SPLATTERED PAINTBRUSHES – 5th Grade

This lesson idea is from art teacher Lauralee Chambers @2art.chambers on Instagram

This was such a fun lesson to teach my 5th graders! It took about (3) 40 minute art classes to complete.

DAY 1

We discussed how we would be utilizing the elements of Art; Line, Shape, Color, Texture, and Value to create these paintings.

I gave students a double-sided sheet of various paintbrush drawings to use as a reference while drawing their paintbrushes.

Students drew at least 6 large paintbrushes on 12×18” 80# paper with pencil. In their drawings I asked that the following be included ; at least 2 of the brushes had to overlap one another, at least 2 be drawn diagonally, and at least 1 drawn so the bristles pointed downward. Students could add also their own brush details within the handles.

Once all drawn in pencil, students traced over their pencil lines with an ultra fine point black sharpie. I showed students how to use the straight edge of a scrap piece of paper to keep their sharpie lines for the bristles from going into their paintbrush handles.

DAY 2

Students finished drawing if needed, then used a black oil pastel to draw a thick line along only one side of each brush. Only on all the brushes left sides or only on all the brushes right sides. Then using one finger gently smudge the oil pastel going in the same direction to create a shadow.

DAY 3

On the final day students used watercolors to create the splatter effect. I showed them how to use a watercolor brush to apply the paint only halfway up each brush towards the tips, and then add only water on the ends a little to dilute the color and help spread the paint where it meets the paper. Then using a medium sized tempera brush, they dipped into the same paint color and then flicked the bristles close to their papers to splatter. They also used the watercolor brush to splatter paint as well by shaking it or tapping their brush handle against another one.

I absolutely LOVE how they all came out and students had a lot of fun creating them!

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RESEARCHING A CONTEMPORARY ARTIST – 5th Grade

This lesson took about (4) 40 minute art classes to complete.

On day 1 I discussed with students the many different art careers out there available, then showed them a great video on all the different art related careers out there someone could do for inspiration for this lesson. I wish I could just post the video i showed my students for you here, but for some reason it wont let me embed the video from YouTube. If you search ”MHRD – Careers in Art” you can watch it there.

After the video students were shown a huge variety of various contemporary artists in my Google slides. Then, using their laptops, students logged into my art classroom in Google, and were able to review the slides of artists. Each slide showed 1-3 photos of their artwork, and a small description of the kind of artwork they created. I hyperlinked the photo of the artist to either their blog, their website, an article, or to Wikipedia about the artist.

From there, students took some time researching artists that intrigued them, then selected one artist to focus on.

Days 2-4 were spent thinking about that artists style, and/or what materials they used to create their art with and draw a picture related to and inspired by that artists work. Students looked at ceramicists, photographers, painters, illustrators, fashion designers, interior designers, architects, graphic designers, animators, installation artists, jewelers, video game designers, weavers etc. I also wanted to make sure I included just as many female artists as male artists and to include artists from a variety of cultural backgrounds.

Students then drew using pencil, colored pencils, markers and/or crayons.

On the final day, students filled out a sheet with questions on why they chose that artist and what facts they learned about their chosen artist. Students did such an amazing job on researching independently, and coming up with their own creations and drawing artwork inspired by their chosen artist! Students really enjoyed this lesson and I’m hoping doing this lesson will inspire them to research and learn about additional artists on their own time. I wish I took more photos of their artwork, but check out some of their work below!


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3D PAPER SCULPTURES – 1ST AND 2ND GRADE INSPIRED BY CHARLES MCGEE

This lesson took ( 2 ) 40 minute art classes to create.

Students learned about the artist Charles McGee and we discussed his artwork. We discussed how we’d be utilizing the elements of art, line, shape, and form to create our sculptures. Then students received a sheet of copy paper with 4 lines pre-drawn and photocopied for the class.

Then using a black sharpie marker, students drew a different pattern in each section, creating 5 sections.


