Simple Display System

I've implemented a student artist of the week program at my schools over the past three years. In addition to a certificate and having their work added to our Artsonia online art gallery, this year the students will also have their work on display in the classroom for the week. With 12 sections at this particular school I had to find a simple way to switch out the art quickly. Using thumbtacks and binder clips I think I have my answer. I also display the boards in chronological order (which helps me get the work up and down and back into the right folder faster. Each class has their homeroom teacher name at the bottom and I use the grade level color code for the background color to help the students easily find it. Simple. Inexpensive.

And yes, I totally realize how lucky I am that my 6' cabinets are all covered in bulletin board material. I highly recommend that as well!

Art Class - by the book

In first grade I've been trying to connect lessons in a meaningful, sequential way. We started the first class Reading Peter Reynold's "The dot" which we followed up on our next lesson with the book "When a line bends, a shape begins." They will soon be reading the book "Spookly the Square Pumpkin" as we talk about shape and form.


Since I share buildings I've started purchasing a few books as iBooks. One of my classrooms is set up for reading, with a nice carpeted area, and the other isn't. I like that I can project the pictures large enough for all to see without moving. I do miss turning the pages and the up close feeling of reading to the class.

In-spidered- by Mondrian

Last year I tried the Mondrian Spider web lesson with first grade and it was pretty successful. This year I decided to add a powerpoint to teach the students more about the De Stijl artists. Presented it for the first time today and it went really well.

Here's a snap-shot of the powerpoint I made:

They also did a little practice worksheet today as a group. We talked about composition, what is and isn't part of De Stijl aesthetic. Then they had to draw a tree using those parameters. I had them do a horizon line, a vertical for the tree, then as many branches as they wanted and finally adding square "leaves." I kind of like this a little better than the spider web, but since I had them do it small on scrap paper....that idea goes into next year's idea bank. They will create spider webs next week.

This item for sale on TpT. Now you don't need to spend an hour this weekend making your own powerpoint!