These all about me, back to school art activities for kids are engaging icebreakers. Encourage creativity and build community during the first week back
Not sure when my obsession with installation art started but it's been unrelenting by holding my attention in a serious way for at least the past year. I honestly feel like if I didn't love my job (right now) so much and feel like I really was answering a divine calling to do it, I would easily dive head first into the world of installation art and try any carve out my place in it. I first stumbled upon this project idea on Princentenol under the name Tint and Shade Ceiling Hanging. I LOVED the idea of doing it but felt like it needed a little bit of something more to it so I mentally bookmarked it and then just forgot about it. Time passed, I got bored with some of what I had been doing in the 3D Design class, and a dug it back up in an effort to indulge my installation art obsession. The learning objectives behind this project are multi-layered and touch upon so many great things... Technique of painting evenly and with careful brush strokes Experiencing tempera paint and understanding why it is so awesome Color mixing, tinting, and shading Understanding and creating geometric and organic shapes Learning how art can be used to transform and reshape space For as simple as the project was, it was also pretty challenging. While I normally do lessons/projects that last about 2-3 weeks, this one easily took five total. It really required the kids to stay on task and stay the course even when it seemed like the work was becoming monotonous and redundant - because, seriously? It was once it came time to draw and cut each of the 144 shapes that were needed to make up the 72 pairs of shapes that would hang off of each of their rings. Since I share a classroom with my part-time colleague, storage is ALWAYS a challenge and this project didn't help at all. Thankfully, the issue was attended to beautifully by hanging things from the ceiling up by the front of the classroom/teacher's podium - this was to help keep students from wanting to bat at them while they moved around the class. The whole installation is mostly hung up right now with the exception of a few yellow pairings that I have to finish up quickly and get hung up because few people wanted to take on the task of that color. The most popular colors were red, orange, and blue overall. Kind of surprised me that orange was so popular but it's my favorite so I was delighted that so many of the kids wanted to do it. Here is what our exhibit "The Ombre Experience" looks like hung up in the student gallery hallway... I feel like (for the most part) I'm pretty pleased with it. We've gotten a lot of really great feedback on it and though I would have liked it to have filled out the space a little more, what it does look like really works for the space.
I'm in my third year of teaching middle school theatre and finally feeling like I'm not constantly drowning. I've had my students complete a bell-ringer/warm up assignment in a notebook for the last two and half years so they can learn concepts and focus on theatre while I take care of housekeeping tasks and learning is still happening. I've decided my goal for next year is to implement interactive notebooks in my classroom and change the formatting of my bell-ringers. Interactive notebooks are not new to me; I saw them in use by the wonderful elementary teachers I worked with as a special ed assistant. I recently took a workshop at TETA Theatrefest about the notebooks, which sparked my interest. I love colors and note-taking, but I also see how some kids don't like this. I, however, feel it would be a great way for them to learn concepts and complete assignments without loose-leaf paper. It can be something they are proud of with drawings, colors, and stickers. I kept the notebook I received at the TETA workshop and I started creating sample lessons for middle school theatre at all levels. Below are some of the ideas I've come up with: Here's the cover. I know; it's simple. The workshop instructor made a good point when she said glued on images fray and fall off through the year. A simple cover with the student's name and class period works. These notebooks should be kept in the classroom, sorted by period. These two pages showcase a lesson about how our bi-annual speech tournaments work in my district. I used foldables and sticky notes to have students understand how sectioning works and which events to pick. I always have them create a goal they want to achieve so they can focus on that as they prepare for the tournament. This is a Theatre I lesson on stage directions. Have them paste in the grid and fill it out as a class. You could use stickies and foldables, as well. The above photo is a section about the UIL one act play unit set pieces. I teach in Texas, and UIL one act play contest = life! My job at the middle school level is to teach them the basics and give them experience with the contest before they go to high school. Our district contest is competitive and so much fun at the middle school level. This is a lesson teaching the critique process for theatre, musicals, and film. Later in the notebook I can have them write a page-long, paragraph form critique based on this lesson. Envelopes are a fun idea! Students can keep show tickets in one throughout the year, and in this improv lesson they can keep character idea cards for