DAY 2

Then on day 2, students cut out each section with scissors.

Students then flipped over each strip, and folded back the ends. They then glued the flaps with a glue stick and positioned the flaps on a piece of 8×8” white cardstock paper and pressed for 5 seconds. Students could place each strip wherever they wanted creating height by placing the flaps closer together, and then gluing on other sections on top of previous ones. They had a lot of fun creating these fun and interesting sculptures!

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COFFEE FILTER FLOWER

This fun flower lesson was created for my special education class. It’s a 2 day lesson and the materials needed were 3 coffee filters, watercolors, cupcake liners, pipe cleaners, glue sticks, tape and a paper straw.

First students wet the coffee filters down with water using a big paint brush. This allowed the coffee filter to lay flat and also helps absorb and spread drops of paint.

Students then used watercolor paint to paint on various colors of their choice over the entire coffee filter. These 3 filters were then set aside to dry.

On the second day, the filters were folded in half and students drew “bumps” all around the edge to create the petals. Each filter was cut a little smaller than the previous one. Then students glued each opened filter together in the center with a glue stick. A cupcake liner was then glued into the center of their flower. Then using a pipe cleaner, students created a spiral by bending and shaping with their hands. This spiral was then glued into the cupcake liner with a glue stick.

For the final piece, students chose their colored straw and taped it to the back of the coffee filters for the stem.

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ART SHOUT OUTS #5!

HAPPY SUMMER BREAK EVERYONE!!

PHEW!

WE MADE IT!!!

I never would have thought this is how the school year would end, and I’m sure all you teachers out there (AND PARENTS!!) thought the same.

Our official last day of school was Monday June 22nd. Going into school on June 10th wearing a mask and gloves, to close out out my classroom for the summer and sort through supplies felt so surreal. It was like walking into a time capsule from that last day we were all there on Friday March 13th. Unfinished projects were still in the drying rack, my examples were still up on the board for the following day, and notes to myself on my desk were still there for the following week of March.

BUT….. we made it through! We all figured it out, and I’m very proud of my students and how they rose to the challenge with remote learning.

Here are the final “Art Shout Outs” from learning remotely during these past 3+ months of school closure. As well as a few pics from the last day of school’s 5th grade clap out celebration!

GRADES K-2 ELEMENTARY VISUAL ART ACTIVITIES: I CAN CREATE WITH: STICKS!

In this Google slide, students could watch a 6 minute video on the book “STICKS” written and illustrated by Diane Alber.

If you’ve never read this story to your students or kids, I highly recommend it. I have and love, many of her books. Her stories are great and help open up discussions about empathy, kindness, perseverance, and fitting in.

Amazon writes; “Sticks is a story that almost anyone can relate to. It’s about finding yourself in a situation that didn’t turn out like you expected and having your friends and family help you find he courage to pick yourself back up and persevere.”

Next to the video, we added 6 different photos of artwork created using popsicle sticks. From dragonflies, to rainbows and clouds, to bird feeders and people, animals and airplanes… kids were encouraged to create whatever they wanted, using sticks!

Below are some screen shots taken from a video sent to me from one of my 2nd grade students! He designed a really cool plane and decorated the sticks and paper for wings with markers.

Nick created this super sweet popsicle stick rainbow with clouds below!

Artwork by Nick D.

GRADES 3-5 ELEMENTARY VISUAL ART ACTIVITIES: I CAN CREATE MY OWN ART MATERIALS AND USE THEM TO PRODUCE ARTWORK

So for this slide, we included a 2 minute video link to watch the “science of art materials” to give kids a better understanding on how art materials are made, a simple recipe on how to make your own air dry clay, and then 3 short videos; how to paint with mud, paint with coffee, and how to make your own sidewalk chalk from home!

Students loved experimenting with creating their own art materials!

Owen R. Created his own coffee paint!
Brielle R. Created her own coffee paint as well!
Kelsey S. used mud for painting!

