Week of 9/19/2022 - 4th and 5th grade

 I started my first rotation with 4th and 5th grades this week!

4th grade created self portraits inspired by artist Nate Williams. This is a perfect lesson for beginning of the year - it helps students start the year with a positive self image and helps me get to know about them through their art. 

Each student created a mind map of words based on the prompts I gave them - 3 adjectives they would use to describe them, favorite people, favorite things about school among a few others. Once done, students create an outline of a head and added an eye, nose, mouth and hair/ hat. They then added the different text from their mind map using different fonts - I gave each student samples of fonts. We will continue working on this next class to complete it. 

5th grade students created art inspired by the works of artist Lisa Congdon. We looked at her art, engaged in a turn and talk, class discussion and noticed that she uses text and symbols. Students created a mind map of words using prompts I gave them. On a piece of watercolor paper, they each drew lines to create 8 boxes. They drew a symbol for each of the words from their mind map and added a positive quote. Students started outlining with Sharpie markers and will add crayons and watercolors to complete their work next class.

Week of 9/12/2022 - Line

 2nd graders created line sculptures this week! We read Lines that Wiggle by Candace Whitman - it is a great book that talks about a variety of lines with great illustrations. We practiced drawing a variety of lines on paper first. Students were given 1"x12" neon colored paper strips and cardboard. I showed students how to fold a paper strip on each end to make "feet", use glue stick on the feet and press them on the cardboard and hold them for 10 seconds. We made a curved line, zigzag line and diagonal lines together after which I had students look at their paper where they practiced lines and create their own. Students were completely engaged and came up with interesting works!

I encouraged them to explore overlapping lines, turn their sculpture in different ways to see if there were empty space where they could add paper and also join strips to create long lines.

3rd grade students combined lines to design their own motifs and used them on their paper weaving. We first practiced drawing different lines and I demonstrated how to combine 2 lines to create motifs. Each student designed 4 motifs and picked 2 of their favorite. I had implemented this lesson last year with construction paper - some students had a difficult time weaving and the paper faded very soon. This year I used card stock  and could see the paper was stiff and helped students weave better. They had more control with the paper during the over and under process.

 Our local news channel NBC 739 visited my classroom this week and filmed my teaching and interviewed Russ Sperling, the VAPA director for San Diego Unified School District, my principal Derek Murchison and me. This was regards to Proposition 28, a November ballot measure which would guarantee funding for arts education in California.

 

I had the opportunity to present Kolam art at the Arts Empower Mega Conference organized by the San Diego County Office of Education this week. Participants created Kolams with rice flour and received resources on how to teach this lesson from kindergarten to 5th grade as well as combine works to create a collaborative Kolam.

I also had the chance to attend artist Rafael Lopez's session - he is a brilliant muralist in San Diego and a children's book author. Some of his books include "Just Ask", "Maybe something beautiful" among many others. He demonstrated his process for designing and painting murals and answered questions we had.

Week of 9/5/2022 - Self Portraits with 2nd and 3rd graders

 I began our first art rotation this week with 2nd and 3rd graders! It takes me a few weeks to get used to seeing the students in their new grades :)

2nd grade stduents looked at the content and pictures in the book "Just Ask" written by Sonia Sotomayor and illustrated by Rafael Lopez. They followed up by circling words on a paper that had adjectives to describe themselves. Students looked in a mirror and followed along with step by step directions on how to create their self portrait. They outlined their drawing and wrote the adjectives with a black Sharpie, matched their skin color to the Crayola skin color set and added watercolors to the background.

I had the opportunity to meet the brilliant Rafael Lopez in person, listen to him speak and watch his demo on how he simplifies images to create his abstract versions. I can't wait to show my students the below photos! 

2nd grade student working on self portrait!

 

Inspired by the work “Synecdoche” by artist Byron Kim, 3rd grade students started their first rotation creating self portraits. 

 

 

Students drew themselves, observed their skin color in a mirror and matched it to the 20 piece skin color set. They added colors to their hair, eyes, lips and watercolors to the background. 

Students were given a  survey that they used as a scaffold to add text with black Sharpie.