when we play improv games. I also includes foldables for CROW and the Four Rules (Tina Fey!) of improv. You can also use foldables for Character Analysis, External/Internal Characteristics, The Rehearsal Process, playwrights, careers, vocabulary, etc. I know several teachers on my campus deal with warm ups and bell-rings differently. Some flip the notebook over and have them record the warm ups in the notebook that way. I've created a weekly template to use next year. They will keep it in their binder and turn it in every Friday. When it's graded they can cut out the warm up template and glue it on the next clean page in their notebook for reference. Open notes quizzes can be given. I've seen the idea of sawing composition books in half for smaller notebooks, and I think I will do that for rehearsal notebooks for my after school shows. They are small enough to keep with their scripts and they don't need a ton of space for their individual notes. Bookmarks can be added with tape and a ribbon on the back cover. The possibilities are endless with interactive notebooks. There are plenty of free resources online, especially Pinterest. Happy notebooking! Kasey
Of all the art and science projects that I have done, lemon and watercolor science has been my #1 fave for YEARS! Let's get started.
Bubakids 20 activities your kids will love for back to school! Classroom and art sub less... for preschool, kindergarten and elementary school children to
Goal setting is an important skill, and if we teach goal setting for kids and make it fun, it can become a good habit for life. Many schools now run through a goal setting exercise at the beginning of every school year and school term, with regular reviews along the way. You can do the same, or of course you can set some goals with the kids yourself at home. Whether you choose to use our Goal Setting resources at New Year, Back to School time or perhaps even the beginning of every month, we hope you will find some fun and inspiring printables below! Why should children set goals? Feeling in control is an important part of feeling happy and confident. Regular and careful goal setting can help children feel that they are taking control of their own behaviour and working towards something; having a positive impact, no matter how small. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Lao-Tzu Be careful to keep the goals realistic and measured. Start small! Some supervision might be necessary here, as the last thing you want is for children to set goals that are just too high and impossible to reach. It doesn't necessarily help a child to boldly declare "I will play football for Chelsea". Instead try "I will work 15 minutes every day to improve my football skills by practising ball control". Think about the time scale for your children's goals. Many people like to set an end-date to make their goals "measurable", and if you are working on goals in a school-setting this may well be appropriate. I have found, however, that a time-scale can put children - especially younger children - off. Young children find it hard to understand the concept of time. It can be more effective to set a simple goal which can be "ticked off" every night before bed, which has the added benefit of teaching children how to instill a good habit. "I made my room tidy before I left for school" or "I got everything ready for tomorrow before bedtime" can be useful skills - and goals, too! It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop. Confucius Think about what might get in the way before you start. If your child has decided that they want to read a book a week, but you know they spend most of their reading time watching television instead, the time to point it out is when the goal is being set. They might even include it in the goal itself. "I will turn off the TV 20 minutes before supper so that I can spend that time reading instead." Show children how to break down their goals into smaller steps. A child that wants to be prime minister one day might start by trying out for class representative, or signing up for public speaking practice after school. Look out for goal-setting opportunities. When a child starts a sentence with "I wish I could..." or "I wish I had..." - there's a possible goal to work towards at the end of it, even it just means some careful saving up of pocket money for the lastest video game! Try to encourage co-operative goals rather than competitive goals. Some children might want to "come first" in all their tests. Perhaps a better goal would be "to score over 80% in all my tests". That way, the outcome is something that they contribute to and, at least to some extent, achieve by their own hard work. Make sure kids choose their own goals - not just try to please others! If you are working with your children to set goals, it can be tempting to "help" with your own ideas - especially if you have a reluctant child! Try hard to elicit a goal from the child rather than impose your own. Remind children that they don't have to achieve all their goals! Goals are something to work towards and aim for. Falling short isn't necessarily a bad thing, if we keep moving in the right direction. Remind kids to learn from their slip-ups and road-blocks. Keeping a record of goals set and tracking how children work towards them can help with this. Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star. W. Clement Stone Explore Our Goal Setting Printables...