GRADES K-2 ELEMENTARY VISUAL ART ACTIVITIES: SUMMER FUN! SELECT ONE TO COMPLETE: ICE PAINTING, DRAW AN ICE CREAM CONE, CREATE YOUR OWN AIRPLANE!

For this slide we included the following; a 50 second video on ice cube painting, how to draw an ice cream cone in 9 simple steps, and a short video on how to make a paper airplane. This was the last week of art activity suggestions, and we wanted to keep it really simple, fun and summery!

Ice Cream by Praneeth J.
An assortment of ice cream treats by Sofia D.
Mint Ice Cream by Nick D.
Ice Cream by Anthony B.

Praneeth sent me another fun video on how he created his airplane and also a super fun slow-mo video on his plane and his brothers plane flying! Below are some screen shots taken from that video.

GRADES 3-5 ELEMENTARY VISUAL ART ACTIVITIES: ARTIST’S CHOICE! SELECT ONE TO COMPLETE! POINT OF VIEW LANDSCAPE, RE-DESIGN A LOGO, OR TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR AT THE MET.

Point of view landscape- draw what you see when you look out your window! We included a pic of a landscape drawing as well as a seascape drawing in this google slide as examples.

Below is a drawing Taylor sent me of her viewpoint looking out her window to her back yard!

Point of view landscape artwork by Taylor M.

Re-design a Logo; We posted 7 different logos to look at in this section of the slide for ideas. Kids had the option of selecting one of those 7, or select one of their own, and to change the colors, image or font!

LOGO RE-DESIGN BY SAM D.
LOGO RE-DESIGN BY PRANEETH J.
LOGO RE-DESIGN BY JACOB B.
LOGO RE-DESIGN BY JORDAN R.
LOGO RE-DESIGN BY BRIELLE R.
LOGO RE-DESIGN BY KELSEY S.

Although I have no art to show for this art activity suggestion, the last activity choice was to go online and take a virtual tour at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for kids. Kids were asked to “hop in the time machine” for some interesting art exploration! Click on the link to check it out!

More lovely art sent to me from my students!

Artwork by McKenna Y.
Artwork by Katie L.

Artwork by Maggie S.
Chalk art by Sofia D.

And now for a few pics from the last day of school “5th grade clap out celebration”! …

To those of you reading this that aren’t teachers, students or parents from the North Attleboro school district, normally on the last day of school we line up the hallways inside the school, and all the 5th graders walk down the hall while teachers and staff clap, cheer and hi-five the kids to celebrate their last day at the school. Of course with Covid-19 and social distancing, that had to change. So all the teachers and staff lined up outside the school, 6 feet apart, wearing masks, while families drove by as we all cheered and clapped. It felt so nice to have positive closure for such a bizarre year. And of course it was so nice to see my 5th graders one more time before the school year was over. I’ll miss them!! If any of you guys are reading this, I wish you all the best of luck!! Keep creating, and please stay in touch!

Unfortunately, I forgot to snap pics at Amvet but managed to remember to pull out my phone at Roosevelt later that morning! Some pics below were taken by other staff as well.

Pic above taken behind the school at Roosevelt. Cars all parked here after the clap out to receive awards, t-shirts and yearbooks.
(above) The sign I made for the 5th grade celebration
Teachers signs for the 5th grade celebration
Amvet staff

I’m excited summer break is here, as I’m sure all of you are too!!

Enjoy, relax, and have fun!!

Looking forward to seeing you all in the fall!!

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ART SHOUT OUTS #4!

I can’t believe we’re winding down to the last couple of weeks of the school year! Just maybe 1 or 2 more blog entries of “Art Shout outs”!

Here’s round 4!

GRADES K-2 ELEMENTARY VISUAL ART ACTIVITIES: I CAN CREATE ARTWORK INSPIRED BY THE BOOK PERFECT SQUARE !

