Symmetrical Crayon "Batik"

The fourth grade students created these eye catching designs using regular wax crayons. The first step was to find all the lines of symmetry for their square and fold the paper along each line. They then drew a simple design in one of the eight "slices" of their square created by the folds. After the design was done, they folded it along ONE of the lines of symmetry, and rubbed the back of the paper with a hard object (we used the handle of our scissors) to transfer the wax to the facing slice of paper. We then repeated the tracing-folding-rubbing sequence until the whole square was full. The students chose 4-5 colors of crayons to color their design. Once finished, we crumpled up the paper to create cracks in the wax. They then brushed thin black paint over the design and wiped it clean with a damp paper towel. The result looks and even feels like fabric!

Spooky Spiders

I know, it's almost Thanksgiving. But these adorable spiders have been hanging in the hallway for a while, and it's time for them come down. The kindergarten students created these funny little creatures, starting with a line drawing to create a spider web. We then dipped a koosh ball in black paint and stamped it onto our web. Koosh balls are super fun painting supplies! I found ours in the dollar spot at Target, and we use them for lots of different things. They were just perfect for making a hairy spider body. We then cut strips of paper to make legs, making sure we counted to eight to make the right amount. The final touch was making eyes with a cotton swab and white paint. I love their personalities!

Roy G. Biv

Second grade students spent the last two weeks working on a rainbow project! I first saw a variation of this lesson on Pinterest. You can find the source here.

I love how bold the colors look when set off with black and white! We watched this video from They Might Be Giants on youtube and learned a little bit about the science of light and how the color spectrum is created. Then we painted a spectrum of color across our papers with tempera and painted some concentric circles using our leftover paint. The following class, we cut out the circles and attached them to our papers, and used white and black paint for accents. They are so bright and fun!

Contour Line Shoes

 The first project of the year for 5th graders is complete! Our first class on this lesson was a practice in contour line drawing. We are so used to drawing from our imagination that it takes practice to get good at drawing what we actually see. The students drew several practice drawings of a seashell. They had to draw a blind contour-drawing without looking at their paper and a continuous line-drawing without picking up their pencil. These exercises make us better at using our eyes to help draw a picture. The following class, the students did a contour line drawing of their shoes. The drawings turned out so good, we decided to add some color. Today, they finished their shoes by choosing a color scheme. We added a background color that fit our scheme. They make a pretty impressive display in the hallway!

Hot Air Balloons

 For my first wedding anniversary a few years ago, my husband and I went on a hot air balloon ride over Omaha. It wasn't actually his idea, we went with family. But he gets romantic date points anyway since I didn't have to plan it!
I took lots of pictures, and my first grade students love to hear the story of my adventure. They are always curious about how the balloons work and how they land. We practiced drawing the shapes of hot air balloons and then used the lines we practiced last week to create patterns. We also touched on using different sizes in our picture to make balloons look far away or close up. During the first class we drew and colored the background with crayons. For the second class, we reviewed how to use watercolor paint in a safe and smart way. It's good to review best practices for each material in detail these first few lessons during the year. Paintbrush care is a good habit!

Bad Hair Days!

I always like to start the year with a review of lines. Every grade level does a project that reintroduces all the different ways to make lines. By 4th and 5th grade, we are ready to turn those lines into something really amazing! These projects are partially inspired by the many "zentangle" lessons out there, but I don't actually teach the zentangle method. I have the students start with a line pattern and then fill it with doodles. We focused on contrast-making some areas dark, and some light. I love when I look around the room and tongues are hanging out. That's how you KNOW the kids are concentrating!

 We started this project by taking a digital picture of each student, then cutting off the hair and attaching it to a piece of cardboard. These long pieces of poster board were donated to my classroom last year, so we put them to good use! The kids used eraser and pencil to plan the shape of their hair, then used thick and thin sharpies to divide into sections and create the patterns. We used colored markers to create the background and help the line designs stand out.

4th/5th Grade Bad Hair Days

 You guys, my students are amazing. They seriously impress me and surprise me every day. We began this project in art class, and I sent them to their classroom with the expectation that they would finish their black and white patterns on their own in their classroom. Not only did they finish them, but they came back BRILLIANT! We finished the marker background today in the art room.

Kindergarten Line Designs

 Kindergarten art is off and running! This week we are learning about different types of lines. In the hallway, our teachers like us to be in straight lines, but in art the lines can be all kinds of crazy ways! We practice making different kinds of lines with our fingers, then draw them with color sticks. Wavy is soft, zigzag is sharp. Loopy lines are like a roller coaster! When we have drawn some lines with color sticks, we use strips of paper (straight lines) and see if we can bend, fold, and roll them to create new lines. We created zigzag, spiral, and even some that looped or looked like jack-o-lantern teeth!

This is one of my favorite lessons to do with Kindergarten because not only does it teach basic skills with drawing and gluing, but it allows room to use their whole body. Moving is essential for these littles so early in the year. We get up and act out all the lines to help them learn the difference between all the different ways to draw a line. The black paper really makes them stand out, but I've done the same lesson with lots of color combinations. Aren't they fun!