Spring into Summer Symmetry

Been playing with procreate app on the ipad again and whipped up a few new spring and summer themed symmetry worksheets. Why not add this great resource to your sub folder? Perfect interdisciplinary idea for your early finishers / art center.

Fall into Winter Symmetry Bundle

Looking for an early finisher activity? Administration pressing you for more interdisciplinary connections? Hello Common Core Geometry.

Two levels of difficulty are included with each picture.

Download the bundle right here.

Ecosystems Evolving

Students are now on their second week of painting their ecosystems. They have been watching their fish and herb kits in their homeroom classes.

They have painted the background of the canvas a solid blue. In groups they created value scales using blue and white acrylic paint. They have been brainstorming the animals that are part of a oceanic food chain and added a radial blend of tints to the background.

Getting excited to see the finished product next week. So thankful to Crayola for offering an arts education grant to make this project possible. Many of my 3rd graders have never used canvas or acrylic before so this has been a huge treat.

Ecosystem Art Painting Lesson

Our school was lucky enough to be awarded an art education grant from Crayola. This is the sixth year in a row and I am so thankful for their generosity. So far their grants have funded my Dale Chihuly sculptures, Russian Onion Domes, Arcimboldo Shrinking Heads, 3D O'Keefe Flower Sculptures, Pop Art Cupcakes and Gumball Machines.

This year I partnered with 3rd grade and the four classroom teachers each received a miniature ecosystem for their classroom. They will be watching the food chain in action and recording it in their sketchbooks and journalling their observations. In art class they will select another oceanic food chain to illustrate in a painting.

They will start by creating value scales with their tables. They will then be challenged to transform the linear format into a radial one on their 11x14 canvas. While paint is drying they can sketch their chosen animals and then paint the silhouettes. Full lesson plan with both step by step videos here.

Bobbleheads

My first student batch of bobbleheads fresh from the oven. These are miniature (about 3" tall) made from sculpey. As a STEAM challenge, students had to weigh their material on a scale and were only allowed 2oz (equal to one brick) of polymer clay (We used Sculpey III). They could swap colors with friends or me to get up to that amount.

Drum Dream Girl

March is Women's History Month. It is my favorite time to dust off the inspiring story of a young girl from Cuba who was told girls should not play drums. The book "The Drum Dream Girl" by Margarita Engle is a wonderful story with gorgeous illustrations. When I showed my music teacher she immediately agreed to collaborate with me. Since she does drums with second grade, I created a project for that grade.

I love the connection between music, art and poetry. Students actively sound out patterns and practice pattern making with written haiku at the end of the lesson.

Snowflake Bentley Inspired Notan Snowflakes

Tired of students asking to make paper snowflakes? So was I until I incorporated the Japanese art of Notan Design into the lesson plan. We start with the science of the snowflake using the book "Snowflake Bentley" and then do a deep dive into symmetry, learning the difference between radial and bilateral.

Don't you love the way this student used the symmetrical shape of a snowman's silhouette within the design? So clover.

Even the simplest shapes make beautiful snowflakes.

Sometimes they are very excited and want to keep cutting.

If you'd like to try this out, save yourself some time and download the resource.