Op Art

I got the idea for this project from Blick's Art Lessons. Please see directions on the link for instruction

This project is one that will be slightly revised by myself. It was a tuff project for many students to grasp, but once they got it, the results were AWESOME!

COVERED IN THIS LESSON

Op Art

Space

Shape

Pattern

Contrast

Marker usage

TIPS

I would have the students practice A.B. Patterns on a worksheet before beginning this project. The difficulties seemed to arise when the students had to move onto the next row. They did not understand what color went next. This is why practice is important.

Have students start in a corner and fill in each area by "snaking" around the paper to the next row. This cut down on confusion.

New Year, New Look

This school year the A.R. theme is "Wild About Reading"

so let's roll with it 

"Wild About ART"

It's a little hard to tell, but animal print is going to be everywhere!!

I will be working in my room this week. So expect to see more Art Room posts.

Name, Table, Code

To keep artwork in order I have every student put their 

Name

Table

Code

on the back of their artwork

This tells me that:

Zoey sits at the Blue table and she is in 2nd grade in Mrs. Duke's class.

The Name, Table, Code was taught to me by a Mrs. Pam Hickman that I student taught under. The Code is much easier and faster to write then the teacher's name. Especially for the younger grades. It is also wonderful to be able to tell exactly where each piece of artwork belongs. This is especially true at "Art Show" time! 

Students will write only their 1st name on the bottom right hand corner of their artwork after it is finished.

Students also have their own portfolio. They label their portfolio with their Name and Code. Not the table, as I like to move students around throughout the year.

Gingerbread Houses

It is so important for the younger grades to keep working on those fine motor skills. And what better way to do that then with Collage! I begin this project after Thanksgiving. It's not a "Christmas" project but an awesome winter project!

 

by 1st grader Mason

SUPPLIES NEEDED

12"x18" white paper

1- 9"x12" piece brown construction paper cut in half for each student

(house and roof)

many other colors of construction paper 

 (I let my kids dig through the "scrap box" for this project.)

Elmer's glue

pencil

construction paper crayons

DISCUSS

What collage is and show an example

I show a slide show of Gingerbread houses to peak their interest and then ask what we will be making today.

This year I would love to find a great book to read for this project! Any suggestions?

DEMO

Gluing!! I teach my students to use "Baby dots" spread apart and not right on the edge

I teach that when you create a collage you need to glue down the background (what is in the back) 1st!

How to make your gingerbread house

1. use your two brown pieces of construction paper to make the house

Glue down one for the house

Cut a triangle out of the other one for the roof, glue and put above the house

I tell students that their roof can look different from mine but they have to make it out of the other piece of brown paper.

2. Go through the scrap box and find papers for: windows, doors, people, trees, decorations, etc.

I call one quite table at a time to go to the box :)

3. Draw what you want to put on your house first, then cut it out

4. Flip it over and glue it down so the pencil marks don't show

5. draw, cut out, and glue down what will go beside the house

6. Finally, use construction paper crayons to complete your collage

Clay Stuff

As a 1st year teacher I was scared to start my clay lessons. I worked with clay in High School, at college, and have even worked a weekend job with "The Clay Lady". But I had never fired in the Kiln by my self. 

I have found that Danielle McDaniel's "How to teach clay the Clay Lady way" of teaching suited me perfectly.

"The Clay Lady Way enables your artist to make and decorate in one sitting thus completing the project in one class." - D.M. And for my firing worries, "the biggest advantage to the Clay Lady Way ~ there is only one firing per project load, thus enabling a 7-10 day turn-around on projects. The Clay Lady Way of firing guarantees no blow-ups!"

Check it out for yourself! A teacher in-service is also offered once a year in September!

www.theclaylady.com

4th grade fish

3rd grade fish 

 

4th grade fish

3rd grade "Art Enrichment" Giraffe mask

 This is a picture of 5th grade turtles after the "one time firing method". Now don't worry, the little pieces you see in the kiln are legs that a few students accidentally broke off of their turtles before firing. I fired the legs anyway and I glued them on with E6000!!