Well, actually, kindergarten will be coming to me.
Another year, another change. I will be leaving one of my elementary schools and starting at another new school next year. This school has a full-day kindergarten, so the students will have art. My first step to preparing for this big change was to take a closer look at the new visual art standards, specifically the kindergarten performance standards. We have also been informed that after this year, our fifth graders will be coming back to elementary from the middle school, so the following year I will have K-5. I figured while I'm updating my checklists, I'd just start planning everything with the K-5 mindset.
If a free K-5 checklist and condensed at-a-glance printable is helpful to you, feel free to download it over on TpP. There are four different versions with varying degrees of info included. Enjoy!
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Scavenger Hunt
The last week of class. Kind of a mixed bag. Passing back work, wrapping things up. I usually reserve the last week as a "free choice" day for classes that earn the reward and a catch up day for those that don't. In talking to my classes this year, the older students asked if there would be an art contest. Last year, they played the circle game and they wanted to do it again. I told them I would come up with something, but it would not be a circle game.
And so it began. The art room scavenger hunt. They had to find examples of colors, shapes and textures and draw them. Great way to review what they've learned and keep them quiet. Yes, I bribed the winner with something from the prize box to discourage them from working (talking loudly) together. The prizes? My extra samples from clay demonstrations. Yes. Crafty and cheap.
I'm selling the worksheet for $1 on Teachers Pay Teachers. All you really need to do is write 8 things on the board and yell go. It kind of works itself out. Will upload lesson plan soon.
Enjoy!
And so it began. The art room scavenger hunt. They had to find examples of colors, shapes and textures and draw them. Great way to review what they've learned and keep them quiet. Yes, I bribed the winner with something from the prize box to discourage them from working (talking loudly) together. The prizes? My extra samples from clay demonstrations. Yes. Crafty and cheap.
I'm selling the worksheet for $1 on Teachers Pay Teachers. All you really need to do is write 8 things on the board and yell go. It kind of works itself out. Will upload lesson plan soon.
Enjoy!
Monday, May 18, 2015
koinobori
This week my students will be starting koinobori. This is a brand new lesson for me and was inspired by the book "Pattern Fish" that I recently ordered. It got me excited for doing a fish lesson other than gyotaku. Since it is spring time in the Northeast I decided on the Japanese Carp Kites.
As I was writing the lesson plan I was excited to see all the amazing connections with the new visual arts standards. Specifically, the presenting category. My previous thinking was mired down with thinking "elementary kids aren't going to mat and frame work" but on closer review there were some more realistic applications. For instance:
As I was writing the lesson plan I was excited to see all the amazing connections with the new visual arts standards. Specifically, the presenting category. My previous thinking was mired down with thinking "elementary kids aren't going to mat and frame work" but on closer review there were some more realistic applications. For instance:
- 1st grade: Ask and answer questions such as where, when, why, and how artwork should be prepared for presentation or preservation.
- 2nd grade: Distinguish between different materials or artistic techniques for preparing artwork for presentation.
And also these two:
- Compare and contrast how art exhibited in and outside of school in museums, galleries and other venues, including virtual spaces, contributes to the community.
- Identify times, places and reasons when students make art outside of school.
So. Definitely looking forward to this. Was originally thinking it would be a "filler" lesson for those classes that are way ahead, but now I'm hoping I can squeeze it in with all sections because there's so much good stuff happening here.
Oh, and how about some Haiku to wrap it up? You know, because the pattern 5-7-5 also mimics the half drop repeat pattern of fish scales. Yeah. I'm kind of loving this lesson right now.
Friday, April 17, 2015
Onion Domes
Such a great experience collaborating with a classroom teacher on these onion domes today. I started with a powerpoint to provide context and then moved into a demonstration during their normal class. Since this is a testing week, we arranged for the class to come down again later today as a break from all that left-brained activity. When they returned she shared a word web that she did with them after my lesson. I was amazed at how much they remembered.
When they returned in the afternoon, they were able to jump right into creating the domes.
The finished product. Not bad for 3rd grade.
When they returned in the afternoon, they were able to jump right into creating the domes.
