One of the first projects my first graders made were these “All About Me Crayons”. I had seen and taught this lesson probably 10 years ago and decided to revisit it. I can not remember exactly where I saw this idea, but as many lessons are, we get ideas and see projects all over the place. I try to credit when I can, but some of these I have been doing so long! We started the day by reading … Read more... →
Pierwszy dzień w szkole spędza sen z powiek nie tylko uczniom. Nauczyciele po pierwsze opłakują ;) powrót do pracy, a po drugie bardzo często zastanawiają się, czym wypełnić pierwsze zajęcia. Przyg…
We are currently starting our final projects of the year. [I can't believe it!] But for now, let me catch you up on what we just finished... 5th and 4th grade have been working on the same concepts for the past two projects. Both grades participated in a school wide Egyptian art unit by creating Egyptian sarcophagi. They reviewed SYMMETRY, and learned about hieroglyphics. After that, they learned about creating TINTS and SHADES by making an undersea painting. You can find these handouts here- http://www.teachandshoot.com/2015/02/art-room-handouts-round-3-value.html I would have let the students have more freedom with other colors, but I really only had blue left, and underwater came to mind. Thanks for visiting! 3rd grade also participated in the Egyptian art unit by creating Egyptian PORTRAITS! This might be my favorite project from this year. What a wonderful job the students did! After that, 3rd grade made ORIGAMI frogs, but I forgot to take photos! After origami, 3rd grade started creating ASSEMBLAGE art like the artist Louise Nevelson. They are just starting to paint their sculptures this week! 2nd grade created a fun pyramid COLLAGE as part of the Egyptian art unit! After that, 2nd and 1st grade both created ABSTRACT Picasso PORTRAITS. 1st grade and kindergarten created Egyptian necklaces and learned a little bit about PERSPECTIVE by drawing the pyramids. Kindergarten just finished learning about weaving by creating some alligator WEAVINGs!
These all about me, back to school art activities for kids are engaging icebreakers. Encourage creativity and build community during the first week back
So, yesterday I showed you how I got my angle studies kicked off with my students–how I solidified understanding of “right angle”. We had lots left to accomplish–so I’ll try to share some of the different lessons and activities we did over the next days! Tip 1: If you can get your hands on thin […]
These all about me, back to school art activities for kids are engaging icebreakers. Encourage creativity and build community during the first week back
Here is the perfect project for the start of the school year: Kandi-Apples.This project will allow students to create a work of art in the Style of Kadinsky.When they are finished, you can make a colourful collective display. This project requires simple materials, and apple models are also included...
These all about me, back to school art activities for kids are engaging icebreakers. Encourage creativity and build community during the first week back
Open House ideas. Great activity for students to do to show during Open house.
First Week Watercolor Portraits 7 comments Back to School, Bulletin Boards, Self Portraits, Tutorials Every year, my second graders paint a watercolor self-portrait. It is truly my most favorite first week activity of all time. After sharing this picture of this year's portraits on Facebook, a sweet reader asked if I had a blog post about them. Well, it dawned on me that while I have shared my annual self-portraits many times, I've never really shared them exclusively in a post. So, here goes! Every year, I have my students paint a self-portrait during the first week of school (an idea I learned while student teaching many moons ago). I hang these portraits in the room, for the entire year. They really brighten up our space and they are such a joy to look at (this is a picture of my students' portraits from last year). I am not an art teacher and I believe that kids should be encouraged to take risks, so when I task my students with painting their portraits, I pretty much let them "have at it." Don't worry, it isn't a total free for all. I do model the process and I also share examples from years past, like the ones shown below. I just make it very clear that I don't expect their paintings to look like an actual photograph. ;) I always begin by pointing out how much of their body/self they will be painting. I tell them to think about the pictures they see in their yearbooks and how those pictures only show people's heads and shoulders. I explain that they will include only their head and shoulders in their paintings. I then show them examples from previous years (sometimes students move and they get left behind, so I have a few on hand). Once the students understand what it is that they will be including in their portrait, I model the drawing process on the board. I discuss how large the head should be in relation to the paper and show them what this looks like. From there, I show them how I draw a neck and shoulders, hair, and facial features. I apologize that I don't have a photo of this, but essentially, I model and narrate the process, one step at a time. And, then...it's the students' turn. I give each student a piece of white card stock (8x10 inches) to work with. Card stock is brighter and thicker than construction paper, and it just seems to hold the paint better, in my opinion. Then, they start their drawing. Sometimes, I have them draw the outline of their pictures with a black crayon (see below). When I do this, there is NO pencil involved. This helps them to really slow down and visualize before they draw because they know that they can't erase. However, this year, I let them draw with pencil first and then they traced over their pencil lines with a Sharpie. Why did I do that? I have no idea, it was just what I decided to do when I was prepping the materials, but the end result was still fab! Once the students draw the outline of their portrait, they get to paint! Using watercolor is a tricky thing for many second graders. They have a hard time always gauging how much water to use, so a discussion about this (and a little modeling) ahead of time is a good idea. Tip: No matter how much explaining and modeling you do, you'll still have a student or two that uses too much water. Let them use a tissue to blot their paper if you notice this happening. I lay the portraits to dry on the floor, in an out of the way spot. They dry within minutes here in the desert. Once they are dry, I flatten them by stacking heavy teacher manuals on them overnight. I could iron them, but my iron and I do not get along. At all. The next morning, I hang them up and admire the sight before me...all year long. :) At the end of the year, it's always fun to repeat this process. You will be amazed at how much growth your students show. Here are a few examples from last year. Amazing, right? We always get lots of compliments on our portrait display, and the kids are always very proud of them. They love seeing if their parents can guess which one is theirs, and it's fun to see how many parents get it right! At the end of the school year, I send the portraits home as a keepsake. Many parents have commented how much they love them, and they are the perfect size for framing! First week self-portraits are a great way to encourage students to take risks, have fun, and learn to use materials. Beyond that, the students take great pride in their creations and enjoy them just as much as I do, and we have something truly magnificent (that they created!) to look at all year long. :) Share It:
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Fun ideas for teaching adjectives and descriptive writing that are just right for October and Halloween week in the primary classroom.
