2nd Grade Firefly Paintings

Today marks the end of 1st quarter. Grades have been entered, parent teacher conferences are amongst us, and the art room is still it's own work in progress (let me know if you're able to find the floor).  Like I've been saying I HAVE SO MUCH TO SHARE finding time has been hard as every spare minute seems to be spent on homework for my graduate classes (insert thumbs down here).  

BUT 2nd graders created these beauts.  I know the fireflies of summer are put away until next year, but if you walk to the 2nd grade classes you might feel as if it is still a warm summer's night.  Our jars and firefly "glows" were created with gold and silver tempera, the fireflies were created with the coveted silver sharpies and metallic crayons, a small piece of cardboard was used to make the grass, and everything was topped off with a pearly paint coat. 

 I'm totally biased, but I think they are pretty rad.

The focus of this lesson was not to learn about fireflies, but how we can use simple lines and shapes to create identifiable objects. I didn't need to teach about fireflies because let me tell you the 2nd graders already knew all about them--in fact they taught me things I didn't know.  I definitely had some firefly experts in the house.  Apparently there is a show on PBS Kids called "Wild Kratts" and one episode focused solely on fireflies, it's actually pretty cool.  Check it out here.  If I had more time I would have loved to incorporate a portion of the video into the lesson.   

Here's that video, check it out seriously I learned so much!

Up Up and Away-4th Grade Hot Air Balloons

I've been so excited to share these, I just didn't understand why the 4th graders couldn't move their arms a little faster when coloring so I could take some pictures! (just kidding..kind of)

At the beginning of the school year I went to a hot air balloon festival.  After going I knew I had to do a hot air balloon project with somebody--all those colors it needed to happen!  4th graders were the chosen ones.  We started the project by talking about composition and space, using hand outs and images students drew their own balloons.  After their balloon designs were finished they moved onto color (the longest, but well worth it part).  Students were to create value with crayons to give the more lifelike, puffed up balloon feel.  By day two of the lesson while students were still coloring, I think a few of them wanted to throw their crayons at me because they were sick of doing it.  You know that disease when you color so much you're hand is going to fall off....well all of the 4th graders had it.  

BUT THEN THEY SAW THE PAINTED BACKGROUND and the oooohs and the ahhhhs came back and they were excited again!

I love them. Color and color--my favorite thing.

Original Works

My last rotation of classes had to take a little hiatus on the art projects we've been working on (and so very close to finishing) to help the PTA and classroom teachers out with an Original Works project.

If you don't know what Original Works is check it out here.  It's very much like Artsonia, but only focuses on creating one art project.  It's a great fundraiser for the school and the orders usually come in around the holidays so they can make for fun gifts.

All of these projects were one day lessons.  I helped the 5th and 6th graders get started and whatever they did not finish they were to finish on their own.

This was the kindergarten lesson.  Just a very simple flower done with oil pastels and watercolor.

1st and 2nd graders made this fun fish using oil pastels and watercolor.  They all really loved making the silly fish lips.

Per request 3rd grade took a wintry approach and made these snowman with oil pastels and watercolors.

4th graders made these funky parrots.  It was their first time using liquid watercolors, they had a lot of fun with it!

5th graders made these lizards.  I wish I had more pictures of these to share because there were some that were on their way to being masterpieces!

6th Graders made these hand trees.  The idea came from here.  In drawing their hand they were asked to come up with a theme or to create an about me tree.  I was surprised at how nicely some of them turned out.

SO MANY projects are being graded and finished up this week, I can't wait to share what the kiddos have been working hard on!

1st Grade Whimsical Flowers

I'm just now getting around to posting some of the first finished art projects of the year.  So expect to see some exciting projects--there are some I have been super anxious to share!

This was 1st grades first project of the school year.  We started out in full force to get these babies done.  The walls in the school are so long and white we needed to get something bright and colorful up ASAP.  This was a two day lesson: Day 1 was spent painting the background with neon orange and pink, students also used blue, green, and purple liquid watercolors to create the centers.
Day 2 was all about cutting and gluing.  I forgot what a challenge this could be for 1st graders.  I used leftover scraps of any type of yellow paper to create the petals.

The Question that Makes All of the Hairs on the Back of Your Neck Stand Up

“This is pointless, why do we have to do art anyway?”

 
I know I am not the only one who hears this throughout the school year, in fact; multiple times.  In that moment those words hit your ears, the anger feelings come rushing towards you like you've discovered all of the markers in your classroom without the caps, or EVEN worse the silver sharpies you had to special order are lidless and left in the corner to shrivel and dry.  Yet, every time you hear it you have to bite your tongue and stay cool, calm, and collected as you begin your rationalized speech (that you've memorized because you've said it so many times).  At this point the class has probably stopped working, not because you told them too, but because they are either scared or just curious.  This might be the quietest the class will be all year so you know they are listening.  The speech will usually start like this:

"Do you like video games?"

