The 1st graders had the blinds closed and lights turned off, and pretended they were drawing in caves. After cutting out and gluing some previously collaged and painted animals, the students worked in teams to tell a story via a mural. Now the question is, where to hang 12 giant murals?!
After mastering atmospheric perspective, and understanding how it affects foreground and background, 4th graders stenciled cityscapes. For the 2-4 buildings most in the foreground, they drew architectural details, such as doors, windows, balconies, columns, signs, staircases, etc. Their only rule was that the doors and windows could not be plain rectangles! Details!
The first graders were challenged to draw and paint animals that are from Massachusetts. After learning about cave art, the students noticed that many caves depicted the same kinds of animals. Why? Because that’s all that the cave men/women saw and encountered in their daily lives. So the 1st graders came up with animals that they could encounter in Massachusetts: rabbits, cats, dogs, squirrels, mice, birds, farm animals, whales, sharks, fish, etc. Students first sketched 4 animals, then chose 1 to enlarge and paint with shades of brown.
This week, they will combine forces and create group murals using these animals!
Do you or your student want to create more art at home? Check out this article on BostonGlobe.com; it shares 5 opportunities of art-making at local museums. The Boston Children’s Museum, ICA, MFA, Peabody Essex Museum, and the Harvard Museum of Natural History are highlighted. Sounds fun!!
The 4/5 class wrapped up their symmetry unit with a rose window. After folding large black paper, students cut through the layers to create a design that has radial symmetry. After the holes were covered with plastic, tissue paper was glued on for a stained glass effect.
The Andy Goldsworthy-inspired earthworks returned to our school garden, once again! Using leaves, rocks, sticks, and just about anything else they could come up with, 3rd graders worked in teams to create works of art. If you want to check them out, you better come soon…this rain storm may have the best of them!
The 4th graders first created symmetrical and asymmetrical building stencils. After a lesson on atmospheric, or aerial, perspective, the students experimented with 2 different stenciling techniques. For the background of their cityscapes, the students used chalk pastels to brush blurry, faded outlines of the buildings. For the foreground, students used tempera paint to create bolder, brighter, and darker buildings.
Next week, they’ll pick the 1 or 2 buildings that are the most in the foreground and add architectural details.
Here, they’re using the stencils to create the foreground:
The first graders are expanding their color theory knowledge! They mastered primary colors last year, and now they know their art equations: red+yellow=orange; yellow+blue=green; and red+blue=purple.
And guess what! This Friday is Secondary Color Day. First graders and all their teachers are encouraged to wear secondary colors to school.
Here, the 1st grader at work, mixing up their primary colors to fill in a color wheel:
The 4/5 class followed up their bilateral symmetrical lessons with the first in a series of lessons focused on radial symmetry. Using stamping and paintbrushes, students first created a circular design, being careful to keep each “slice of pizza” identical.
After painting, the students colored the designs using oil pastels.
Remind you of rose windows? That’s next!
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