinders just LOVE when I give them a huge piece of paper. I showed them an image of a gumball machine. I was thinking I don't see many gumball machines around anymore but I remember when my mother let me wash out a glass mayonaise jar, load it with coins and do some gumball purchasing at the grocery store. I was about five. Okay, glass jar? Mom, what were you thinking? Yep dropped it in the meat dept. I still remember the look on the butcher's face. I was devasted and I'm sure he was thrilled to sweep up that mess. Anyway, we used huge cardboard circles and then we used sharpies to finish our machines.  Lots and lots of circles of gum in many colors. Not all of the machines were red but another teacher thought the blues ones were a magnifying glass. We used Alphacakes to paint.

I have seen this lesson on so many sites so I have no idea where the credit goes for first invention, so thanks to many.  I started this lesson with Kindergarten and realized how tracing our hands is tough. So I did something I rarely do and had first grade do the same lesson. I guess in 21st century terms we'll call it assessment.  I review tracing skills by reminding them to have their pencil pointing towards the ceiling to avoid martian hands. Then we discuss cool colors and decorate our hands with those colors and aim for patterns. The next week we talk about warm colors and create our hearts, cut them out and add to paper. This lesson covers about half a dozen skill points and they love them...so do I

Several posts back I talked about texture plates. I have never met a class that doesn't LOVE them. When I demonstrate how to use them I actually get applause, like a magician, it's too funny. Well the next class I bring out all the tops from liquid detergents that I have been begging for in newsletters, super thick cardboard wedges and anything I've saved for interesting printing.  I put out paints that won't turn muddy if mixed and have the students roam the tables experimenting with the stamps on their textures. We review printing techniques and I have the students stand up and HOP like a bunny or frog and then we do the "Twist" as a reminder not to rub or paint with their stamps. I believe my technical word is not to schwizzle.  I think this lesson is perfect for the beginning of the year when the students are so anxious to get back to painting. This is also a good lesson to bring up how much is TOO much. Know when to stop. Is your artwork becoming ove...