In this Google slide, students could view a YouTube video of their art teacher (myself, Kim or Sarah), reading the book Perfect Square by Michael Hall. It also showed steps on how to fold and cut a rectangular piece of paper to make it square.

Students were asked to change the shape of their square paper into whatever they wanted! Students could cut it, tear it, fold it, twist it, rip it, punch holes in it, etc. to transform their square in a creative way! I love their creations!

PERFECT SQUARE ARTWORK BY OWEN R.

PERFECT SQUARE ART BY NICK D.
PERFECT SQUARE ARTWORK BY PRANEETH J.

GRADES 3-5 ELEMENTARY VISUAL ART ACTIVITIES I CAN CREATE: MY OWN MANDALA!

This slide had 6 different mandala examples to look at, as well as a short 3 minute video on how to use the program to create your own mandala online. If you’d like to create your own mandala, click HERE.

My students told me they had a lot of fun creating their mandalas! They turned out amazing too!!

Mandala artwork by Shaurya T.
Mandala artwork by Nolan L.
Mandala artwork by Sam D.
MANDALA ARTWORK BY JORDAN R.
MANDALA ARTWORK BY MAYA M.
MANDALA ARTWORK BY MAYA M.
MANDALA ARTWORK BY AJ M.
MANDALA ARTWORK BY BRIELLE R.
MANDALA ARTWORK BY KELSEY S.
MANDALA ARTWORK BY CONNOR F.
MANDALA ARTWORK BY TAYLOR M.

GRADES K-2 ELEMENTARY VISUAL ART ACTIVITIES: I CAN CREATE A TREASURE MAP!

Grab a paper and pencil/marker to create a treasure map. Come up with creative names for places in your own house or backyard. Then go on a treasure hunt with your family! Don’t forget to add color to your map. To make your map look ancient, carefully crumple and uncrumple your map. 

In addition, we shared pictures of various maps with buried treasure, and directions on how to age their papers with tea or coffee to make it look like an authentic old map. We also included a 3 minute Youtube video for kids that explains the different parts of a map.

Check out these awesome handmade maps below my students created!

TREASURE MAP CREATED BY PRANEETH J.
TREASURE MAP CREATED BY SOFIA D.
TREASURE MAP CREATED BY NICK D.
TREASURE MAP CREATED BY OWEN R.

GRADES 3-5 ELEMENTARY VISUAL ART ACTIVITIES I CAN CREATE: AN ORIGAMI SCULPTURE!

Included in the Google slide, was a description about origami and its origins;

Origami is the art of paper folding, which is often associated with Japanese culture. In modern usage, the word “origami” is used as an inclusive term for all folding practices, regardless of their culture of origin.

Traditionally, it was believed that if one folded 1000 origami cranes, one’s wish would come true. It has also become a symbol of hope and healing during challenging times. 

As a result, it has become popular to fold 1000 cranes (in Japanese, called “senbazuru”).

Also included in that slide were 2 short videos on how to create an origami cat/dog (front and back), a flower, a link to check out additional videos to choose from, as well as how to fold and cut a sheet of rectangular paper to make it into a square sheet of paper.

Students had so much fun creating these, and my student Nolan L. sent me a fun video of his cat/dog below!

ORIGAMI BY SAM D.
ORIGAMI BY LEIA C.
ORIGAMI CRANE BY CHARITH E.
ORIGAMI BY CONNOR F.
ORIGAMI BY JOCELYN R.

ADDITIONAL ARTWORK BELOW BY NICK D.!

Hope you all enjoyed checking out what my students have been creating! Thank you everyone for submitting your art and keep up the awesome work!!

Stay tuned for another round of Art Shout Outs coming soon! Check below to catch up on all the previous Art Shout Outs 1-3!

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ART SHOUT OUTS! #1

With remote learning well underway, I thought I’d share the artwork students have been emailing me while creating art from home!