The finished product. Not bad for 3rd grade.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Just say no to bad art requests
This month I had to just say no, politely, to a teacher request to do a "Rechenka's Egg Project" the day before spring break. As the class entered my room. I let the classroom teacher know that I generally am planning around several weeks in advance, we were in the middle of a perspective lesson and I just couldn't squeeze it in the same day. We've all been there, right?
Wax resist simply for the sake of it's oooh ahhh quality isn't something I had planned to use for the rest of the calendar year for that grade level. So I started thinking of what else we could do to connect to the story. Which led me to creating this adorable onion dome project using model magic. Because they DO need to get some architecture and culture in!
Using about 1 oz of model magic per student, I have enough to accommodate this class and they will get an "Extra" art class during PSSA week as a break from all the testing.
And, I get rid of the container of wine corks in my closet that I keep holding onto. Lesson plan here.
Wax resist simply for the sake of it's oooh ahhh quality isn't something I had planned to use for the rest of the calendar year for that grade level. So I started thinking of what else we could do to connect to the story. Which led me to creating this adorable onion dome project using model magic. Because they DO need to get some architecture and culture in!
Using about 1 oz of model magic per student, I have enough to accommodate this class and they will get an "Extra" art class during PSSA week as a break from all the testing.
And, I get rid of the container of wine corks in my closet that I keep holding onto. Lesson plan here.
Monday, March 23, 2015
Painting with bubbles
Step by step directions for painting with bubbles. Makes a nice, subtle background texture for journalling, notecards and other crafts, or add details to create imagery from the prints. I tried this with liquid watercolors over the weekend, but I think tempera or acrylic would give a richer color. I might let fourth grade experiment with this during the next free choice day before implementing this into a lesson. It was a lot of fun and supplies are cheap!
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Free Choice Day
It's that time again.
Free Choice day (or Free Art day as they call it) is in full effect next week. Once per marking period was too frequent. Twice a year is too far apart. I'm going with every 12 weeks, so 3 times per year. I'm really excited about all the new games I purchased using some grant money and can't wait to see their faces when I unveil each center.
Have you incorporated a "Free Choice" Day or activity into your curriculum? How has it worked out or been received? I think I've created a pretty solid lesson plan that would be accepted by our administration. I've linked it to our PBIS reward system. So I use a chart to track the progress of each class. They can earn 5 squares each day. I make the goal so that they have to average 4 squares during the time period. Every now and then they might get a 2 or 3, but it should be balanced out with 4's and 5's. In the beginning I knocked myself out with the guilt if a class didn't earn it, but I've let go and they have to receive the natural consequences (even though it would be FAR easier on me to "let" them all earn it). The last week before they "qualify" I block the chart with black paper so it's a mystery until the end of class (this solves the problem of kids giving up because they already can tell their class won't make the goal). I also block out 5 squares from the end every time their class misses for a field trip, assembly, 2 hour delay, etc.
I just posted the lesson plan and all the activities I offer here.
Free Choice day (or Free Art day as they call it) is in full effect next week. Once per marking period was too frequent. Twice a year is too far apart. I'm going with every 12 weeks, so 3 times per year. I'm really excited about all the new games I purchased using some grant money and can't wait to see their faces when I unveil each center.
Have you incorporated a "Free Choice" Day or activity into your curriculum? How has it worked out or been received? I think I've created a pretty solid lesson plan that would be accepted by our administration. I've linked it to our PBIS reward system. So I use a chart to track the progress of each class. They can earn 5 squares each day. I make the goal so that they have to average 4 squares during the time period. Every now and then they might get a 2 or 3, but it should be balanced out with 4's and 5's. In the beginning I knocked myself out with the guilt if a class didn't earn it, but I've let go and they have to receive the natural consequences (even though it would be FAR easier on me to "let" them all earn it). The last week before they "qualify" I block the chart with black paper so it's a mystery until the end of class (this solves the problem of kids giving up because they already can tell their class won't make the goal). I also block out 5 squares from the end every time their class misses for a field trip, assembly, 2 hour delay, etc.
I just posted the lesson plan and all the activities I offer here.
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