Most respond yes.

"Well, that's interesting.  Now how would you play those games if someone didn't know how to draw?"

Silence.

"How did you know how to pick out that color of shirt to wear with those pants?"

Someone will respond that they know what colors look good together.

But then someone will mutter under their breath that their mom picked it out.

"Well, how do you know what colors look good together?"

We've learned about color theory and the color wheel in art.

"Raise your hand if you've ever owned a shirt that has been screen printed on or has a logo."

All hands go up.

"Well get this,  someone had to design that...WHOA I know."

and the list goes on...

Fashion

Graphic Designer

Animator (designing and creating drawings for cartoons, movies, and video games)

Movie Special Effects Artists

Art Gallery Owner

Art Museum Manager/Curator 

Book Illustrator

Comic Book Artist

Cartoonist

Teacher

Art Therapist

Visual Artists: Sculptor, Painter, Ceramic(Clay), Printmaker

Interior Design

Architect

Photographers (Fashion, Studio Portraits, Sports, Outdoors etc.)

Art Historian

Police Sketch Artists 

Screen printers (t-shirt design)

Advertising

 By the end they get the point and they know not to ask the question that should not be asked.

Of course, I'm the art teacher so I am going to defend what I am passionate about. Still, each time it does hurt a little bit inside.  It kind of saddens me a little bit because art class should be a time for students creative minds to run wild.  Lately, I've been coming across students that want me to tell them how to think while creating their own work.  It's like all the creativity has been sucked out of the world or as a 2nd grader told me today maybe they have "so much stuff in their brain that it hurts."  

Now, don't get me wrong do I expect everyone to LOVE art--no.  However, like my 6th grade teacher always said "Life isn't fair," she hit that one right on the head.  Being life that it is, sometimes we just have to do things we don't want to do like put the silverware away from the dishwasher, or make your bed, or mow the lawn, or go to art class--that's life.

Here are some articles I encourage you to look at that may give you some art education inspiration: 

Here

Here

Here

Here

Here

On that note, I hope your weekend has BIG things in store...

One can only hope as big as my glasses.

***Attention Muggles: I did not wand this to be Harry Potter themed, it just happened.***

That 1st Day of Kindergarten...

Oh kindergarteners, how you challenge and test me.  So what do you have them do on the first day of art class? MAKE SOMETHING REALLY AWESOME.  And of course something they can mirror you to see if they have the ability to follow instructions.  I did this lesson last year, but decided this was going to be my first project this year. Simple cutting, gluing--DON'T forget the sharpies and paint too (insert kindergarten cheers here)!!!!

So far I've seen each group of kindergarteners (7 sections) 3 times.
Here are my favorite things they have said to me:
"Are we going to talk about stranger danger today"
"This place (talking about the art room) is so awesome I'd like to take naps in here."
One student will only call me Mister.

I'm often referred to as:
"Mr. Artmaker"
and my favorite...
"Mr. Paintbrush Master"

...and then there are always a few vases that accidentally get knocked off the table.

My Eraser Soapbox.

Remember these?

Well, here I am at the end of week three of school.  Things certainly have not slowed down yet, the art room is in full force.  With school starting and the beginning of my quest of grad school underway I'm looking  ahead to the long weekend and can only be a little thankful to put my feet up and say "phew."

On another note, I have a serious issue at hand. Erasers.  First you need a little back story.  When I student taught (3 years ago) I had an awesome, groovy, cool cooperating teacher.  She gave me many "aha" moments and set me up to be successful as I started off on my own.  One of the biggest, but small things I took from her is she didn't have erasers out for students to use.  She was a K-5 teacher and NEVER ONCE did I hear a student complain or whine about not having an eraser.

Having an eraser seems like such a small thing to be worried about.  I see more and more students being afraid to just create and becoming more concerned about it being perfect or just right.  I always tell my students "if you make a mistake it's not a big deal just make it in to something else." I took the no eraser practice with me.  I'm in my third year at the same school,  students know I don't give out erasers, yet they still always ask.  Then they start to complain and throw a fit.  Some become wise and bring their own, which is fine if they don't leave it in my room.  AND when an eraser does get left in my room what happens?  Everybody thinks it's a good idea to poke their pencil in it and then it falls apart into a million tiny pieces crushed into the carper and who gets to pick it up?--ME.


What's your take on erasers?  Seriously, am I the only one with a vendetta towards the "E" word?


My favorite Art Professor in college taught me one of my favorite things.  When drawing or painting, even the masters left behind marks.  Evidence of the work that had been done, they weren't perfect, they didn't get it in one try.  It gave you a chance to see the history of the work, where it started and what it became.

Eraser Soapbox done.

On another note, I hope your summer was awesome.
Here's a quick photo montage of mine.

What was your best moment?