I, along with the two AMAZING elementary art teachers in my district (Kim and Sarah YOU ROCK!), have been collaborating on creating weekly art activity suggestions for our students. One weekly art activity suggestion for grades K-2 and one weekly art activity suggestion for grades 3-5.

I’ve gotten a bunch of artwork via email from my students. Awesome work guys! Keep creating!

Some artwork below was created using one of our art activity suggestions for inspiration and some they came up with on their own.

Students below created some excellent positivity posters to hang in their windows in their homes. This was one of the 3-5 art activity suggestions “I can design: A Kindness Poster!” Create a positive motivational poster to send encouragement to others in the world around you. Then, display your poster where you live. You might even hang it in a window to send a positive message to others!”

Here are some sculptures made from nature inspired by the artist Andy Goldsworthy! This was one of the 3-5 art activity suggestions “I can create: A Sculpture made from nature” Go on a nature scavenger hunt and collect natural materials. Arrange them in a symmetrical design. Take a photo and show off your design!

This was one of the K-2 art activity suggestions “I can Build: A Robot Using Recycled Materials” Create a shape robot using any cardboard you are able to use. Cereal boxes and cracker packaging work well!

Below are some aliens students created. This was one of the K-2 art activity suggestions “I can Create: Draw your own alien” What shape is the body of the alien? How many eyes does your alien have? Does your alien have scales, fur, or something else? What name would you give it?

This student created a cool 3D alien from materials around the house!
This student had fun creating their alien from clay and pipe cleaners!

Below are from one of the K-2 art activity suggestions “I Can Create: Draw a picture of how you would look at age 75?”

These two students used a variety of materials creatively to create themselves at 75!

Below are two students that drew along with me in my YouTube video on “How to Draw 2 Dogs on a Hill”! Nice work!!!

Here’s some more artwork students created!

I will be adding more student artwork very soon!

Students: If you would like to share anything you have created at home please send them to me! I’d love to see it and will post it here on my blog! Email me at mfilmore@naschools.net

Can’t wait to see what you all create!!!!

Take care everyone

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VICTORIAN HOUSES- 4TH GRADE!

CHECK OUT THESE AMAAAAAZING VICTORIAN HOMES!!!!

SO PROUD OF THEIR HARD WORK AND CREATIVITY!!!

I loove how all these houses are all so unique and students really put their effort into creating them with lots of detail!!

MORE AMAZING HOUSES —STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION!……. 🙂

4th graders did such a wonderful job creating these Victorian houses! They worked so hard coming up with their own individual, unique style Victorian house!

This lesson took  (6 ) 40 minute art classes to complete. I think absolutely worth every class though! Students took their time carefully crafting their beloved houses and I wanted to give them the time!

I love incorporating a unit on Architecture!

Some of my students share that their parents work in the architecture field and I hope many of my students are inspired from this lesson and discuss their knowledge on architecture when they get home.

I wouldn’t doubt that I have a bunch of students that will someday be an architect themselves, designing amazing buildings in their future!!

 

DAY 1:

Students learned about Victorian Architecture and learned about some of the common characteristics found within the Victorian architectural style, (i.e., gables, turrets, towers, bay windows, fish-scale shingles, brick and stone details, decorative wood carved “gingerbread” details etc.) and were challenged to envision and create a drawing of their own Victorian style house that included some of these elements.

I showed students a powerpoint of various Victorian homes which pointed out these particular elements. I also showed students a variety of Victorian house drawings students created from previous years, as well as my own examples, to view for inspiration.

Students then were asked to share what similarities they noticed in a side by side viewing of two different Victorian homes on the whiteboard. These images did not include the arrows with descriptions on each house as previous slides depicted.

I wanted to see how much they remembered from viewing the previous slides and through discussion. Students always impress me when they raise their hands to share what they saw, noticed and recalled!! There’s a ton of slides (about 15??) that I go through and discuss before this point. It makes me so happy to see students so engaged!!

Students then practiced drawing these various Victorian elements on a worksheet after doing a demonstration on each.

