With Kindergarten and Young Fives I like to slowly introduce elements and principles of art and design one or two at a time. This project was a fun and quick one-day project before students left for winter break! They worked on using line and shape to create repeating patterns on their mittens! The mitten shape was created by tracing each of their hands. Last but not least we added a string to connect our mittens so they never get separated!
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Kindergarten and Young Fives practiced using geometric shapes to create winter landscapes with evergreen trees. Artists also practiced using different types of line to create implied textures for their tree bark and pine needles. And of course they were thrilled to use glitter to give their snow a little extra sparkle! Lovely watercolor wax resist landscapes!
Kindergarten and Young Fives had fun exploring mixed media this week while creating Polar Bear portraits! The artists learned how to use soft pastel and oil pastel as well as worked on improving their cutting skills!
I love seeing how different all of the polar bears turned out, their personalities are so distinct! What a great way to celebrate the polar bear-weather outside! For this self portrait lesson we talked about emotions and different things that we sometimes feel. After thinking about our own emotions a bit we explored the idea that others experience these same emotions, and a good way of understanding how others may be feeling is by reading their facial expressions, also known as emotional literacy. We talked about how part of being a good friend is understanding how others are feeling. Each student looked in the mirror and pretended to feel different emotions. We started with happy, then sad, then angry, and finally surprised. As their expressions changed they were encouraged to observe how certain features changed, the shape of their mouth, their eyebrows, the shape of their eyes, etc. We worked on drawing what we actually saw instead of just drawing what we assumed we looked like when we felt a certain way. It was exciting to hear the conversations that where sparked between students while working on this lesson. When Kindergarten and Young 5 students come to art class there are often new challenges that they are not always used to in their home classes - such as working in groups. Students are expected to share supplies, use new materials respectfully, choose their own work spaces, and they have a responsibility to move themselves if they are not having success in their chosen area for the day. We practice independence and accountability because these will be important skills for them as they progress through art in the coming years. This lesson was a great introduction the emotional intelligence that will serve them well through their school years and beyond. I love how they turned out - each student is such an individual and it really shows in their portraits!
My favorite thing to teach in kindergarten and young fives is easily color mixing. Our first two projects of the year used only primary colors. This time students still only had red, yellow, and blue watercolors but they learned how to use them to paint some beautiful fall pumpkins. Students mixed orange for their pumpkin, purple for their sky, and green for their grass.
The excitement you see on their faces as they make "magic" for the first time and create a new color is one of my favorite moments. This wax resist project is filled with magic as they learn how to use crayon and watercolor together to create the wind in their skies as well. I would say this is a BIG success for the first painting project of the year! What do you think? After lots of research about artists and the how the environment impacts their ability to create I decided to make a BIG change in the art room. Every child has a different set of strengths and challenges when entering the art room and it is my goal to encourage them to embrace both to better themselves as artists and individuals. To help motivate students to take more ownership of their learning I have created several different types of spaces for students to work in. We have 4 levels at which students can work: tall tables for standing, regular tables for sitting or standing, short tables for kneeling, and floor space where students can work with a clipboard and rug or yoga mat. I have loved seeing how confident the students have been with trying out the different levels. Students have been encouraged to try out every level so they can determine what works best for them and where they can focus on their artwork the most. This change has opened up the space in the art room tremendously! Students are much more free to move when working and are able to share supplies more easily. Working in a position that is comfortable for them helps to eliminate the fidgeting that they sometimes experience when working in a space that doesn't feel natural to them. They also have better control over the perspective of their artwork now which has had a big impact on their craftsmanship in a very short amount of it! As an art educator it is my hope to slowly transition the art room into a space where students can feel independent and confident in their choices and ability to create. This is a small step towards that goal and the students have embraced it beautifully! What are your thoughts on flexible seating in the classroom? I look forward to posting updates as we move forward with this new environment!
I love to start every year with a large collaboration project. This gives students the opportunity to jump into the art action painting on our very first day together! It also gives them the chance to be a part of something bigger than they could accomplish on their own. Our art room is not only a single class but a community filled with artists that come to this place to explore and create. I want each student to feel as though they are a part of this community and our collaboration displays offer that in a fun and exciting way. This year our collaboration painting was made by 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade. It was based on Peter H. Reynolds book "The Dot" which is all about courage, curiosity, and creativity. These are important attributes that I strive to encourage in each of our students at Peach Plains. The finished product is hanging in the hallway outside the art room along with some small pieces done by Young 5's and Kindergarten after reading the same book. For Y5 & K we reflected on a quote from the book that goes "Just make a mark and see where it takes you." Afterward students just "made a mark" with watercolor markers on their coffee filters. When we were finished we sprayed them with water and the designs started to mix and change. When they returned to art the next class period they were displayed in the hallway so artists could see how their designs had changed over time! The author, Peter H. Reynold himself actually tweeted our finished project out so many fans of the book could see what we created! How exciting for our students! I am so proud of the work they are doing here!
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Miss HilliardHello there! I teach K-4 art at Peach Plains and Robinson Elementary Schools in Grand Haven, MI. Archives
November 2016
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