3rd Grade Shoe and Crazy Sock

3rd Graders first project of the school year was a very independent project and they all turned out so well!  We discussed contour line drawings and used a shoe for our drawing.  Once students drew their shoe they were instructed to create a crazy patterned sock.  They used colored pencils for the shoe and markers for the sock.

2nd Grade Fall Apple Forms & Radial Symmetry Leaves

2nd graders have been working hard and well on this complicated project.  The first day of our project we talked about some of the things that the fall season brings.  We first focused on apple orchards.  I then went around and placed an apple on each of the tables.

We then talked about these terms:
Still Life: an object that does not move while you paint or draw it
Contour: the outside or outline of an object
Form: Making something look 3D on a 2D surface

Students were then instructed to make a contour drawing of the still life on their tables, in this case an apple.  After students made their drawing we talked about 3D vs 2D.  We talked about how the apples sitting on the tables are 3D, but the apples on our paper are 2D.  After a demonstration with oil pastels students were faced with the challenge of making their 2D apple look 3D.  After students finished their apple they were instructed to cut it out.

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For the next step of our project we discussed radial symmetry. 

Radial Symmetry: Something that is the same on both sides and goes around a central point. 

Students were given a 6in x 6in square to make a leaf design.  They were instructed to keep it simple and the leaf stem must go to a corner.

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After students designed their leaf they were instructed to flip their squares over and with pencil shade the back of their square.  Students then received a piece of tape and 12in x 12in piece of paper.  Students taped their square down to the paper and traced over the design with a ball point pen.  The design then transfers onto the paper, students continue this four times until all four corners are filled with their radial design.

Students then were able to go over their radial design with crayon adding some color.  We used wax resist with watercolor to make the finished radial symmetrical design.

This project took about 4 classes to complete, 2nd graders worked very hard and they are turning out wonderfully!

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To finish off the project students glued their cutout apple on the middle of their radial leaf design to create a fall inspired piece.

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4th Grade Indian Corn Still Life

4th Graders are focusing on these important art concepts in this fall inspired lesson:

Still Life: A painting or drawing of an arrangement of objects.
Contour: Shows the outline of the subject, and not the volume or mass of an object.
Visual Texture: The illusion of a 3D surface on a 2D Surface.  If we were to touch a visual texture, we would not feel what our eyes tell us to expect. (A concept 4th graders have been exploring in science)

To explore these concepts students drew a still life of indian corn, focusing on the contours to show visual texture.  

After students made their contour drawing they outlined it with sharpie.  Next they colored each kernel individually with crayon, blending and overlapping colors to get the desired color.  Students then used wax resist with watercolor to paint the background and areas not covered with crayon.

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