Check out my NEW
Interactive Google Slides! 

Perfect for learning about "The Elements of Art"! This one features the Element of Art - LINE and includes drag and drop options, etc... It's both informational and interactive for students. Perfect for those using Google Classroom. 

You can find them in my TPT Shoppe by clicking here:

Elements of Art - LINE for Virtual/Distance Learning

Jen Aranyi inspired...

Mason Jars and Mountainscapes! Remember the new art lessons I was working on? Here is one of them. Look at the amazing results from my 4th graders.

This lesson they totally completed on their own using the link provided. I was so proud of them and they absolutely loved being able to do this on their own. 

Below is the QR Code for the lesson from my previous post. You will need to have Google Slides to view and inside the slides are links to videos and handouts that will be helpful. 

Mason Jar Watercolors based of the artist Jen Aranyi

Bringing AR to the Art Room

Augmented Reality (AR) is a huge thing right now and the students love it.   I was having a hard time trying to find ways to incorporate it into the art room without taking away too much of our creative time teaching it. And, I found a few great ways to make both things happen and I'm totally excited about it. 

The first was an app called "Quiver" which is limited but it gets kids excited about AR and ways to use it.  I used it to introduce 4th and 5th graders to the concept. 

The second is an app and desktop version called "Metaverse" which is also limited but it has some fun features. It's more teacher friendly than student. Here's an example of the piece I created. Just scan the QR code with the Metaverse App and see an example. This one is very simple and I'll post more later:) 

The third is an app and desktop version called "EyeJack". This one is by far the BEST one I've come across. I'm so excited about the things this AR tool offers for artists. My students will be creating pieces soon with this. So stay tuned for a post about this app and how it can be incoporated into the art room. 

First grade "Pete the Cat" inspired art work

Check  out these Amazing Artists!

Everyone's been creating some awesome art.  First grade is working on their "Pete the Cat" inspired pieces. Who doesn't love these books. They always inspire and have a moral to the story.

I just love this book: "Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses". So we created our own cats with "magic sunglasses". The only twist was, we added a rainbow because we learned to always look on the bright side. 

This was a great opportunity for first grade to learn how to blend oil pastels to create their secondary colors.

Weaving Blooms

1st Grade Weaving Paper Plate Blooms

Weaving paper plates is not a new lesson and most teachers have sone it at least once with their classes. I love teaching students how to create fabric art and I decided to try tis with 1st grade. I wasn't sure how it would go since the have to measure and cut the yarn and most of them can't tie yet. So I modified it to be a little less crazy and here's how:
  
Modifications:
1. Measuring yarn - hold yarn in on hand and stretch it out with both arms then cut. 2 arms long is the size they need so it's not too short or too long. 
2. Instead of tying the pieces together - I have them tape it to the back of their plate when they start and finish. You can use either scotch or masking tape.
3. Cut the plates to create your loom instead of stringing it with yarn. Odd number of pieces and I had them use only 5 so they were easier and wouldn't tear off.


I incorporate a lot of books in my curriculum. When I teach weaving I have a lot of different books that I use, but depending on what project I'm doing will determine the book/books I use.


For this project, I chose:
"Weaving the Rainbow" by George Ella Lyon is a great book for younger kids. I love this book because it talks about where yarn comes from and how it's made along with the weaving process.

3rd Grade "Cat Art" in the style of Laurel Birch

      

Laurel Birch's Art

If you haven't watched the "30 Minute Interview" with Laurel Birch, I highly recommend you do. It will change your whole perspective about triumph through adversity. Her outlook on life and her story is inspirational to say the least. 
- Just click on the link: Laurel Birch to view.

This lesson is great because it can be done with a variety of different medium. I chose this time to use oil, fluorescent and metallic pastels to really make the colors of their cats pop. You could use almost anything with this design (construction paper, paint, etc...).  

This lesson teaches a variety of things: 
Portraits
Symmetry - Balance
Line, Shape, Color, Space, Texture, etc...

Brain Pop has a great video you can use when teaching/introducing students to portraits. 

