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.

 

 

• 
  

 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.

Week of 9/5/2021 - Setting up my classroom

 

I had this week to set up my classroom - I put up my handmade posters, organized cabinets, color coordinated tables and chairs and prepped materials for the collaborative tile project next week. Here is a before and after photo of my classroom - I can't wait to see students and start teaching!

 

 

BEFORE...  

AFTER.... 

 

Week of 9/19/2021 - Getting to know you!

I started my 1st rotation for the year with 2nd and 3rd grade this week. I got to see each class for1 hr and 5 minutes which is a good amount of time for this age group. Both grades worked on a "Getting to you" lesson. 

 

For 2nd grade I read the book "Just Ask" by Sonia Sotomayor and students wrote words about themselves on a white board as a scaffold. It was great to hear conversations at each table, one student asking for the spelling of a word while others tried to spell it for them and discussions about their likes and dislikes.

 

 
They drew an outline of their hand, wrote their name, words about themselves and added lines and color to complete the work.

 

 

 

3rd grade used Iranian American artist Hadieh Shafie as the inspiration. She uses text on paper strips, rolls them to create concentric circles and glues them on a background. I love having students take a look at her work and guess what she used to create her circles. They are always amazed when I demonstrate her process and explain we will be creating a 2D version of her 3D artwork.

Students created concentric circles using black Sharpie markers, used prompts to write about themselves and color in the circles.

 

It was so wonderful to read about students and get to know them from their art.

 

 

 

 

Week of 9/12/2021 - Collaborative tiles

 

 

 

 

Students from grades 2-5 participated in a collaborative tile artwork inspired

 by the clay tiles of Hackney based artist Ron Hitchins (1926-2019). We looked 

at his ceramic tiles photos and examples of artwork we will be creating. Students  

compared and contrasted both works and noticed that there were lines, shapes 

and patterns in both while the artists' works were created out of clay and that they would be 

using paper, glue, scissors and black Sharpie marker for theirs.

 Each student was given a 6 white paper  tile  along with 1 large, 1 medium and 2 small 

triangles in different colors. Every grade had a different color scheme to work with. 

The goal was to fit the triangles inside the square while exploring different ways to arrange them. 

Students had the option to cut the corners and sides of each triangle to incorporate curved lines

 like in Hitchins works. Once students glued their pieces on their tile, they could use a black Sharpie 

marker to add lines, shapes or create outlines in their work.

 

 

I cut triangles and organized them grade level wise. I also used a paper clip to 

have 4 triangles along with a paper square ready on days when there as 

not much time between classes. This helped a lot! 

 

  

 

 I had 6 students glue their individual tiles on a 12"x18" white construction paper on the carpet when

 finished. It was great to see them plan where they wanted their tile to be and in which direction to 

be seen.

502 student tiles were put together to create a 6 ft.  X 21 ft. display.