Donorschoose.org Project Funded!

My first project has been funded.
http://www.donorschoose.org/we-teach/1482130
I am touched that one donor is from Connecticut, and views her donation as an act of kindness on the behalf of those lost in last weeks tragedy in her state. I am a bit in awe of it to be honest!
Stay tuned for updates as our project progresses!

Thinking and Talking About Art

Self assessment and reflection are crucial tools for an artist to use. This is reflected in the standards that Georgia has established for its art students. It is why I am having my third through fifth graders make and use journals this year. I have set a goal for the Art Zone to make assessment something that is manageable and even a natural part of the 40-45 minutes that students spend with me each week.

I have found a PDF at www.theartofed.com  that is an excellent resource for both parents and educators. A reprintable page called Ask Me About My Artwork is found in this document which I intend to send home with student artwork at the end of the Second Nine Weeks. It gives parents a list of suggested questions to ask your child when they bring home an project in which they have invested time, effort and imagination.

Parents can ask their children to:

• Tell two things that you like best about the artwork.
• Explain one thing you wish that you would like to do better, if possible.
• Name an artist who influenced your choices in creating your work. Tell me more about that artist!

Children love to tell about their creative efforts, and I encourage those who love and nuture them to give them that opportunity. It is more than just an opportunity to bond with your child. It is a chance to help them learn and expand their creative minds.



 

Sesame Street: OK Go - Three Primary Colors Video

I found this clip while letting my toddler watch Elmo and Sesame Street clips on my cell phone. As music help many students process information, I look forward to using it with my students during a painting exercise as some point in the future. I love Sesame Street!

Bus Safety Poster Contest Winner

Congratulaions to LeJon Crawford are in order!

LeJon's poster has won first place for third grade in Liberty County, and is moving on to compete at the state level. Please congratulate LeJon for his work!

Portraits and More

We have spent most of September delving into the the following projects. I have included the basics tenets of the standards or artists that correlate with these projects:

Kindergarten:

1. Fish Collage
• Combines materials in new and different ways.
2. Letter Birds
• Combines materials in new and different ways.
• Added focus on letters and shapes.

First Grade: Self Portrait

• Artwork fills composition space.

• Awareness of shape, pattern, texture.

Second Grade: Family Portrait

• Landscapes with a horizon line

• Social Studies family unit

Third Grade: Portrait in a Landscape

• Landscape- foreground, middle ground, background

• Perspective- Size and Placement

Fourth Grade: Portraits (Matisse, Van Gogh, Britto)

• Landscape, still life, portrait from direct observation
• Mixes and uses color schemes.

•              Solar System science unit and Van Gogh's Starry Night

Fifth Grade: Portraits (Pop Art/ artist Romero Britto)

•              Emphasize proportion/distortion.
•              Uses color schemes in work.

The Art of Ed

I cannot find a way to add this great site to my list of blogs, so I'm adding it here. The resources have been a wonderful resource so far.

Assessment is one of this national board certified educator's strengths!

The link below fits into the Portfolio Assessment category.

Use Flickr to Create Digital Portfolios in Minutes | The Art of Ed

Blog Perspective

I am beginning my sixth year as an art teacher at Button Gwinnett, following almost a decade as a Kindergarten teacher. One of my greatest strengths is my knowledge of the World of Art. I have so much that I want to impart to my students that I struggle to keep a balance between what can be taught and what is age and standard appropriate. I used to use the teacher's edition of our art textbooks as a bible of sorts, and get frustrated when students were less than successful in a lesson. I learned fairly early that the books are more of a guide, and that differentiation is essential. 

Art teachers don't have peers readily available at school to bounce ideas off of like grade level teachers do. Sometimes I miss the opportunity to collaborate with others with the same curriculum. I am finding that the blogs of other educators allow me some of that perspective. Those blogs can be a wonderful resource. 

I'm adding a list of blogs that I really like today. Teachers and interested parents might find these useful as well.

deepspacesparkle
This site has wonderful lesson plans and tips, some of which can be purchased as PDF's. Wonderful blog!

Early In the Art Zone



Here are some August pictures of the Art Zone as it takes shape.I will add more pictures of students once I have permission to do so.



Our hairy border is constructed of dozens of paper sculptures constructed by our second grade students.









 





Kindergarten Self Portrait

 

 

 



 

 

View From My Corner

 



Making Sketchbooks: Simplified

This poster provides students with a summary of what our standards wish them to learn.

One of the visual arts standards established in 2009 in Georgia mandates a need for all third, fourth, and fifth grade students maintain a sketchbook. In a time when budgets are so tight that many school systems struggle to keep the arts funded, spending a minimum of three dollars per sketchbook per child adds up quickly!

• I've punched holes into 4 reams of 9"x12" of sulphite drawing paper for my students' journals. I am allotting 10 pages to each of my 3-5 graders.
• They are getting 5 pages of notebook paper as well.
•  My fifth graders are getting 5 pages of graph paper to be used in an upcoming perspective lesson.

I've learned much from last year's endeavor. We tried to use cereal boxes and painted paper to make our own book covers. Many were successful, yet it was very costly as far as time and space go. Copious amounts of glue left the Art room very smelly for most of August.

This year we are skipping the glue and cardboard for this project. I hope to focus on the journaling and art on the pages within our books instead.



Teacher Demo with Rubric



Our first project was focused on trying different painting techniques on 12"x18" paper. This was cut in half once dry, and students are creating their book covers with these.

Work of Fifth Grade Boy

Sample Journal Covers
Student and Teacher Created

Next week we will begin using these journals in class as we continue with new standards. I might eventually allow students to take these with them for independent use. We will keep the journals in the Art room for now.