Sunday, December 26, 2010
Tis the Season.. for Great/Cheap Art Prints!!!
I googled Barnes and Noble coupon codes and got a few extra bucks off too (and free shipping of course)!!!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Marshmallow Prints
I made sure to save extra marshmallows for eating too!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Christmas Cubism… with Tints and Shades
![100_5652 100_5652](http://lh3.ggpht.com/_CEfBQIMejcs/TQzbvlIQMmI/AAAAAAAAAMg/CMUs6oXMHsg/100_5652_thumb%5B14%5D.jpg?imgmax=800)
I really was happy with this lesson. My students learned important concepts, while making a fun Christmas project. I got this idea for this lesson from the blog Kids Artists and adapted it for my 2nd graders.
1) We briefly talked about Cubism and Pablo Picasso.
2) We used rulers to draw a large triangle on 12x18 paper. We then added a trunk and star. Next we used the ruler to break the picture into different segments.
3) We went over our pencil lines with black oil pastel.
4) Then we began to paint. I introduced the students to the words tint (adding white to a color) and shade (adding black). We also reviewed how to make green. I gave each table a plate with yellow and blue. They mixed green and painted a section of their tree. Then I gave them a dab of white paint to make their first tint. They painted another section. We continued this process until we made 4 tints. The next class we continued this process but made shades. Then we repeated the process with red.
5) In the final step we used oil pastels to decorate the tree. I also had students go back over some of their black lines. This project took 3 class periods.
![100_5654 100_5654](http://lh4.ggpht.com/_CEfBQIMejcs/TQzbwgnx9SI/AAAAAAAAAMo/EfIe_YvlHTk/100_5654_thumb%5B20%5D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![100_5653 100_5653](http://lh3.ggpht.com/_CEfBQIMejcs/TQzbxYb5-MI/AAAAAAAAAMw/zE0exafXWg8/100_5653_thumb%5B18%5D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![100_5655 100_5655](http://lh6.ggpht.com/_CEfBQIMejcs/TQzbyS1MsqI/AAAAAAAAAM4/TOlZXbXOxck/100_5655_thumb%5B14%5D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![100_5656 100_5656](http://lh4.ggpht.com/_CEfBQIMejcs/TQzbzGfXBUI/AAAAAAAAANA/TIcozjpvz-M/100_5656_thumb%5B15%5D.jpg?imgmax=800)
In the future I think the kids would like to had sequence for ornaments. I also hope to get them done in time to hang them in the hallways. Live and learn!
Friday, December 17, 2010
A Special Surprise!!!!
![100_5658 100_5658](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_CEfBQIMejcs/TQvN8z2KmFI/AAAAAAAAAMY/DR9VCiJQ2wc/100_5658_thumb%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800)
Monday, December 13, 2010
Egyptian Profiles…
![100_5549 100_5549](http://lh6.ggpht.com/_CEfBQIMejcs/TQYMS_E4JTI/AAAAAAAAALY/PqlsjIf83v0/100_5549_thumb%5B7%5D.jpg?imgmax=800)
Egypt is always a fun art topic. The kids seem to enjoy learning about Egyptian history. I like telling them about the mummification process. This year with 4th grade we created Egyptian Profiles.
![](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51gYhnRsuxL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg)
First, on 18x24 paper I traced each student’s silhouette using the overhead as my light source. While I was working with each student, the rest of the class had an Egyptian packet to work on (draw a mummy case, how to write in hieroglyphics, ect…).
Next, we drew in the face together. We looked at Egyptian pictures and discussed how the eye often appears to be a front view even though it is a profile. Then I demonstrated different headdresses and students added their choice. We also added a collar.
Then we began to paint. We used a set of multicultural colored paints for the face and hair. The rest of the colors where mixed with Pearl It and or Glitter It Crayola mediums.
![100_5559 100_5559](http://lh6.ggpht.com/_CEfBQIMejcs/TQYMT9WEmJI/AAAAAAAAALg/uqdrOZn4RFQ/100_5559_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![100_5560 100_5560](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_CEfBQIMejcs/TQYMVBLC-4I/AAAAAAAAALo/SVnQNLdxOLM/100_5560_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![100_5558 100_5558](http://lh4.ggpht.com/_CEfBQIMejcs/TQYMVwUqA4I/AAAAAAAAALw/0Kbl6Z6qQqM/100_5558_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
When I have a few extra minutes, I like to share this SNL video. The kids enjoy the silly song and dancing by Steve Martin.