I also have a game in my TPT Shoppe on "subject matter" and "purposes of art" that I use with the students (click on the link). I believe it's important to connect these things together when teaching art concepts. 

Kindergarten Art featuring Artist "Piet Mondrian"

Composition II in Red, Blue & Yellow, 1930

Whenever I introduce Kindergarteners to the color wheel and elements of art, I do it in steps. I start with the primary colors (red, yellow and blue) and who better to use than Piet Mondrian. I love the simplicity of his primary color works of art. 

This lesson is a great lesson. because it introduces the following concepts and is a start to the elements of art. 

Example #1

Elements of Art:

Example #2 (student art)

1. Lines - introduce vertical and horizontal lines.

2. Color - Primary Colors (Red, Yellow and Blue).

3. Shape - Squares and Rectangles. 

4. Texture - the thick painted lines. 

When doing this lesson students are using atypical medium, such as cardboard to paint with and oil pastels. I do this so I can teach them how to use a variety of medium and that you can paint, etc... with other things beside paint brushes. 

It's also a great way to introduce a variety of new art terms. 

Here's some great photos of Kindergarteners in action...

Artists of the Month

Congats to Riley, Zella, Ela, Catherine, Jenna, Caroline, Helen, Will, Sadie, Nell and Carmen for being added to my "Artists of the Month" Bulletinboard! Way to Go! :)








  

Learning About Lines

Teaching the elements of art to younger students can get mundane, so I try to incorporate books, songs, videos and poems into my art lessons. 


One cute poem I use was inspired by another art teacher, but I altered it to include more line types. My Kindergarteners and 1st graders love it. 

Lines Poster (click here to see poster)

I start by having students repeat after me each section of the poem so they can learn it. As I'm reading it, I use hand movements to replicate the different lines. It's so fun because soon the kids start doing the same thing. They learn so fast and they love seeing the snake at the end.  



Lines that the poem includes are:

Vertical
Diagonal
Horizontal
Curvy
Zig Zag
Wavy
Angle

Learning About Color

Teaching the concept of the color wheel is one of the first lessons in my art room. The reason why, is students need to learn how to mix colors, what colors compliment each other and how colors can be mixed together in a way that makes sense.

Color Wheels

This is one of my posters that I use. Just click on "Color Wheels" above and you can check out some of my other designs that include these types of colors:

Warm & Cool Colors
Analogous Colors
Complimentary Colors
Primary Colors
Secondary Colors

Sketchbooks

...I truly believe that it's important for students to have a sketchbook. I use them with every child through out the school year for a variety of reasons: 
1. Great way to introduce the concepts of line, shapes and patterns. 
2. Allows you to see before starting any art projects, their artistic abilities. 
3. Great for early finishers.
4. Allows you the chance to teach drawing techniques such as outlining with markers and coloring with crayons and colored pencils. 

When starting the school year, each student creates a sketchbook cover and then we assemble their sketchbooks. The inside pages are filled with newsprint paper for sketching.

I almost always use a "Name Design" theme for their covers. This is a great way to learn your students names faster and they love having something that belongs to them.

I only spend 1-3 days on their sketchbook designs. Easier designs less time than complicated designs. The reason why is I want these to be a work in progress (using them when a project is finished early) and I want them to take their time and go slow with their patterns, etc... If you spend too many days in a row, they get bored and hurry through them. 

These are just one example of the "Name Design" for this school year. I'll post more ideas as students finish up there covers.

Color Wheels!

3rd Grade Color Wheels

3rd, 4th and 5th Graders are working hard learning about color and how to mix the secondary and intermediate colors using only the primary colors (red, yellow and blue). 

They are creating "Color Wheels". 

– 3rd Grade added a design to their color wheels.

4th Grade Radial Symmetry Color Wheels

– 4th Grade is designing and learning about radial symmetry as they created these color wheels. These "Radial Symmetry Color Wheels" are absolutely beautiful.  

5th Grade Margaritte Eye Color Wheels

Margaritte - "Eye with Clouds" Painting

– 5th Grade is creating "Margaritte Color Wheels" based on 
the artist 
Rene Margaritte.  Margaritte was a Belgian Surrealist artist.