These all about me, back to school art activities for kids are engaging icebreakers. Encourage creativity and build community during the first week back
Summer is a season of sunshine, warmth, and relaxation. It's also a great time to capture your own image through self-portraiture. Whether your students are in kindergarten through 5th grade, drawing a self-portrait can be a fun and rewarding way for students to express themselves and document their unique features. In this fun and easy drawing guide students will draw themselves living their best summer lives!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Disney's The BFG. I received compensation in return for my agreement to blog on behalf of this program. All opinions are 100% mine. The
Skip the cluttered displays. Check out how to make a photo gallery wall that is clean and minimal to display your favourite family memories.
Kids will love this daily dose of creativity and teachers - you’ll love all the ways you use these pages! Designed for the classroom teacher, this product serves as a valuable resource in enhancing your curriculum, while providing students a creative outlet, and presenting you with a unique and insightful tool for assessment. As an elementary school art teacher for over 20 years, I can attest to the significance of adding student artwork to your arsenal of assessment. It truly can highlight important information about your students, assisting you in your effectiveness as a teacher. This product includes 20 September “picture prompts.” All you need are drawing/coloring materials such as pencils, markers or crayons and you’re good to go. In this September pack, the prompts reference summer vacation, names, initials, birthdays, family, pets, classic school icons and activities – while also addressing dreams, primary colors, simple perspective, pattern, line quality, habitats, character traits, symmetry and design. Each page provides just enough visual and written information to get your students engaged, informed and started. The length of time to complete each activity will vary and the level of difficulty varies slightly as well. That said, the activities are designed to suit a broad age group, with many open ended activities. *ALL the pages are created to give your students a sense of pride and success at the end. Please check out the Preview to see the remainder of the pages you don’t see here. As a classroom teacher, the versatility of these pages are ideal. Use the “postcard activity” in your writing unit, the “school bus symmetry” in your math unit – build a bulletin board around the “birthday cake” activity. Use them for class projects, centers, fast finishers, homework, extra credit, incentives, bad weather days. And although the product was created for classroom teachers, ART TEACHERS will find it a perfect pack of lessons for sub days. Welcome back and have a great year! These original picture prompts will surely put a smile on your kids’ faces, and possibly spark a few new ideas for you as well! Also available: Art Enrichment Everyday OCTOBER Activity Coloring Pages Art Enrichment Everyday NOVEMBER Activity Coloring Pages Art Enrichment Everyday DECEMBER Activity Coloring Pages Art Enrichment Everyday JANUARY Activity Coloring Pages Art Enrichment Everyday FEBRUARY Activity Coloring Pages Art Enrichment Everyday MARCH Activity Coloring Pages Art Enrichment Everyday APRIL Activity Coloring Pages Art Enrichment Everyday MAY Activity Coloring Pages Art Enrichment Everyday SUMMER Activity Coloring Pages Art Enrichment Everyday BUNDLE Activity Coloring Pages Visit me on PINTEREST Mary Straw Activity Coloring Pages INSTAGRAM @marystrawactivities This item is protected by copyright. It is unlawful to copy or distribute it without my permission. How to get TPT credit to use on future purchases: Feedback = TPT Credit. On your My Purchases page – beside each purchase – you’ll see a Provide Feedback button. Click the button and you’ll be taken to a page where you can give a quick rating and leave a short comment for the product. How to learn about sales, freebies and shiny, new products? Follow this store! Stay posted (via email) to all things new and upcoming by clicking the green star near the top of any product page. Thanks again! Mary .