Saturday Night Live - King Tut - Video - NBC.com
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Our “Ugly Dolls” photo-shoot
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Gingerbread House Drawings...
I have to admit I do enjoy adding some festive lessons plans into my curriculm. The students enjoy them, and they tend to fit well in the art schedule right before break. Here are a few cute gingerbread houses my 1st graders created.
We started by drawing a house together. I then showed pictures of gingerbread houses and we discussed what to add to their houses. The students used color sticks and construction paper crayons to colors their houses (I showed a demo on how well theses materials work on back paper in comparison with regular crayons. The kids are always amazed). On the next day they added “frosting” of white paint, to finish their pictures.
This little girl was absent on the first day we drew our houses, but I love what she came up with on her own. Very creative!
Paper Molas in Elementary and Middle School..
This year is 3rd grade we are studying the art of different cultures. Each student has a Passport (which I will share soon), and they fill it out every time we study a new culture. We recently learned about fabric Molas, and the Kuna people who create them. The Kuna people live off the coast of Panama on the San Blas Island.
When teaching about Molas, I like to use the video “Paper Molas” with Peggy Flores. This video demonstrates how to create two types of Paper Molas. The first method involves an x-acto knife (I used razor blades wrapped in tape) and is subtractive. The second method uses scissors and is additive. This year my 3rd graders used the scissors method. As seen in the pictures above. Below are examples from my 7th graders who used the subtractive method.
![100_3629 100_3629](http://lh3.ggpht.com/_CEfBQIMejcs/TQF9IDOVZGI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/zeAHYk8UJkw/100_3629_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800)
Monday, December 6, 2010
Warm Mittens in the Cold Winter
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Working with Rizzi…
In my previous posts on James Rizzi, I have shared a few lessons my students created. Luckily, learning about Rizzi did not end there. I was able to contact Rizzi’s Representative Henry Welt and share the work my students had done. One day I received a package in the mail with a book, and this lovely letter by James Rizzi himself.
I was giddy and so were the kids. We eventually made our own letters and sent them to Rizzi. It was a wonderful experience!
I am still in communication with Henry Welt, and he is excited to hear that other art teachers are using Rizzi’s artwork in their art classes. He has told me that he is interested in seeing what teachers are doing with their students. We are hoping to accumulate all different Rizzi lessons. If you have ideas and pictures you would like to share, please link to this blog or contact Henry Welt.
James Rizzi seems to be passionate about the art of children. He is even in the process of creating a future book/toy. Let me know your thoughts? What would you like to use in your classroom? Do you or would teach kids about the work of James Rizzi ?
More Rizzi Inspired Art…
This is a simple lesson I taught to my 1st graders. I only spent one 50 min. class on this project. In retrospect, I would have taken two days. I think the results would have been better.
Step 1: We looked at pictures of James Rizzi’s silly buildings (as I call them)
Step 2: Each chose a colored piece of paper and cut it into an interesting building shape. Some students made a pop out door. They glued their building on a 9x12 piece of black paper.
Step 3: We added details using construction paper crayons (I first demonstrate how these crayons work on black paper compared to regular crayons. The kids are always amazed.)
Step 4: Lastly, I gave the students sequence and foam shapes to add to their buildings.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Candy Boxes in 2-Point Perspective
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Mouse Paint....Learning about Color
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOx4FNHOyIa9fpcFNar1tro5OJD0KLPZAI2GB3mPMZY0_qHi2oUH68YLBmQUJn1XZIMEDyoykBFXurqFdVWiO2M3ta8-IG76QPFJPRrMm341CHg8WRjXDwNjYlVzD-E6a_EbM5ROHhXM/s400/Mousepaint.jpg)
Day one: We start by reading the story and discussing primary and secondary colors. Then we add circles of the primary colors on white 12x18 paper. The we mix the secondary colors and add circles. Then I let the kids mix all the colors together to get brown.
Day two: We use black sharpie and turn our circles into little mice. We then add extras like cheese, paint buckets and the cat. We finish by adding crayon. I like how this student colored the background.