Week of 4/15/2024 - 4ths and 5ths - Part 2

4th graders were introduced to the paper square challenge that I had the opportunity to create at the Blick booth at the NAEA!

I gave each student a 12" square black card stock and  3" paper squares in a variety of neon colors! The challenge was to alter 9 square using a folding, cutting, curling, tearing technique or any other technique they could think of using paper squares, scissors, pencil and glue!!

SO MANY amazing works!!

 

5th graders returned to paint their coil pots with interior house paint - first the pot itself and then details such as flowers, dots, lines, shapes etc.

 

 

Week of 4/8/2024 - Last rotation with 4ths and 5ths - Part 1

 4th and 5ths returned for their last rotation! This year has been a blur!!

4th graders designed flyers for Celebration of art - this is something I started my 1st year here. I wanted to give students the opportunity to learn how to find images, use a variety of text and learn how to organize information for viewers.

Students searched art related images on Google and inserted them on a blank slide. We added relevant information such as the title of the event - Celebration of Art using a large font. We discussed how to align the text, change color and look for/ use a variety of fonts.

Students added day, date and time followed by our school added and a quote/ message if they wanted to. There were so many great designs and I picked the below to send to our families, staff and guests.

 

5th graders returned to create designs for our legacy mural. Our theme this year is California Wildflowers. I gave students photos of a variety of flowers to look at and had them create pencil sketches of 8-12 flowers. Once done, students used the Sketchpad website to create a color drawing of one or more flowers. We talked about the different tools available on Sketchpad before students were given time to work on their art. Each student uploaded their work on Google Classroom. A few students requested to work on paper and submitted their work to me. I will pick 3-4 best works from each of the 4 5th grade classes so we can have 4 final designs to pick from. It's going to be a tough decision with SO many beautiful works!

National Art Education Association Conference 2024

 The National Art Education Association Conference 2024 was held in Minneapolis this year from April 3rd to the 6th. Approximately 3200 art educators from all over the country gathered to present, learn and network!

I presented 2 solo sessions titled "Kolam Art" and "3D Printing in the Elementary Classroom" and co presented in 2 sessions titled "Vibrant Curriculum" with 3 other elementary art teachers and "Empowering Creativity - Creating your own Regional Art Educator Conference" with my San Diego colleagues Alyssa Navapanich and Don Masse.

It was great to see the Davis booth with Zamorano student work on the front cover of the advocacy planner being displayed and handed out to the teachers. I had the honor of meeting Julian Wade, the president of Davis Publications too!

 

It was fantastic attending sessions hosted by Adobe, Blick art, and many others and several other art educators from around the country!

Week of 3/18/2024 - 2nd and 3rd Grade - Part 2

  

 2nd graders returned to complete their artwork from last week - they added color using color pencils. I submitted 40 Zamorano works for the art exhibit with ArtReach! These works will be available for purchase at the Mission Fed Artwalk in Italy April 26th and 27th, 2024!

3rd graders returned to finish their collagraphs. We used a baking pan with print making ink with brayers to roll ink on to the collagraphs and press them on the paper students watercolors the previous class. Once students were done with their 1st print, we reflected/ discussed as to what is something different they could do to create a better print. Students used the feedback while creating their 2nd print. I love the black print against the colorful watercolor background. Students also wrote a reflection about what they learned in this lesson.

 

 

 

Week of 3/11/2024 - 2nd and 3rd Grade - Part 1

 

2nd graders returned to art to create artwork for ArtReach's youth show titled "Dreams in Color". I gave students a piece of paper where they could answer prompts to plan what they see in their dreams. We talked about the different prompts one at a time which gave them the time to think about what they wanted to incorporate in their art.

They then incorporated elements from the prompts to combine them into a sketch on the paper so they would be confident drawing on the 6" square poster board.

 

1. If your dreams had colors and shapes, what would they look like?

______________________________________________________

2. If your dream had a magical object, what would it be?

____________________________________________________________

3. What do you see in the sky when you dream? Draw the sky in your dream.

________________________________________________________________

4. What kind of adventures do you have in your dreams? What places do you visit?

____________________________________________________________

5. What colors do you think of when you imagine your dream?

______________________________________________________________

6. Are there any special characters or creatures that appear in your dreams?

_______________________________________________________

 

We planned on finishing work the following class.

 

 

3rd grade students worked on part 1 of collagraph printmaking!

Students painted with watercolors on 2 sheets and also assembled and glued, corrugated cardboard, yarn, and foam pieces to create their collagraph. I reminded students not to overlap pieces and add a LOT of glue to make sure their piece were glued on well.

 

Next class we will use black ink with brayers to make 2 collagraphs per student. Here are example of what students created.

 

 

Week of 3/4/24 - UTK, K and 1st Grade - Part 2

 UTK students created sculptures using popsicle sticks inspired by several artists I showed them - Canadian artist Randy Tipe, LA based artist David Hrobowski and visiting artist at Maryland's KID museum, Ellen Xu. We looked at these artists' works and discussed how art can be made from something simple like popsicle sticks and that it can be stunning! 

 Students used paint sticks to create line and shape patterns on 3 jumbo and 4 large popsicle sticks on the front and back. They then arranged and glued the sticks together to create their work. Once dry, I attached each work to a foam base.

 Kindergarten students created artwork inspired by "Dhurries" which are rugs from India. Each students created horizontal lines with pencil, traced them with paint sticks, colored the strips and filled them with line and shape patterns. Once done, they added yarn/ ribbon pieces to their work.

 

1st grade students worked on printmaking using foam sheet, water color paper and paint sticks while incorporating their favorite scene/objects. Students colored 1st print using warm colors paint sticks - I sprayed water on each foam piece after which they lined up the top with the top of their watercolor paper and pressed the foam to transfer the color on the water color paper. They wiped the color off and repeated the process using cool colors. A beautiful variety of works!

Week of 2/26/24 - UTK, K and 1st Grade - Part 1

 UTK and kinders created paper quilts inspired by paper quilts from Gee's Bend! We engaged in a class discussion about what we notice and wonder while looking at the photo below. Students shared how it was colorful, filled with lots of different shapes and guessed that it was made out of paper! 

I introduced quilts as thick blankets and that the people from Gee's Bend in Alabama used fabric from old clothes to cut and sew the pieces to create these beautiful quilts.This had several students sharing that their grandma had also made them quilts! I also showed them Alabama and Gee's Bend on the map of the United States.

UTK students cut, assembled and glued black and white paper pieces to their work while kindergarten students did the same with color paper pieces.

 

1st graders painted their clay mugs and monsters they created a few weeks back that I bisque fired. We used tempera paint with thick and thin brushes and a variety of colors.