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.
I love starting the school year with this activity. It’s easy, parents love it, and it immediately gives the children a little boost of self-esteem by identifying a part of themselves that they like…
Kindergarten Rocks! 5 year olds are the best. I was a kindergarten teacher for many years before I became an art teacher. The kids are so full of wonder and possibility. I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite art activities for 5 year olds. Some are ones I’ve done more recently, […]
This is one of my FAVORITE art lessons for 2nd grade!! I LOVE each and every one of them!! (More info. and how they were created below! Plus a little virtual gallery walk video!) &nbs…
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.
Beskrivelse af idéen: Pop-art virker hver gang. Den umiddelbare fascination af genkendelige motiver, de klare farver og den lettilgængelige og høje ”lækkerhedsfaktor” taler til de fleste børn og unge. Andy Warhol skabte med sine silketryk af skuespillere, statsoverhoveder og andre berømtheder, en serie ikoniske portrætter, som gennem en periode på over 50 år har inspireret generationer af billedmagere. I dette forløb tager vi udgangspunkt i et Andy-Warhol pop art-udtryk og arbejder med parafraser over den østjyske billedkunstner Allan Stochholms humoristiske billedserie ”Hovedretter”. For Hinnerup Billedskole har kunstneren Allan Stochholm en helt særlig betydning, da han bor og arbejder i Hinnerup og en gang om året, med sin kunstnergruppe, Primus, udstiller i vores lokale kulturhus, hvor også billedskolen udstiller efter hver sæson. Det er oplagt og meget relevant at inddrage lokale kunstnere i billedkunsttimerne. Det giver en større forståelse for det lokale kulturliv og hvis der oven i købet kan etableres en kontakt til den pågældende kunstner, og vedkommende kan inddrages i den åbne skole, får forløbet en helt ny dimension. I dette forløb arbejder eleverne med digitale billeder, tegning og enkel collage. Der hentes inspiration i kulturens billeder. Idéen kan bruges på alle klassetrin. Sådan kan du gøre: Se på Andy Warhols pop art-portrætter og Allan Stochholms billedserie ”Hovedværker”. Se eksempel på Allans malerier her: https://issuu.com/avform/docs/101445_billedkunst_november_2015_no Lad eleverne tage digitale fotos af hinanden, mens de forestiller sig, at der står en ret på deres hoved. Hvordan ønsker den enkelte elev at ansigtsudtrykket skal understrege stemningen i billedet? Er det en livret, der skal stå på hovedet – eller er det det den mest ulækre ret, eleven kan forestille sig? Lad eleverne beskære deres fotos digitalt og bearbejde dem, så de fremstår i sort/hvid med stor kontrast. Print billederne ud og farvelæg dem med tusch Lad eleverne tegne, fx deres yndlings – eller ”hade”-retter på hvidt tegnepapir. Tegn op med blyant og farvelæg med tusch. Træk evt. konturstreger op med sort tusch. Bunden i billedet laves ved at lime en komposition af papircirkler i forskellige farver og størrelser på et stykke rivepapir som er lidt mindre end et A4 ark. Brug evt. en puncher til at standse cirkler ud med eller lad eleverne klippe dem i hånden. Klip portrættet og maden ud, så du lader en lille farvet kant blive rundt om motiverne, og lim dem op på baggrunden. Monter billedet på sort kardus eller rivepapir, så det får en ramme. Tip: Idéen kan også bruges til fx ”drømmebilleder”, hvor eleverne arbejder med hvad de drømmer om eller ønsker sig. Materialer: Sort/hvide portrætter af eleverne, printet ud på almindeligt printerpapir, farvede tuscher, sorte sprittuscher, fx Edding 400, rivepapir, sort kardus, limstifter, sakse + punchere.
Are your toddlers and three year olds wanting more science fun? These science experiments for 2 and 3 years olds are perfect for any day!
Discover the perfect All About Me preschool activity designed for young kids! Get a free printable worksheet that's simple, engaging, and ideal for emergent readers. Download now!
