Week of 11/7/2021 Relief sculpture

This week both 2nd and 3rd graders worked on creating relief sculpture to explore the element of art "form". 

 

2nd graders used strips of paper to fold, cut, bend and glue to create lines that popped out. I started this lesson by having them look at examples and write what they saw and compare them with the flat artwork that we have done so far. It was interesting to see and hear their thinking when they are writing and sharing their answers.

Students created pencil lines and glued their paper strips to create bright relief sculpture artworks.

3rd graders created relief sculpture inspired by the works of artist Halima Cassell. Students responded to her works using a quick write, pair share and class discussion. We folded paper squares in different ways and arranged them on a 12"x12" piece of paper while incorporating symmetry.

 Students also wrote a short constructed response by comparing and contrasting their works with that of the artist.

 

Week of 10/31/2021 - Reggie Laurent and Caroline Dowsett

Inspired by artist Reggie Laurent, 2nd graders worked on drawing, cutting, assembling and gluing geometric and organic shapes and adding line patterns with metallic markers on black paper. We first looked at Laurent's art and engaged in a class discussion about what we noticed. We followed this up by practicing geometric and organic shapes on paper with pencil before cutting them from printed paper.

 

3rd graders created shape art with text inspired by artist Caroline Dowsett. They first responded to the artist's works via a quick write on a whiteboard. It's always wonderful to see what each student notices and this gives them the time to write how many ever words they wish to.

Next, each student picked a word that was meaningful for them, added lines they learned about last class to give each letter more focus and combined geometric and organic shapes to complete their work. I love how they embraced the movement, playfulness and bright colors from the artists work!

  

 I also had the opportunity to present Kolam art at the California Art Education Association conference in Anaheim this weekend and attend several workshops. It was a great way connecting with other art educators, learning and bringing back ideas to implement at Zamorano.

 

 

Week of 10/24/2021 - LINE with kinders and 1st graders

 Kinder art was inspired by the book "Not a Box". We created a scaffold of different geometric shapes and organic shapes first. Each student was given a rectangle piece of paper that they changed to something else using line and shapes with metallic markers. It was interesting to see what each changed their "box" into and the details they added!  

Vocabulary learned - Geometric and organic shapes

  

 

1st graders worked on their houses inspired by the book "The Big Orange Splot". I love this book for the flexibility it allows students in combining organic and geometric shapes. We practiced creating geometric and organic shapes first. Each student cut paper and created 3 houses - popcorn house, mushroom house, cupcake house....to name a few. They added details like door, windows, roof and garden using metallic markers to complete their work. 

Vocabulary learned - Geometric and organic shapes.

 

 

Week of 10/17/2021 - 1st class with kinders and 1st graders!

This was my first week with kinders and 1st graders - their classroom teachers usually wait for them to get settled before they can start art. It was great seeing them this week!

I focused on a fall theme for both grades - kinders created fall leaves with line patterns and used red, orange and yellow liquid watercolors. 1st graders created pumpkins with line patterns and water colors.

Below is the process :-  

Students looked at a photo of fall leaves as a "hook" and responded to what they saw. We had a class discussion about the leaves and students shared where they have seen fall leaves! It is always wonderful to hear students tell stories/ experiences to make connections with learning.  

We first created a scaffold of ten different lines. I then showed them real fall leaves and  how to create them with diagonal and wavy lines. They traced a black Sharpie marker over the pencil lines.

Students created line patterns with Sharpie and used water colors to paint over.

 

 

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 Below is the process for 1st grade:-

 

 Students created the scaffold of lines after responding to an image of pumpkins in different colors and sizes as a "hook". They shared stories of going to the pumpkin patch and the pumpkins they saw thereby making  connections with their life. 

 

 They create 3 pumpkins - small, medium and large while using overlapping and added shadows.

Next, they filled their pumpkins with line patterns and added watercolors to complete their works.

 

  

 

 Also, Zamorano student artworks are on display at the Skyline Hills and Paradise Hills public library! This will be an ongoing collaboration - there will be different artworks on display each month for the rest of this school year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week of 10/10/2021 - 4th and 5th grade explorations in line

 This week was my 2nd rotation with 4th and 5th graders.

4th grade students created self portraits inspired by artist Anwar Floyd Pruitt. They first

responded to the artist’s work using a Think Pair Share followed by a class discussion. We practiced drawing a variety of lines and created a self portrait looking at a mirror using a continuous contour line. Students then used their drawing as a guide to twist and bend pipe cleaners to create different lines to complete their artwork. They added a written component where they compared and contrasted their work with the artist’s.

I also received a response to student works from Anwar Floyd Pruitt on Instagram!

5th graders created a mug inspired by ceramics artist Lalese Stamps of Lolly Lolly ceramics. They first responded to the artist’s work using a Think Pair Share followed by a class discussion. We practiced drawing a variety of lines which students used on a white paper cup with markers. They then picked one line and used a paper strip to fold and bend to create a handle for their cup. They also wrote a reflection about the lines they used and what was challenging to them in this lesson.

Week of 10/03/2021 - Getting to know 4th and 5th graders

 This week, I had my first rotation with 4th and 5th graders!

4th grade students worked on Nate Williams inspired self portraits.

 

 

Students responded to his works by sharing what they saw,
created a simple outline for their face,
made a list of words that said something about themselves - I gave them prompts like write 2 words to describe yourself, what are you good at doing?, what do you like to eat, favorite holiday and color.
Students wrote words in block letters by referring to a print out or cursive, colored the words and the background to complete their portraits.

5th graders created personality swirls - students came up with a list of 6 adjectives for themselves, used block letters to fit them inside this world from small to large,
colored them in and created patterns in the empty spaces.

 

                                                                                           

Week of 9/26/2021 - We are weaving!

 

Inspired by the story Spider Weaver by Margaret Musgrove and Julia Cairns, 2nd grade students created spider web weaving and added a variety of lines to complete their work.

Students first responded to the hook - an illustration of a spider web from the story and wrote down words that came to their mind. They then shared what they wrote with their partner and each table then shared to the class what they observed.

 

 

We created a scaffold of a variety of lines - students used yarn to weave under and over notches on a paper plate and added colorful yarn as they progressed. Once done, they added colorful lines of their choice using markers. 

 

 

 We discussed the following words for vocabulary - Line, Weaving, Warp, Weft and Kente Cloth.

 I created 3 yarn stations with small pieces of tape so students could be independent in picking their favorite colors and a piece of tape and come back to their seat to tape one end of the yarn to the plate and continue adding yarn to weave.                                                               

Inspired by Kente cloth from Ghana, 3rd grade students created a paper weaving and added 2 motifs with lines to complete their work.

Students first responded to the hook - an example of a Kente cloth and wrote down words that came to their mind. They then shared what they wrote with their partner and each table then shared to the class what they observed.

 

 

           We created a scaffold of a variety of lines and students designed 3 motifs. They then used paper to weave over and under. Once done, they picked 2 of their favorite motifs and used markers to add them to their work. 

 

We discussed the following words for vocabulary - Line, Weaving, Warp, Weft, Motifs and Kente Cloth.