Kids are Authors September 26, 2012

The 4th graders are entering a book writing contest!  Check out this link, which explains more about the Scholastic Books-sponsored contest.

Ms. Zink’s class voted on the theme of ‘pattern’s for their book, and Mrs. Gallant’s class voted on ‘colors’ for their theme.  After discussing the huge range of topics within the colors category, they narrowed down their theme to a book demonstrating all the possibilities of the color blue.

Last week they painted many sheets of paper all different shades of blue, in anticipation of their book illustrations.  Up next though, we need to write the words for the class book.

 

 

 

Value Scales September 20, 2012

The 5th graders used viewfinders to draw zoomed-in compositions of a bicycle.  This week, we discussed the word ‘monochromatic’, along with other mono- words such as monocle, monorail, and monopoly.  The students concluded that monochromatic means one color.  Using chalk pastels, they colored a value scale of one color, which they will then use as a guide for coloring in the bikes next week.

Detective Work September 19, 2012

In Drawing Lab this week, students were given the task of drawing living things based solely on written descriptions.  We started the lesson with this description: “This animal has 4 legs, stripes, and does not eat meat/other animals.”  This was a poor example of a description because zebras, chipmunks, and skunks all fit the requirements.  Knowing how important details are, the students set to work.  Each student had to draw one imaginary thing and one real thing (which they may or may not have been able to guess at).  They were great detectives!

 

 

Shell Creations September 14, 2012

The new K/1 mixed class played a shell matching game and then built creations out of shells.  Some students stacked, some lined the shells up, some created pictures, they had the freedom to play with the shells.  And most importantly, they got to practice sitting in the Art Studio at their new chairs.

Here is E’s snake:

J’s face:

And Y’s cave:

Primary Color Review September 13, 2012

The first graders could not be tricked; they still remember their primary colors!  They used red, yellow, and blue to paint letters and numbers this week.  The numbers could be big, small, sideways, upside down, skinny, thick.

In addition to reviewing their colors, the students were also able to review and practice how to clean a paintbrush correctly so we didn’t have dirty yellow paints!

Here they are, in action:

  

Next, they’re on to secondary colors.  Something they don’t know already 🙂

Drawing Lab September 9, 2012

In addition to the change in grades at the Morse School, comes another big change in the Art Studio.  3rd-5th graders are getting Art twice a week this year!!  Yes, twice!  One class will still be “Art”, but the second class is “Drawing Lab”.  In Drawing Lab, students will learn different techniques and methods related to observational drawing.  On day 1 this week, they all drew a still life…with no hints or help from me.  On the last day of class in June, they’ll draw the same still life again…hopefully with big improvements!  In between, they’ll learn about skills such as: drawing from memory, negative space, pen & ink, shadows and shading, etc.  We’ll do a couple focus projects on artists who draw, as well as some academic choice days.  There will be journal entries for every class, to document the students’ growth over the year.

Here are some of the Day 1 drawings:

 

 

Hopes and Dreams September 7, 2012

Welcome back…another school year has begun!  The Morse School looks a little different these days.  We said goodbye to our middle schoolers last June, and are now a JK-5 school.  Replacing our 7 middle school classrooms are 4 special needs classrooms and 2 pre school classrooms.   I will miss teaching middle school art, but i’m excited by the challenges that the new classes present.

On the first day of school, the 3-5th graders wrote their hopes and dreams for Art this year.  They ranged from goals about materials, to art styles, to studio rule following.  Here are a few from some fifth graders, as well as the whole board.