We also reviewed the Elements of Art and how students would be utilizing 6 out of the 7 elements of art to draw their homes. Line, Shape, Color, Space, Texture, and Value!

Each student received a “step-by-step” how to draw packet (that I created) to look at, if they needed to refer to while drawing.

DAYS 2-3:

I demonstrated to students under the document camera how to begin drawing their homes. FROM THE ROOF DOWN– Starting with the rooflines for the gables. I also demonstrated again how to draw details step-by-step like the bay window, 3D stairs, fish scale shingles, bricks, stone work, gables, and turrets and towers.

I explained (as well as posted on the whiteboard) what Victorian elements/details were needed to be included in their home, but besides that, they had free rein to create their homes any way they wanted!

Students began drawing their Victorian homes on a sheet of 9×12″ 80# drawing paper.

As mentioned above, I had handouts to refer to with photos of various victorian style homes (not to copy exactly!! but to use as reference and be creative!! ), as well as step-by-step drawing packets to use as reference while they drew.

These handouts are print outs from my powerpoint I previously showed them in the last class. ****TEACHERS— I HAVE A FREE DOWNLOAD OF THIS FURTHER DOWN IN THIS BLOG POST!!! BOTH MY STEP-BY-STEP DRAWING HANDOUTS, AS WELL AS THE POWERPOINT, (WHICH ALSO CAN BE PRINTED AND STAPLED TO MAKE PACKETS)*****

Students were instructed to use a ruler to draw any straight lines (just like an architect!) within their work.

DAYS 4-6

Once finished drawing their houses, students carefully colored in their unique Victorian homes using colored pencils.

I demonstrated how to color in the chimney’s bricks (or other brick details within the house) using a variety of reds, browns, tans, and pinks and suggested to stagger the same color. Just like in real chimneys!

I also reviewed/ demonstrated that they could alter the value of the color by pressing lighter or harder (students did this in a previous lesson in the beginning of the year).

Students were also shown how to color in areas showing any stone detail. Neutral colors like: Greys, tans, dark browns, black, white, cream colors were staggered within those areas.

Students could color in the rest of their houses any way they wanted! In previous years I asked them to use a Monochromatic color scheme. BUT—since we already learned about that with their “mini- monochromatic self-portraits” (you can find that one through search section of my blog) they had the freedom to color them they way they pleased! Students were quite happy with that!!!

Students did such an incredible job creating these drawings! They worked very hard and I’m very impressed!

Teachers / educators and anyone really! CLICK Here to a link to download my own drawn FREE step-by-step Victorian detail drawing handouts on my Teachers Pay Teachers page as well as my own Victorian Architecture Powerpoint (which can be printed out to use as a packet for reference!) YAY!

I hope you find them useful and enjoy using them!!! If you choose to download and use them….. I’d love to hear from you and learn how it worked for you in your classroom!

Thank you for stopping by!! Check back VERY soon for a new blog post on…….

…..sorry…….. YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE!!! : )

 

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OP ART BY 5TH GRADE!

 

5th Graders did such a fantastic job creating these op art paper cone drawings!!! I’m super proud of their hard work!!!

Students LOVED it too and couldn’t believe it could be created using just sharpies, and colored pencils!

This lesson took about 5 (40 minute) art classes to complete. 

 

ON DAYS  1 and 2: Students were introduced to various OP Art by artists Victor Vasarely and Bridget Riley, and learned what Op art was (Optical Illusion Art) with a quick slideshow of work.  

Six straight lines that intersect at the same spot, were drawn ahead of time on 80# 10×10″ paper for each student with a ruler; Creating 12 “slices” in total. 

Students followed along with me while I demonstrated under the document camera how to draw alternating curving lines within each pie slice, starting in the center.

Then they labeled every other slice with a “B” lightly in pencil, to mark that space as black.

Students then started tracing over the smallest slices labeled “B” in the center, using an extra fine point Sharpie, then filled in. 

