Week of 8/28/23 - First rotation with 2nd and 3rd grade

2nd and 3rd grade students started their first rotation with me for this school year.Our classes this year are an hour instead of the hour 5 min. like last year. This is so that it is easier to schedule make ups which work better with a 60 minute class. Also, 3rd grade students receive an additional 45 min. of class this rotation and this will be changed later on to just those that have more than 24 students in their class.

Alright, the 2 grades started on the self-portraits as the first lesson for the school year. There is just something interesting, exciting, fun and challenging drawing yourself while looking in the mirror and adding text that is unique to you!

I read the book "Be You" to 2nd grade - I LOVE the adjective Peter H Reynolds has incorporated in the book. I also like that there are several similarities between the phrases such as "Be Curious", "Be Persistent" that I can remind students to use in the art class!! Once we read this book, I had students circle 5-6 adjective they would use to describe themselves. There were a total of 30 adjectives that I read aloud one at a time and discussed the meaning. I explained that they would incorporate their adjectives in the self-portrait when done drawing.

Once done students, started on their self-portrait on a 9"x12" water color paper. We all started with a large oval, drawing very light with pencil. We then drew a horizontal line across the oval, drew eyes, eyebrows, nose, ears and mouth. Students observed their hair and added that and their next as the final step. There were a few minutes left where students wrote their adjectives around their self-portrait.

 3rd graders looked at the work Synecdoche by artist Byron Kim. We engaged in a Turn and Talk where each student shared with their partner what they saw and wondered. We followed up with a class discussion and I asked students why did the artist create this artwork? What was the purpose? I received so many wonderful answers from students and I love that they are thinking of the artist's goal behind creating a work. Students filled out a survey that I let them know they will incorporate into their self portrait.

We created self-portrait drawings on watercolor paper - I had students create an egg shape for their head instead of an oval (differentiating for 3rd grade). We followed the same steps as I did for 2nd grade students. I realized I didn't take any picture of works in progress!

We will outline with black Sharpie, match skin color from the 24 crayon skin tone set, add text and use watercolors for the background next week.

I have an exciting idea this year for the frames and will update once done! 😃

 

Week of 8/21/23 - First week back!

It's the start of the 2023-24 school year already!! Our start day was pushed back by a day due to hurricane Hilary.

 Zamorano had minimum days Tuesday, 8/22/23 and Wednesday, 8/23/23 and regular days Thursday and Friday.

I started on the collaborative art for grades 2nd-5th - 20 classes over 2 half and 2 full days and it was jam packed!!

This year our inspiration was from Zellij tiles created in Morocco -Zellij is a style of mosaic tile work from made from individually hand-chiseled tile pieces. In Arabic, it means “polished stone". The pieces, typically of different colors are fitted together to form various patterns on the basis of tessellations, most notably elaborate Islamic geometric motifs such as radiating star patterns.

Each class was 50 minutes where I quickly went over the class expectations and we delved right into the lesson! 

We looked at the below image and had a class discussion about what we see and what we wonder. Several students made connections of the colors in the Brazilian flag, and noticed how the image looked the same all around. We talked about "symmetry" and looked at a video of how artists in Morocco make the Zellij tiles. 

  I highly recommend the below video on YouTube that demonstrates the process in a fantastic way!

Each class works on a different color/ color combination on their paper "tile" so the final installation would have colors changing from left to right. Each students first received a 6"X6" Origami paper which we folded together in half, quarter and corners towards the center and centered it on a 6"X6" white construction. I demonstrated the different steps and differentiated for older grades with an additional fold. We used glue sticks to attach the Origami work - I encouraged students to first hold their work above the paper to make sure the white space was the same all around before gluing their work.

 

 Once done, students used tempera paint sticks to add details incorporating symmetry - same line/ shape on all 4 sides. Older grades had the opportunity to fold a small piece of construction paper into quarters, draw a shape and cut so they would have four of the same shape to use on their tile.

 

 I taped 3 pieces of brown 18"X 24" construction paper together. Each students glued their tile on this paper so it would hold 12 tiles on each paper and 36 on each panel. Creating these panels makes it really simple when hanging the final installation.

Approximately 515 student works put together on 15 panels holding 3 18"X24" papers that held 36 6"X6" squares were put together in our school auditorium!

 

Here is my lesson if anyone would like to use - I request that you tag me on social media if you decide to use it.

I hope everyone has a great school year!

 

Week of 6/5/2023 - Last rotation with 4th and 5th grade

 Wow, final rotation for the school year!

4th graders created  tape art inspired by the group Tape Art from Rhode Island I had the privilege of seeing when I attended the NAEA conference in San Antonio in April. We had a class discussion of this group's works and students had the option to pick a mushroom or bug to create on their 18"x24" paper.  I encouraged students to draw their image BIG so it would take up most of the room on the paper. We first practiced using tape in a variety of ways to create texture after which they used tape on their image. I had students work on the table, floor and carpet so they would have room to work!

 

Mystery bag challenge for 5th graders! I put a collection of materials (wooden blocks, foil, pipe cleaners, felt, cardboard pieces etc.) in brown bags for students to open and create with. It was fun to see what they each came up with!

 

I also engaged students in a Google Jamboard activity to get their feedback on the art lessons I implemented with them this year. I love Jamboard because it lets everyone post at the same time and everybody can read what everyone else is posting at the same time.It was wonderful to get their feedback which will help me modify lessons for the upcoming school year!

 

 My favorite is students writing advice for the incoming 4th graders! 

Finally, Chess pieces are ALMOST done and I can't wait to give it to the 5th grade students next week before their promotion! What a great learning experience for the students and myself creating these pieces! 126 pieces printed over 4 months :)

 

 

 Until next school year! 😊

 

Week of 5/29/2023 - 5th Grade legacy mural

 Mural time!!

 5th graders had created mural design back in April using Sketchpad on their Chromebooks. The final mural design for the legacy mural below was colorful, bright and had a positive quote! I traced the design Memorial day weekend using a thick Sharpie marker on the wall and we were ready to go starting Tuesday, 5/30/23. I also like to tape color copies of the design on the wall so students know what part they are painting and what it's supposed to look like.

Since we have 4 5th grade classes this year, I assigned groups of 7-8 students so I could cover all 4 classes over the 4 days. One thing that was tricky this year was the uneven surface in front of the wall - I had move the ladders multiple time to make sure it was stable unlike the flat, concrete surface for last year's mural. Since the mural was directly across one of our 1st grade classrooms, it was lovely to see students ask everyday if the mural was done and cheer the 5th graders on :)

See photos below for progress made from start to finish.  

 

Week of 5/22/2023 - Last rotation with 2nd and 3rd grade - Hats!

 2nd and 3rd graders returned for their last rotation for this school year!

We looked at the works of Hawaiian artist moses who cut, folded and twisted paper bags from grocery bags to create the most amazing hats! His works were donated to the Mingei museum in Balboa park in San Diego and I had the opportunity to see this exhibit last summer. We had a class discussion about his works and I let students know that materials for art don't have to expensive and that works can be created out of something simple like paper bags or paper!!

 I used paper bags with one class and switched to rectangle pieces of paper with the other classes since the store was out of large paper bags. Students used tin foil, paint sticks and construction paper to create hats for themselves that they wore and looked at using mirrors at their table.

 Such a nice variety of works!!

 

 

 

Week of 5/15/2023 - Celebration of art 2023

 Zamorano's Celebration of art was a beautiful event with a great turnout!! 5 days to get 2500+ artworks into the auditorium to create a magical space to show our community how amazing our student artists are!!

 Food trucks, cake walk and art activities hosted by each grade level was a huge hit!