Learning how to play school can be super fun and helpful for young children. Get more ideas and suggestions to get started!
These all about me, back to school art activities for kids are engaging icebreakers. Encourage creativity and build community during the first week back
Satire about why you should attend Clemson
Head back to school with The Kissing Hand book by Audrey Penn. Pair it with activities and crafts to go along with the theme of the book or even buy Chester
I am surprised that I am up posting right now as today was an exhausting day. The kind of day I would not trade for anything but I am tired. The art room was double booked all day today and will be again tomorrow to make sure that all of my 1-5 grade artists are able to meet Will "Kasso" Condry, Muralist, to view him painting a mural in the art room "live" and to participate in a collaborative circle painting project that I am running. Busy, busy, busy. All that were in the art room today know one thing with certainty---> Will Condry is quite incredible. Before I fall asleep, here are a few photos from the day. Update: June 28, 2013. This blog post has been VERY popular due to Pinterest and has generated thousands of page views for this blog since Dec. 2011. If you create a project inspired by this post, please share your results and link back! Have fun! I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MUCH I LOVE THESE CIRCLE PAINTINGS .....and now..... Kasso mural sneak peek...and he's not nearly done.... He painted in these expressive circles the "skeleton" for this section of the mural in minutes. student asks a question to Will Condry while he paints
Create stunning tin foil art with your kids using a simple technique with aluminum tinfoil to make beautiful designs from flowers to animals.
The beginning of a new school year is exciting but can also be a little bit nerve-racking for children and teachers alike! The first days need to fulfil several objectives including allowing everybody to settle in, to begin to re-connect/make new connections and to be filled with enthusiasm for the year ahead. Whole school or class projects are a great way to start the year with a bang, so here are 16 ideas to inspire and make everybody feel part of the team.
here are over 70 best adorable back to school crafts that are guaranteed to get your kids excited about their first day of school.
The "Everything Comes in Waves" Oversized Hoodie is crafted from top-quality fabrics, while having an exquisite embroidery art that celebrates all of life's ebbs and flows. The PPP palm embroidered above our hearts is a symbol of unity within the Pink Palm Puff community, reminding us all of the love we share.
Teach kids about blueprints and architecture with this fun dream house project. Print out blueprints and create and design a house. STEM project idea
Ready to rock teaching beginning of year writing in first grade? These early days of writing instruction must be targeted and on point. Click to learn more.
Find more art for your walls with 55 more amazing black and white art printables to choose from! Click through to get the free art prints!
Looking for a simple way to transform your classroom from drab to fab? Or perhaps you’re after inspiration for some boho themed classroom decorations? I’ve got you covered! Know why? Because your classroom is going to look *beautiful* and on trend, with my neutral Boho Rainbow Classroom Décor bundle! I created this stylish décor bundle back in 2019 with the modern teacher in mind! It includes everything a teacher like you would need to set up an amazing educational space for yourself and your students with new resources being updated and added regularly! Many of the elements are editable which means you can easily customize them to cater for the needs of your students and the requirements of your school. It’s also suitable for all year levels – primary and secondary! I have made sure to include multiple versions of each resource and all Australian State font options for those who require Victorian Modern Cursive or Queensland Beginners font (etc). See? Got you covered! I was inspired to create these stunning, neutral toned educational printables as an alternative to the bright colors we are so used to having in our classrooms. Colorful, busy classrooms can be overwhelming for students. Have you thought about using a neutral color palette to invoke a sense of calm and add an earthy feel to your classroom? Now’s your chance! Keep scrolling for a sneak peek at what’s included in my best selling Boho Rainbow Classroom Décor Bundle. Take a peek inside the Boho Rainbow Classroom Decor Bundle 10 DRAWER ROLLING CART (TEACHER TROLLEY) A teacher trolley, 10 drawer cart or rolling trolley is a must-have item in every teacher’s classroom – IMO so why not