3rd Grade: Aboriginal Fish

In 3rd grade we talked about Aboriginal art, specifically how animals were depicted as having elaborate patterns and shapes drawn inside.  

The first day I had them draw and cut out a fish from thick tagboard. After creating interesting lines and shapes inside their fish with oil pastel, they took tempera paint and painted it so no white showed through. The next time we met, I had them do the same to the other side, then wrap string around it if they so desired. A couple of them were frustrated because their names showed through from the first day. I created a challenge for them to somehow disguise their name using lines and shapes.  They were pretty excited about this, and tried to stump their classmates. 

2nd Grade: Tissue Paper Flowers

The 2nd grade teacher and I consolidated lessons in celebration of Mother's Day.  She would have the kids use Mod Podge and tissue paper to decorate a glass vase.  I would teach the kids how to create tissue paper flowers to put in the vase. 

Here were the steps I taught: Stack 4 pieces of tissue paper.  Fold accordion style.  Fold in half.  Insert pipe cleaner. Tie. Staple. Fluff.  I instructed them to create no more than 3 flowers using red, salmon, and baby blue tissue paper.

A few common trip ups: Instead of folding accordion style, a few kids rolled and folded which made the "fluffing" process difficult.  A few kids stapled so that the staple ended up perpendicular, instead of parallel, to the pipe cleaner.  This again made the fluffing process a challenge.  For some reason some kids didn't understand how to fluff by separating the sheets of tissue paper until I showed them individually a second time.

I encouraged the kids to be creative by mixing the colors within the same color and using different colored pipe cleaners.

1st Grade: Lions

In first grade we read a book about what it would be like to be a lion cub.  The kids LOVED the book! We learned everything from their eye color when they're born, to how they are cleaned, to when they start hunting.  

The first day I demonstrated on the board how to draw a lion as they followed.  They then outlined their lion using black oil pastel and colored it in using either crayons or colored pencil.  The second day I gave them orange and white paint to create the mane. 

4th Grade: Space Collage

This project was done in conjuncture with the space chalk drawings.  Since some kids finished their projects in no time at all while others took the full 2 days, I set out colored paper, scissors, glue, and an example space collage and let the kids have at it.  I was happy they enjoyed this quick project so much. 

4th Grade: Space Images

In 4th grade we watched a few videos about the Hubble space telescope and specifically touched on how large the telescope is, how fast it orbits, and why it works better than a telescope on earth.  We then watched a short video about life in space.  They thought it was pretty cool to be able to sleep on the ceiling in space.

I printed off and laminated many Hubble space images.  They had the choice of which picture they wanted to draw, the color paper to draw it on (navy, maroon, or black), and had the choice to deviate from the picture if they so chose. After I showed them how to properly use chalk pastels (blending, adding detail, etc.) they set to work.  The results were amazing! 

1st Grade: Primary and Secondary Colors

In 1st grade we talked about the difference between primary and secondary colors.  The kids said a lot of "oohs" and "ahhs" as I created secondary colors by mixing primary-colored chalks on the board.  I gave them a large and small oval stencil, with which they were to create 6 fish, 3 of each size.  They could decorate the fish however they liked.  For the day we were to paint, I gave each kid a paint pallet (which I don't normally do, for the sake of time and cleanup hassle) with the 3 primary colors.  They got quite excited watching before their eyes how primary colors created secondary colors.  Many of them called me over, and in an exuberant voice said, "Ms. K, look! I created a new color! See?!" 

The final day we outlined the fish in black oil pastel.  Using prepared blue watercolor, they painted the background of their pictures. Then, to create a watery texture, they placed a plastic bag over the top while still wet.  

I had to make a couple changes for the 2nd batch of 1st graders.  First, I had to cut down the sizes of the stencils.  Too many kids were having issues fitting all 6 fish onto their page. I also had to emphasize that each fish was to show a different primary and secondary color; I had to redirect a couple kids who started their second fish the second color.  My instructions were also to make the big fish primary colors and small fish secondary colors.  I wasn't too insistent on this rule, but I did try to encourage it.  However, with clean-up it is necessary to be insistent, especially with each student having a messy paint pallet to wash.

Glenwood Elementary Art Show

In late April, Glenwood Elementary had a school-wide art show! In addition to taking a look at student work completed throughout the year, the Milwaukee Art Museum, through Kohls, offered craft activities for the families.  It was quite a bit of work hanging up and taking down all the artwork, but it was well worth the turnout!