Weeks of 5/11/26 and 5/18/26 - Last rotation with 2nd and 3rd grades

 Our 2nd and 3rd graders' last rotation for the school year and yes, this year has gone by way too quickly!

2nd graders created art inspired by the Carlsbad flower fields. I love that I can use a San Diego spot as an example for students and it's always fun to hear students talk about visiting this spot and that it's on the way to Legoland!

I first showed students a photo of the fields and we had a class discussion about what we notice and wonder. We noticed how objects, people and place appear smaller as move farther away from us. We also noticed how the colors seem to fade away. I introduced the words one point perspective, horizon and vanishing point.

Students first created a horizontal line for the horizon, then a vanishing point with pencil on a 9"x12" watercolor paper. Once done, they used a ruler to connect the vanishing point to the sides and bottom edge of the paper. They then used a brown crayon to trace the lines and a variety of colors for the flowers using organic shapes that became smaller as they moved towards the horizon. Next class, they continued working on the flowers, added white clouds with crayon and used watercolors to create the grass and sky to complete their work.

Students created flower fields on their Chromebook using the Chrome Canvas website but using a different technique involving horizontal rows of flowers rather than diagonal rows. It is always interesting to see the details each students adds!

3rd graders worked on a teapot still life following the success of the fruit still from our last rotation. I showed them my collection of teapots and how the handle, spout, teapot shape and the lid shape can vary between the different teapots. We worked step by step and used construction paper crayons to create highlights, shadows and the table line.

During our last class, students recreated the teapot on their Chromebooks using the Chrome canvas website. It was interesting for them to compare their teapot art on paper with their digital work.