Week of 10/2/2023 - Colorful City Centerpieces

 We had a request for creating centerpieces for the upcoming Council of the Great City School's Fall conference to be held in San Diego end of October. I volunteered to have this made by the youngest population at zamorano - UTK, kinders and 1st graders. Our theme was Colorful cities and we were inspired by several buildings from around the world - here are some examples we looked at.

Houses on the island of Burano, Italy

Houses on Haight Street, San Francisco

Happy Rizzi House, Germany

We used cardboard boxes of different sizes to create our works. I had a group of students from East Lake High School that volunteered to put together close to 300 cardboard boxes and tape the sides for students to use. Students covered the sides that had tape using construction paper that I had pre-cut. I showed them how to use the glue stick and take it for a walk 3 times along the sides before gluing the paper.  Once done, students had the option to cut and glue construction paper or use paint stix to add doors, windows and shapes to create their building using contrasting colors. We talked about this artwork being a sculpture and that it needed to look finished from ALL sides not just one side.

Once finished, I combined and glued 4-5 buildings to a cake board to complete each centerpiece. We made 46 centerpieces incorporating approximately 6 buildings in each.

 Here are photos of student work :)

Week of 9/25/2023 - UTK, K and 1st grade

 It was so great to finally see UTK, kinder and 1st grade students this week!!  

UTK created mixed media owls incorporating lines. We looked at the artwork of an owl and notices how they have BIG eyes, colorful wings and feet. It is so nice to get them speaking about art right from the get go - some students even shared how owls stay awake at night! practiced drawing 11 different lines on  watercolor paper - I was a bit worried about how well they would follow along but they rocked it!! We looked at examples around the classroom as we drew lines and this encouraged engagement!

I had traced the outline of an owl using a template with pencil for each student on the other side of the watercolor paper beforehand. Students traced the outline using a black Sharpie marker, added eyes, nose, wings and lines from the ones we had created, colored in using crayons and finally used black watercolors for the background!

I played the story "Little Owl's night" by Divya Srinivasan - a great story to go with our owl topic.

Kinders had a class discussion of a photo of fall leaves - we discussed what we noticed!

They also practiced drawing lines and used templates to trace leaves or an acorn. It was tricky for them to hold the item with one hand and trace with the other but they did it!! Students traced the outline using a black Sharpie marker and added lines from the ones we had created. They used washable markers in fall colors on tin foil. I sprayed water on it and students pressed their art on it. They peeled it to reveal beautiful colors that were transferred on their art!! So much excitement.

1st graders has a class discussion of a photo of pumpkins of different colors and sizes. They also practiced drawing lines. I had 3 pumpkins for us to look at - we drew them using overlapping! Students added black Sharpie lines and used paint stix to color each in using a variety of colors like the pumpkin example I had for them! Students also added details in the background using black Sharpie markers to complete works.

Week of 9/18/2023 - 4ths and 5ths finish rotation 1

 This week 4th and 5th graders returned to finish work started in week 1.

4th graders finished writing words from their mind map using a variety of fonts, traced their self portrait and words using black Sharpie of different thicknesses - Chisel tip, fine point and ultra fine point depending upon how big or small their letters were. They added water color to a few areas of their work to complete their typography self portraits.

 

 

5th graders wrote words from their mind map in a variety of fonts using different Sharpies like the 4th graders, colored this side with crayons of different colors and added line patterns with a black sharpie on the other side. We used foam strips and glue dots to first assemble and then fix the letters to a cardboard base. Students explored how many strips were needed and figured out how to balance the letters so it would remain standing.

 

 5th graders used iPads to take at least 4-5 photos/ letter  of their positive quote and make movements gradual. They transferred files onto iMovie and added music to complete works.

Click on the below link to watch a few works!

 

Week of 9/11/2023 - 4th and 5th graders

 4th and 5th graders started their rotation this week!

4th graders started work on their Typography self portraits and looked at the work of illustrator Lorenzo Petrantoni. We had a Turn and Talk followed by a class discussion about things we observed - artwork rich in text, use of a variety of fonts and minimal color. Students created a mind map of words based on prompts I provided - adjectives to describe yourself, favorite people, favorite color, holiday, place and favorite hobbies.

We create a pencil self portrait - we took our time drawing the different parts. We ended the class by students looking at the words in their mind map and adding them using different fonts in the different areas in their self portrait. I encouraged students to fit their words in the spaces they chose by changing the size of the letters.

 5th graders started work on their Name Sculpture and looked at the work of sculptor Jaume Plensa - one of his works is located in downtown San Diego! We had a class discussion about what we noticed and wondered. I encouraged students to use the sentence starters I added in the classroom. We noticed that the artist used letters from different languages, with symbols and shapes in his sculptures. We created a mind map like the 4th graders did. Students used poster board to draw letters of their name using block letters and cut them out. They stored their letters in an envelope I created using construction paper - a different color for each of the 4 different classes.

 

Since 5th graders also receive an additional 45 minutes each week during their rotation, I decided this was a good time to start our stop motion animation videos. Students formed pairs, cut out letters of a positive quote using block letters and stored them in envelopes to use the following class.

Week of 9/4/2023 - Finishing Self-Portraits

 This week 2nd and 3rd graders returned to complete their self portraits. Students from each grade outlined their drawing with a chisel tip black Sharpie marker and wrote their adjectives (for 2nd grade) and sentences (for 3rd grade) using a fine tip Sharpie marker. They erased pencil lines and matched their skin color from the crayon set by looking at the mirror. I explained that some may find a perfect match while others will find a color that is closest. I also had students get feedback from their partner if they were having trouble finding a color. They also added a color for their hair, eyebrows, eyeball, lips (from the same skin color set, how awesome that they have lip colors too!), neck, ears and shirt. We added watercolors for the background to complete works. 

I had several ready made black frames that I cut the edges of so! I took photo copies of the self portraits with frames to display them in the local library.and will laminate the original and display them for Celebration of art.

 

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!