January 2008
It is hard to believe to believe that at the end of the month the second semester of the school year begins! Myself, Mrs. Valerio (who shares the room for 4-6 science), and our students have spent the first half getting used to a brand new artroom. Over Christmas vacation we received 6 brand new tables to work at. The new room and furniture are inspirational! It is taking time though to organize....finding the correct places for supplies and equipment so they are easy to access.
A big hit at the beginning of the year was Knitting Noddies. Children were bringing in knitted ropes up to 35 feet long. We coiled and sewed them into hotpads, mats, snails, and some children even made finger puppets, dogs and horses from them. I do hope that some are still knitting, as it is a project that never has to end.
The primary students have been learning about the elements of art and working on motor skills. They have worked both 2 dimensionally and 3 dimensionally creating artwork such as paintings, clay pumpkins and pinchpots, simple puppets and holiday art. One or two classes have created artwork to compliment their classroom curriculum.
The intermediate students are building on their previous years' art concepts, especially the elements of art, composition, and learning what materials can and cannot do well. Mrs. Valerio and I have alsocoordinated several art/science projects to further understanding of both concepts. Art projects have also been coordinated with the 6th grade social studies curriculum with 6th graders completing cave paintings and Egyptian relief carvings.
I will miss the 7th graders at the end of this term. We studied color theory, human proportions, one point perspective, using line to create detail, pattern and texture, monoprintmaking and numbered series printmaking, as well as art from other cultures and time periods. We also worked in 3D in papier mache, matboard structures and on wooden Oaxacan folk art. I think the art projects that were the most fun and unusual were marblizing paper using shaving cream and making our own paint as was done in the 14th century by crushing pastels for pigment and using egg yolk as the binder. (Egg tempera)
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September 2008
New room, fresh supplies and eager students! There is hardly anything else to ask for. We are off to a great start!
Our brand new elementary art room is absolutely wonderful and the students are enjoying coming in and using it to its potential.
Our 4th and 5th graders began the school year with Knitting Noddies made from paper tubes, popsicle sticks and yarn. I am amazed that many students are coming in with 30 or more feet of knitted "rope" and we are coiling and sewing them into mats. Shorter pieces have been made into snakes, snails, dogs, and finger puppets. I now have the 3rd and 4th graders asking if they can be shown how to do it.
October and fall provides a perfect opportunity to teach seasonal and holiday art through different materials. Other grades have worked with paint, clay, cut paper, black glue and pastels.
I am always looking for art materials that can be found at home and recycled. The art room can always use:
Yarn
Paper tubes
Fabric scraps
Lace scraps
Ribbon
If you have something that you might want to recycle, please contact me. Many items can also be used in our collage box.
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A great big thank you to all the students who contributed artwork to decorate for the PTA festivities this weekend, especially to the 5th grade classes who assembled life sized paper skeletons!
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