spruce yours up with these stunning editable boho rainbow teacher trolley labels! There are 2 neutral rainbow designs included in this pack – both editable so you can easily customize your rolling cart to suit the needs of your classroom. Alphabet Posters In the gorgeous neutral rainbow color palette, my Boho Rainbow Alphabet Posters come in four different designs suited to both lower and upper elementary. (See below) They come in a Standard Primary Font as well as each Australian State Font – VIC, QLD, NSW, TAS, SA as well as a Cursive font option for US Teachers. Editable options are also included for teachers who require a different font or are in a bilingual classroom. Simply type your text into the text box provided. Behavior Chart Due to popular request, I have included an editable Behavior Chart which some teachers choose to use as a visual way to keep track of your students’ behavior. Simply move your students up and down the chart using a peg with their name on it as a form of behavior management for your classroom. It comes in two editable designs that you can easily customize to suit your class’ needs. Boho Rainbow Birthday Display I remember loving seeing my name and birthday up on the classroom wall as a kid. That’s why I created a Boho Rainbow Birthday Display, that comes in two editable designs. There is a heading poster for ‘Our Birthdays’ and a Months of The Year Birthday Chart. Boho Rainbow Binder Covers and Spines Keep your teaching resources, assessment checklists and planning documents organized and easily accessible using these Editable Boho Rainbow themed teacher binder covers and spines. There are a whopping 20 editable designs for you to choose from. Created in a stunning neutral color palette, each of the designs feature modern images of muted rainbows to help you transform your office space and keep your organization on point! Bulletin Board Bunting and Banners – boho style @pocketfulofpre.k This is one of my favorite ways to transform a classroom, mainly because it’s such a simple addition! My Bulletin Board Bunting and Banners are *so* simple to edit – just type in your text into the text box provided to create stunning bulletin board headers that *POP*! Classroom Jobs Giving students jobs around the classroom has always been a hit with my students. They thrive on having a sense of responsibility and ownership over their classroom. My Classroom Jobs display is a simple and stunning way to make this happen! Display them in your classroom and change them as frequently as desired. Clock Numbers Is there any greater joy than seeing your students learn to tell the time? (Well, I can think of a few… but you get my point!) With my Clock Numbers, all you need to do is simply cut out the numbers and place them around your classroom clock! They come in two designs as well. Classroom Calendar and Weather Display This gorgeous Class Calendar and Weather display comes in two versions. It’s sure to brighten up your Morning Meeting Area and excite your students because *they* are the ones who change the interactive pieces around each day! It’s such a simple tool for helping students learn about days of the week, as well as seasons and weather. Classroom Labels – EDITABLE! If there was one thing I couldn’t live without as a teacher, it would have to be labels! They’re *essential* for keeping a classroom organized. Use my Classroom Labels on your students desks, bag tags, tubs, math and literacy resources, teacher and office supplies, organize your storeroom tubs, cupboards and more! You can even use them to create a boho rainbow themed classroom library! @lololoveslearning They’re available in two neutral rainbow designs. And probably my favorite thing about these labels – is that because they are editable, you can even create your own Classroom Affirmation Station for your students to look at each day! Boho Rainbow Classroom Posters – EDITABLE I created my Editable Boho Rainbow Classroom Posters using a stunning neutral color palette with muted tones. To make it as simple as possible to use, all you need to do is type in your text to create your own customizable classroom posters so it suits the needs of your class. These make a great bulletin board display for classroom rules or values, binder covers, amazing work coming soon display, growth mindset displays, motivational quotes – whatever your heart desires! Days at School Tally Reaching the 100 Day milestone is special. Each morning, reinforce early years number and place value concepts with this 100 Days of School display. @thehappyhomeyclassroom Door Display Your door display is the face of your classroom, so it really helps you set the tone for your room! The sign on this sweet display reads “We are a rainbow of possibilities” and includes editable labels for you