From mixed media to simple sketching, there's something here for every 1st grader.
I love the whole idea of project-based learning! The idea of addressing all subject areas in the context of one project makes so much sense, and allows for better real-life application. I had dabbled in PBL a little bit, but never to the extent of this project, in which I asked students to design a zoo. This was the perfect project for the end of our strange traditional-turned-virtual school year, and the kids really took it and ran with it! They were able to complete it at their own pace, collaborating with their families, and it went so well that I'm already planning to use it again next year when we're (hopefully) back in the traditional classroom. While the task of designing a zoo sounds monumental, I broke it down into individual tasks for my students. Differentiation was easy as I gave families the freedom of doing more or less than suggested for each task, depending on the needs of their child and family. (Let's face it, crisis schooling is not the same as homeschooling; I know some families just didn't have time to go all-out on a project, and that's okay!) Using this in the traditional classroom will make for easy differentiation, too, and I've included teacher tips for both higher and lower lever learners for each task in the download which is available here in my store! This project includes all of the subjects and many first grade standards. First, students select animals to include in their zoo and conduct research on them, making notes about what they eat, what kind of climate they need, and more. Next, they design the habitats based on their research, and create a plaque for each animal exhibit. They work on mapping skills as they create a map of their zoo, and coding as they then use their map to give directions to popular destinations. Math is integrated as they come up with prices for tickets and extra amenities they included in their zoo, and also as they set a feeding schedule for their animals. After all of that work is done, they get to add in art and technology as they design advertisements and create a commercial. Some of my kids even decided to design t-shirts! It was so satisfying as a teacher to see all of the ways my students completed this project. After completing all of the tasks and research, most of them actually set up a physical zoo in their house, and they were incredibly creative! Some of them made animals out of clay, others used stuffed animals--one even used her sister wearing an animal hat! They all truly made it their own, while learning and applying skills along the way. I hope your class has as much fun with this as mine did! You can find it here in my shop or here in my TPT store. Keep teaching with heart and passion!
A la façon de Paul Klee... CP
From mixed media to simple sketching, there's something here for every 1st grader.
From mixed media to simple sketching, there's something here for every 1st grader.
Please Note: All images seen below are of my students artwork only. These photos/lessons are not posted in any particular order regarding the flow of my curriculum. Hot Air Balloon Collage Hot Air …
Learn all about our Market Day PBL (Project Based Learning) that was focused on creating a business to sell goods and services.
Read below student artwork to learn how students created these, what they learned about throughout the process, and see photos of students creating! When students came into the art room and sat dow…
From mixed media to simple sketching, there's something here for every 1st grader.
SOUPS ON!!! I was so excited to try this lesson out with my first graders this year–I absolutely LOVE them!! Especially the mixed media/ 3D aspect of them!!! A big shout out and thanks to La…
From mixed media to simple sketching, there's something here for every 1st grader.
I love using interactive lapbooks in the classroom. They are fun to create, engaging and can be used throughout the year to review skills taught. I finally completely my Lapbook Bundle and I am happy to share the lapbooks included with you. Whether you think your learners will enjoy creating all of the lapbooks, if you
A few weeks ago I welcome my first guest blogger to MiniMatisse, Mark Rode. His Paper Dinosaur Sculptures are adoreable, be sure to check them out. Today I'm honored to present you with an Art Teacher I have admired for years. Lauralee Chambers has been an Art Educator for 25 years in Westchester, New York. She teaches over 900 students, 6 sections a day at two different schools with a total of 36 sections in a 6 day cycle. Yep, you read that all right. This woman is a rockstar! Lauralee not only teaches to the masses but also shares, shares, shares on her Instagram, @2art.chambers and on her Pinterest account, Lauralee Chambers. This is how I recently saw Larualee's latest and greatest lesson, Alphabet Soup. She was happy to share with us the process of this adoreable project right here on MiniMatisse. Lauralee writes: I have 6 sections of first grade and our classes are 45 minutes every 6 days. I begin this project by telling them that “I know first graders are alphabet experts” and ask them to recite the alphabet to me. I ask them if they know any alphabet books and I tell them that I have been collecting alphabet books for a very long time because I love letters! I share some books in my collection and show them my other assortment of letters objects that I have including my alphabet necklace. I also created a smart board document with many, many images of letters on things, with the last slide being a bowl of alphabet soup. Day One: Materials: 9x12 white drawing paper 90lb, or other for painting, with a pre-drawn pencil circle outline Oil Pastels Alphabet letter sheet visuals on tables to help them remember Process: After looking at many alphabet visuals and resources, teacher will demo how to draw letters of the alphabet in the circle (bowl) by pressing VERY HARD to put oil pastels down onto the paper. If not done thick enough, soup will cover their letters! I show students how to scatter their letters, rather than putting them in a line like they do for writing. They can go ANYWHERE, upside down, sideways, etc. Rotate the paper for each letter trying to keep them all large enough and thick enough. Colors should be repeated and if there is too much white space left after doing each letter of the alphabet, I have them hide their names in the bowl! Day Two: Materials: Liquid watercolor: I mix up a batch of broth color using yellow and orange and pour into containers for each table to share. This will wash over the letters from last class. Going outside of the lines is fine because teacher will cut circles out so they stay round! This should not take long. Put these away on drying rack and start plaid background “tablecloths”. 