One-point perspective is always a challenge with fifth grade, so I leave it for the end of the year. Although, perspective happens to be something I love to teach! We do a lot of it together, step by step and we talk a lot about the connections to math. This year we ran into all the events happening at the end of the year so they were rushed with their details They used rulers and sharpies for the lines and they had a choice of mediums for the color. They were able to use markers with water or watercolor crayons. To begin the project we looked at renaissance art to discuss perspective and then they looked at a variety of photographs from places like Venice, New England and Mexico. I chose those places for variety and color. A majority of my students are Hispanic and love to look at the architecture in Mexico. The students make great connections as well. Some even recognize some of the towns in my PowerPoint so we can have great discussions!
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Notan is such a great way for students to demonstrate a balance of positive/negative space. Skill levels can be differentiated so easily with this project. I only see my students 1 day a week for an hour, but I have had the pleasure of teaching many of them for several years. Even with 550 or so students, I know the level of craftsmanship they are each capable of producing. Students may create may make this as detailed as they feel comfortable. We talk about knowing your skill level and then stretching to reach higher. They create a plan first, so we can discuss anything that may need re-working before they make their final project. If I know they are playing it safe with their design, I challenge them to be more creative! I keep coming back to this project because it is highly successful and well as quick, and the students are always wowed by what everyone creates.
Fifth grade learned about the collography printmaking technique. They created a design either realistic or abstract on a piece of cardboard. They used materials with a variety of texture (corrugated cardboard, shelf liner, yarn, burlap, fun foam...). They worked with a partner during printmaking (the printer was the master and the helper was the apprentice and then they switched roles). I had 7 stations set up with different colors of ink and tools. Students chose a color and then worked at that station. We repeated the process for 3 class periods. Each time they mixed a lighter tint and turned their print 90 degrees, placed it on the registration "plate" and printed again. If students were waiting for their turn at a station, they were to work on a "drawing cakes" project. They had a handout showing how to draw cylinders and then added decorating details with marker and colored pencil. This was completely independent work and they had objectives for this project as well. For the most part everyone always knew what they should be doing! This year I had a couple of fifth grade classes that just blew me away with their work ethic and the way they worked to help each other. I was so proud of them. They listened to directions, set off to work, never asked me what they should be doing and had my room spic and span when class was over! One of the collographs was selected for the Student Art Show at the 2018-2019 Illinois Art Education Association Conference! Fifth grade used sharpies and colored pencils to demonstrate space through the use of value and overlapping "ribbons".
Once again I had fifth grade create alebrijes for Hispanic Heritage Month. The students love to build with clay and we do not get to do that often enough. I do not have a kiln so Crayola air dry for us. I have scaffolded basic clay building techniques since first grade, so by fifth they are very good at construction. We rarely have animals that have parts that fall off after drying! They do a great job of scoring, "slipping" (just water) and then using tools to smooth together any joints. They still need to be reminded their sculpture is fragile when it is dry! They love painting their alebrijes...they are usually so focused that it is silent in the room...imagine that!
Fifth grade looked at masks from different cultures of Africa. One of the observations they made was that all the masks were symmetrical so that became one of the objectives. They used tooling foil to create a mask expressive of themselves through using some of the elements of the masks we viewed as well as creating their own symbols. Students added color with sharpies and were given free reign of my craft bin (beads, wire, feathers, chenille stems, gems, raffia...). We reviewed the difference between geometric and organic forms for the base. Students brainstormed what they would like their base to be and then used Crayola air dry clay to make them. They inserted a craft stick to hold their mask. They were then painted with metallic temperas. Students were challenged to consider the construction of their base so that the mask would remain balanced in an upright position. All 100+ masks were displayed throughout our main lobby!
First grade is learning all about lines! Lines are everywhere! They love the Scratch Garden YouTube video about lines and we read the story "Lines that Wiggle" by Candace Whitman. I brought in some leaves and we looked at the lines we could see in them. I have 3 different tracers for them and they outline the leaf with permanent marker and then divide their leaf into sections. Students learn how to create a wax resist painting with crayons and watercolors. They fill their paper with lines and patterns as well as some shapes. I was going to have them make the leaf warm colors and the background cool colors, but decided to let them experiment with the colors. We looked at the differences created by color choices of both crayon and watercolor (ie. yellow crayon/yellow paint vs. yellow crayon/violet paint).
My 4th grade students love this project, so I have done it for several years. Each year I tweak the plan a bit to add in more meaningful learning. This year I also switched to Crayola mixing watercolors and love the vibrant colors!