to type in your students’ names. Learning Intentions, Success Criteria, WALT, WALF etc This display can be used in two ways: simply type in your learning focus, print and display. Or, you could print blank sheets, place them in a plastic pocket and display them in your classroom. Just use whiteboard markers to record your daily learning focus and erase them to re-use the next day. My Learning Intentions and Success Criteria come in multiple editable designs so you can pick your fave! Number Posters My Boho Rainbow Numbers Posters have been a real hit lately, and it doesn’t surprise me – because my students have always found them so useful in my classroom. They’re available in a standard primary font as well as all the Australian fonts for each state. These Number Posters come in the following numbers: 0-30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 – in 2 versions; ten frame dots going up and down as well as dots going across the ten frames. @abcswithmissb Student Name tags and Goals Desk Plates The boho rainbow student desk plates include an alphabet and number strip and come in a standard primary font as well as all Australian State Fonts. There is an editable strip for teachers to type in their students names. All you need to do is print and place on your student’s desks to create a modern boho rainbow look! I’ve made my Student Name and Goals Desk Plates available for all year levels. With this editable file, simply type in or hand write your students’ names! I’ve included six various goals desk plates are included for you to choose from, with all Aussie fonts available. Teacher Toolbox Labels Keep your classroom, stationery and office supplies organized, with my editable Teacher Toolbox labels. I wanted you to be able to customize your toolbox because we all have different bits and bobs to store! In the Neutral Rainbow Classroom theme, I have two styles of editable labels available – one with a black outline and neutral color palette outline. @my.classroom.days Neutral Rainbow Visual Timetable with Clocks We all like to know what the plan for the day is, right? So do our students! Keep your class on task and in the loop with what’s on for the day with this stunning Visual Timetable. Included is a PDF version – just print and go, as well as an editable PowerPoint version – just type in your own text to suit your class needs and choose your own fonts! I’ve also added in separate clocks because you may wish to use them on the side as a teaching point for your students. I’ve also included 2 designs in the pack – one with just boho rainbows, and the other using the boho color palette with little graphics for each subject – perfect for the early years classroom! Boho Rainbow Welcome Posters My gorgeous Boho Rainbow Welcome Posters can be placed on the classroom door or window to welcome your students each day! I’ve added nine various styles of welcome posters, because I want you to be able to pick your fave, or alternate them as often as you like! Just choose your own font, type in your classroom name, print and you’ve got yourself a gorgeous welcome poster! Word Wall Alphabet Headers and Word Cards With my Editable Word Wall Alphabet Headers and Word Cards, you can very easily choose your preferred font. Simply type in the words that suit your classroom needs. They’re also available in all Aussie state fonts! That’s all, BFFs! I hope you loved getting a sneak peek into my best selling modern classroom decorations bundle – the neutrals Boho Rainbow Classroom Decor range. If you have any questions about any of the products, please don’t hesitate to ask below! If you’d like to grab the bundle for yourself, simply click here. Want to see more? If you’re curious about my other popular classroom decor bundles, you can check them out here: Modern Rainbow Classroom Decor Modern Farmhouse Botanical Classroom Decor Modern Boho Classroom Decor
Looking for motivation? Here are 500+ motivational quotes that'll brighten up your day and make you feel ready to take on anything.
How to make framed silhouette art
This DIY project is one of my very favorites. A little outside-the-box. A little risky (that’s a lot of nail holes!). And, possibly time-consuming. But, I knew it would make a statement, so I went for it! And friends, I cannot take any of the credit for creativity here, as I saw this idea from […]
Teach your kids to dream big with the help of a Paper Rocket Craft that'll inspire them to chase their dreams & soar high! Free Printable Template included.
25 masterpieces created using a backyard fence as the canvas - includes chain link, wood and adobe fences. Fence art, fence mural, painted fences, garden art
I'm hoping these tips will help you all feel confident to branch out in your next scrapbook, or maybe start your very first one!