12x18 white drawing paper with a larger circle, pre-drawn with sharpie. I traced these circles over to one side of the paper. (This is where they will glue down their soup in next class, as flat and centered as possible.) Water based markers Water containers paint brushes, I like size 10 or 12 The Process: Add any needed letters, prep for painting, demo washing broth over letters quickly in long strokes. Put these away on drying rack and begin plaid backgrounds. Each student has 12X18 with a sharpie circle. Gather them around to demo a plaid pattern of vertical and horizontal lines leaving spaces between lines as you wish. I ask them to choose 3 or 4 colors that work well together. Students will need directions on how to JUMP over the soup bowl and continue their line on the other side. A bit challenging for some, but the irregularities add charm! Once drawn, students take a paint brush dip, and wipe, in water and trace/drag over the marker lines. Some chose to trace only over the vertical lines, others did all. Lots of options. Put on the drying rack. Don’t forget names on the back! Day Three: Materials: Soft black vine charcoal broken into small pieces Off white paper or tag board, cut to the size of a folded napkin Glue sticks Plastic metal imitation spoons Glue gun for teacher use Plastic alphabet beads, stickers (optional)-- The beads the photos are from Roylco Process: Everything comes together. Students glue their already cut out soup circle into the center of the larger circle and then glue down their napkin paper. Teacher demos the placement of shading. Students apply charcoal to the bottom and one side of the napkin and run along that line with a finger to soften or blur. Also apply charcoal around side and bottom half of the sharpie circle and smear with finger. Teacher will glue on spoons with hot glue. Before the shadow is added: After the shadow is added: Lauralee writes: The focus of this lesson combines literacy and letter formation/identification with an understanding of mixed media, using more than one art material in a lesson to create something that looks like real life objects. This lesson is truely a treasure! I adore the end result. I want to thank Lauralee Chambers for sharing and celebrating on her Instagram so often. A special thank you for being a guest blogger for MiniMatisse. It was so great to learn the process. For more on the happenings of Chambers classroom visit her Instagram or email her at, [email protected]
These sound experiments are fun and engaging! They're perfect science lessons for 1st graders and are aligned with NGSS for teaching sound.
These all about me, back to school art activities for kids are engaging icebreakers. Encourage creativity and build community during the first week back
Teaching Habitats to your primary students will be a breeze with my collection of resources to help make your life easier. There's even a freebie!
Regarde mes vacances, les enfants se dessinent et dans les lunettes, ils y dessinent leurs vacances.
Super fun project for your Pre-k, Kindergarteners, and even 1st Graders. Your students will have so much fun mixing colors, whether they are just learning about color, or revisiting color mixing. This project is very versatile and can be created using a variety of mediums such as watercolor paint, t...
These 5 fun 3D shapes activities for kindergarten are a great way for students to learn about shape attributes while having a blast.
This Project Based Learning activity allows your students to critically think about what would be the best learning environment for them.
How to Create Audio QR Kids using Seesaw
From mixed media to simple sketching, there's something here for every 1st grader.
Squiggle challenges are a fun way to enjoy the end of the year or any time of the year to be honest! Your students will love this.
This first grade lesson took about (2) 40 minute art classes to create. Students first learned about the artist Sanford Biggers and we discussed his AMAZING artwork. We also discussed how we’d be u…
This simple project with help teach kids geography and increase their global awareness as they begin to grasp their city, state, country, and continent.
These 5 fun 3D shapes activities for kindergarten are a great way for students to learn about shape attributes while having a blast.
See how Newton's Third Law of action and reaction explains why airplanes fly in the sky, ships move through water and rockets launch into space.
I am linking up with Fourth Grade Frolics for Monday Made It. This year I am going with a bird theme in my room. It just kind of happened. I already had a great picture I bought last year at my school's art auction. Then I happened upon these, and that's all she wrote! I have a small space above some of my cabinets in my room. Over the years I have tried to put decorative items on the soffit, but to no avail. It was just too small of a distance from cabinet to ceiling and nothing looked right, until now. Yay! I found these at Kirklands and they were the perfect size. I then saw these bird houses at Hobby Lobby. Again, just the right size. Now I was happy. :) I bought the houses and some paint and this is what happened: I am going to snip the string off the small houses, but they came in handy as I was painting them. I am heading up to my room to add them to my decor. Once my room is put together I will snap some photos and post them. Of course I am thinking of bird things to do with my little sweeties once school starts. I saw this on Pinterest and immediately knew I would be doing something like this. I then found some free bird clipart on TpT and made this. It is part of my upcoming bird pack I am working on. If you would like a copy click HERE. I also made a PowerPoint presentation for one of my classes last week. It goes with the book 'The Day the Crayons Quit'. I plan on using it on my interactive whiteboard to check comprehension after I read the story to my little learners. They will be able to choose an answer, touch it, and the correct answer will stay on the screen. I would love any feedback if you choose to view it and/or use it with your class. The Day the Crayons Quit - Revised from lolaragan Thanks for reading! Have a great day. :)
Open House ideas. Great activity for students to do to show during Open house.
Learning about rules the first week of school does not have to be boring! Check out this fun and engaging Create a School project.
Hi Friends… I hope this post finds you well and enjoying your summer break. I just returned home from a relaxing vacation in Punta Cana! It was a ton of fun and I really needed the R & R 🙂 I actually wrote this blog post on the plane there…BUT… the flight didn’t have any … Science FUN with Interactive Notebooks! Read More »
Kids will have fun while learning where do I Live with this printable activity perfect for preschool, pre-k, and kindergarten students.
Try this unique cheese powder pollination activity for kids to demonstrate how butterflies and insects help plants grow! It's high engagement fun ideal for students in 2nd, and 3rd grade learning about pollination, the life cycle of plants and the butterfly life cycle.
Take a look at how we learned about animal habitats in first grade as we reasearched different animals, wrote reports and created hands on dioramas.
Inside you'll find an easy step-by-step how to draw a Minecraft Self Portrait & Minecraft Coloring Page. Stop by and grab yours for free.
10 Creative Art Activities for Kids, including free printable drawing prompts and art collages, plus many more creative art ideas!