As areas got larger, kids switched to a Fine Point Sharpie, (since it has a thicker tip), and filled in the rest.  

ON DAY 3, I reviewed the element of art VALUE with students and showed them how to create subtle value changes within each pie slice with colored pencils.

Students used a white colored pencil in the black areas first to create highlights, pressing hard with the white colored pencil down the middle, creating a bright white strip. Then as they drew from the middle outward, to each side, they pressed lighter and lighter, leaving the sides black.

Then, using a black colored pencil in just the white areas, they drew darkest along the sides and gradually pressed lighter and lighter towards the center—leaving the center strip white.

This lesson ties in nicely (and is a great precursor) to the grid drawing lesson that occurs later on in the year!

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check out the page “STUDENTS CREATING ART” —NEW PICS HAVE BEEN ADDED : )

AND BE SURE TO CHECK BACK THIS WEEKEND FOR 4TH GRADERS VICTORIAN HOUSES!!!

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2nd Grade “Thinking of Summer Self-Portraits” and 1st Grade “Dream Houses”

2ND GRADE- “THINKING OF SUMMER” SELF-PORTRAITS!

Every year, near the end of the school year, I’ve had my students do this quick, fun lesson!

We draw just a portion of our heads large along the bottom of a 12×18″ 80# sheet of drawing paper. I demonstrate on how to draw a “rainbow line” along the bottom and then add eyes and eyebrows.

We talk about different facial expressions and how our eyebrows go up when we get excited!

We went around the room and shared a variety of ideas!  They then drew images on what things they wanted to do over summer break within a large thought bubble. They could incorporate words too, but I told them to focus more on drawing than writing.

I demonstrated on how to draw a few ideas (one being a pair of sunglasses that looked three-dimensional, which kids loved drawing and did a fantastic job!)

Once complete in pencil, they outline all lines with a black sharpie then colored and painted!

One year I had students create a cut out version of themselves. After drawing, they cut out the entire head and neck and then cut the top portion of their heads off and glued it onto separate 12×18″ paper hinged open with the thoughts/images coming out. 

AND NOW FOR SOME CUTE PICS OF KIDS CREATING THEIR ART! ….

I LOVED her t-shirt so much I had to take a pic!

 

1ST GRADE- “DREAM HOUSES”

On the first day of this lesson, I read the book “The Big Orange Splot” by Daniel Pinkwater.

I LOVE this book!! If you haven’t read it to your child, or students you should!

It’s about a man, Mr. Plumbean, who paints his house to “look like all his dreams”. In the beginning of the story, a big orange splot of paint falls on his house. Instead of getting rid of it, he adds to the splot, and paints his home with a ton of bright, vivid colors, and pictures of fun, random things.  His neighbors get upset at him and want all the houses to look the same. Neighbors one by one, try to have a talk with him to change it back, but…. instead… each neighbor gets inspired, and ends up changing all their houses to look like their own dreams!

After reading the story, we discussed how it’s important to be yourself and to not be afraid to stand out. I showed students examples of previous 1st graders dream home drawings, as well as a few of my own, then kids got started!

I had no rules for this art lesson except to add a pattern somewhere within their work! Kids could draw whatever kind of house they wanted! It didn’t have to be rectangular or square like most houses—it could be any shape! It could be a slice of cake, a puppy, a cookie, a robot, a spaceship, a boat, a unicorn, slides coming from the roof to a pool in the yard….you get the idea!

I just wish I took more photos of their artwork….It was on their last art class that they finished them up and time just escaped me!!

Below these kids pics, I posted some other dream houses created by my 1st graders from last year to make up for that!

LOVE THIS STUDENTS T-SHIRT!!! AND FUN MULTI-COLORED HAIR!

SOME PICS FROM LAST YEAR….

 

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!!

TUNE IN SOON FOR 5TH GRADERS SUPER AWESOME GRID DRAWINGS!!!! ……

 

 

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