Some of my fourth and fifth grade classes that had time at the end of the year got to make model magic monsters. They love model magic! The only requirement was that they start with a pinch pot for the body. They created all sorts of crazy monsters! They had white model magic and colored it with markers.
Fifth grade finished up a unit on space by learning one-point perspective. They also happened to be learning about outer space in science and language arts. I created a lesson to integrate their classroom learning with their art project. We began by learning how linear perspective began during the Renaissance and discussed some of the art of the period. We then looked at Magritte and how he used space and place unexpected objects next to each other. Students used oil pastel to make their planets. I had photos from NASA of the planets as well as the sun and moon for inspiration. We drew the room together and they were given choice of media to color it. If they had time, they could add something unexpected in their room or in space. They were able to add anything as long as it was school appropriate.
Fourth grade ended the year with clay. They made pinch pot birds using air dry clay and then painted them with tempera cakes. I had clay birds, pinch pots , and coil pots all over my room at the end of the year. My counters were stacked with clay projects! Without a classroom, I would not have been able to have so many classes create with clay all at the same time.
Fourth grade made beautiful bouquets using complementary colors for their flowers and mixing tints to add value. They were excited to mix paint and were very successful with the project. It was a wonderful project to boost self esteem in the art room. So many students were worried that they could never do this project when we began. But I broke it down step by step and they were successful. I gave students circle tracers and told them their flower petals should touch or go beyond the circle in order to get nice large flowers. They had to paint each flower a set of complementary colors and of course, they loved mixing their tints when painting. They made symmetrical vases and created a light to dark scale, then outlined flowers with oil pastel, next chose background paper, then chose table paper, made stems and leaves, glued it all together and finally used a chalk pastel to create a shadow under the vase.
Third grade made coil pots with air dry clay and then painted them with tempera cakes. We also read the story, "The Pot that Juan Built".
First grade reviewed line, shape and color in their spring flower project. They traced and cut circles out of primary colors and then added all kinds of lines to finish their flowers. Some added a few extras that you might see in a garden.
Kindergarten had some fun with paint! They looked at Picasso's Flowers of Peace and made their own painting inspired by it. They traced their hand and then added their flowers.
First grade reviewed primary colors, and learned all about weaving and texture. They cut their own paper using craft scissors. They loved using these! When they were done, they added lines and patterns.
Kindergarten was learning about form in art, as well as reviewing line. Students created a wax resist by drawing lots of colorful lines with florescent color crayons and then painted with florescent tempera cakes. On the final day students cut florescent paper into lines and added them to the bottom. Students were so excited to see their colorful display hanging over the main hall.
Students also spent time exploring form with play dough. They practiced making cones, cubes, cylinders, and spheres too. They were learning about these forms in their classroom. Students excitedly made baby chicks sitting in half an egg shell using model magic. They were hatching chicks in their classrooms and learning all about them. The chicks had just gone back to the farm when they made them, so there were super excited to have these to take home. They made two spheres and a cone for the chick and a pinch pot for the egg. Sadly, I didn't get any pictures. They turned out adorable! Students then moved on to air dry clay and made pinch pots with texture, then painted them the next week. Again, no pictures :( Students took everything home as soon as they made it. First grade dove into this projects with creative enthusiasm! They learned a few ways they can turn a flat piece of paper into a form. From there they used their imaginations to make all sorts of things to build a "playground" or park.
They had everything from skateboards, trash cans with lids and miniature pieces of trash, to monkey bars and pools. Students also made pinch pots with texture using air dry clay and then painted them as a part of our form unit. Didn't grab any photos of them. Things get a little crazy at the end of year. Second grade had a lot of fun weaving on burlap! They pulled out some of the weft and then wove back in with yarn and beads. They chose the patterns to weave by counting over and under the warp. Beads were a challenge and not all students chose to add them.
Third grade just can't get enough castles! This is a project I have actually done every year because the students love it so much and ask if they are going to get to do it. I gave them the option since we already drew castles and they overwhelmingly voted to build them. Students learned how to turn a flat, 2-D piece of paper into a 3-D form and let their imagination go from there. Many of them even figure out a way to make a working draw bridge! I've even had working catapults added to the grounds, and torches and fire places added inside. We talk about architecture, and engineering through building a structure that stands and solving problems as they arise.
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Mrs. Kendell
I was a graphic designer for many years, and then decided to make the leap into art education. I taught elementary art for 8 years. Archives
May 2018
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