I was introduced to this lesson by Claire Kirk & Katie Flowers. Both amazing artists and art educators I have had the honor of knowing and working with over the years. From observational drawin…
This is an amazing art and math lesson that I got from a teacher at a conference who did teach a district over from me, but is now getting her PhD. She always had amazing stuff to present at conference. (You're amazing, Mary Franco!) Anyway, this lesson involves Paul Klee and multiplication. I made a little three page Smart Notebook lesson about Klee's work "Once Emerged From the Gray of Night" (where I used to show a poster of it) and have the students talk about what's more important--the words of the poem or the colors and composition? Then we talk about putting two things (like writing and art, or math and art together). It's SUCH an amazing lesson, here's a sneak peek: So, students get a little background knowledge of Klee, then we talk about tessellations and multiplication (and practice on the Smart Board). Then, students get a page of one-inch graph paper and write out a one digit by one digit multiplication problem with a two digit answer. I tell them to choose one that's hard for them to remember, or their favorite one. They then repeat that problem seven times, dropping down and over one square for 4 times, then down and back a square for three times, making them into interlocking tessellation shapes: After they've drawn it all out in pencil and I've checked it, they choose ONE color of fine-tip marker to trace it with, then use colored pencil or watercolor pencil to color. The coloring is a bit of a challenge for them, because they need to forget that they're numbers and only look at the space. They then color it in patterns/designs to make it visually interesting and play with people's minds ('math? I dont' see any math!') It's an awesome lesson that really challenges their thinking. This one really shows the patterns and designs. Oh, it's also important that their numbers COMPLETELY fill the one inch box of the graph paper. I always try to do this lesson at a time of the year when classroom teachers are complaining about students not remembering their math facts. I usually do it with fifth grade, but I did it with sixth one year at the teachers' request.
We had our first day of school with students Wednesday and I forgot how utterly exhausting and mind blowing that first day is! We did lots of rules, routines, and procedures but also made time for some fun first week things. Here is what we have been up to! You can purchase these Scholastic Order Form activities from Clutter Free Classroom HERE! I also introduced the students to the Activ Expressions! They were literally asking me about them ALL week long and so Friday, we took a Multiple Intelligence Survey using the device! I adapted this activity from Laura Candler's printable survey which you can download free HERE! You can download the flipchart by clicking the image below. Important Note: You must have Promethean Activ Inspire software installed on your computer to OPEN and use this file! Please do not download otherwise! I also made some labels to go on my Activ Expression bins. You can download those by clicking the button below! I have also decided to implement brain breaks into my classroom this year! We needed a little wake me up on Friday morning so we watched this HILARIOUS parody of I'm Sexy and I Know It, called I'm Elmo and I Know It! I am definitely adding this to my brain break file! I plan on making some brain breaks sometime this week. Stay tuned to find out how I plan on incorporating this bad boy into my brain breaks! I absolutely can't wait for it to get here!!
Need to keep your toddler occupied at home? Check out these 20+ easy activities for 2 year-olds that are simple and mess free!
Free printable Pop art templates for learning to create in the style of Andy Warhol. This free art tutorial for kids will have your students begging for more....and you can give it to them! We've included three different templates that are sure to delight your budding artists.
Use this collection of Paul Klee teaching resources and complete Klee Famous Artist Unit lesson plans to teach elementary art class.
Amazing things can happen with just one dot.
Name posters are an easy art project for the first day of school and also double as classroom decor!
It is always tricky to have a finished piece of work after one lesson that is decent to put up in the main office area! Here is a quick display that everyone loved and the 3D aspect added greatly t…
Kids Learn about Andy Warhol and Pop Art by recreating his art using this fun and simple activity. Add to your child's knowledge of Art History in a fun way!
Amazing things can happen with just one dot.
" International Dot Day ", a global celebration of creativity, courage and collaboration, began when teacher Terry Shay introduced his cl...
One of my favorite topics to teach in my art class, no matter what the age or skill level, is divergent thinking. What is divergent thinking? One of my favorite videos to introduce divergent thinking to my students is the lecture by Ken Robinson. Divergent thinking is the ability to come up with multiple solutions
Do you teach a Community Helpers Preschool or Kindergarten Unit? You will LOVE this fun set of pretend play learning centers and no prep worksheets.
Simon and I recently finished reading Charlotte’s Web together (meaning I read a bit of it to him every night before bed). We both really enjoyed it. My older
This is - hands down - my most favorite writing project that I've ever done with my firsties. They did such an amazing job and I am so proud of how far they have come this year. We read "The Best Part of Me" by Wendy Ewald and then created our own bubble maps to organize our thoughts. I
Kandinsky Inspired Apple Art for Kids - A fun art and craft for early Autumn that explores colour mixing - Apple Template Available
Students can travel across the globe without leaving the classroom. Check out these fun geography lessons for any grade and curriculum.
A printable eyeglasses template can significantly simplify your DIY projects or educational activities. Whether youre planning a creative craft session, designing costumes, or teaching children about vision and accessories, having a template allows for easy customization and saves time..
