FANTASTIC LESSON ALERT! (Not to toot my own horn but...)The 6th grade project is moving along smoothly that I had mentioned last post. If you're wondering it is an exploration of simple materials using abstract thoughts. Some of my classes are catching up to where they need to be but many are moving forward into the second set of materials and they are loving it! I can't wait to share it with the blogging world - I think it is the perfect age and perfect project to really make students see the variety of art they can create with materials they have at home. It's simple to start if you are interested in exploring the idea. Simply have the students start with a large piece of white paper. Have them draw designs to their heart's content. No scribbles as it will frustrate them later. Lines, shapes, patterns - help them with examples but remind them that it's not about what you can recognize; more of what you can't. Students have taken this in every direction - simple as a checker board and other students can tell an entire story with their different shapes and patterns. Their designs alone have thrilled me. The next step, after drawing is complete, is to have them fold it into 8 equal parts or for those of you that understand...hot dog fold, hamburger fold, hamburger fold. This should take one period (or two if you have 30 min periods). From there, each day explores a materials and this just depends on what you have. I've started with crayon and shown them that it's not just about coloring "in" but different pressure, blending color, directional drawing. Have them fold the paper up so that only one part of their design is showing and let them color it in. I'm not kidding or lying when I say that students spend an entire period engulfed in the idea of blending crayons - and some were so into it, they have yet to finish that section. I plan to move on to colored pencils, watercolor, tempera paint, charcoal, chalk pastel, oil pastel and permanent marker. This could change and as always I will keep you posted and have pictures taken as soon and I can gather time. Ha.
Two students from my school were chosen for the Youth Art Month show. :) That's pretty spectacular.
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| 5th Grade Tempera Painting studying Wassily Kandinsky |
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| 6th Grade Watercolor Painting studying Georgia O'Keeffe |
I'm very proud of the two students and the school and staff seem genuinely proud and excited about it too. Three other students had work kept in Des Moines for the Cultural Day show in a couple weeks. It's not a long show, just a day, but it is at the state capitol and viewed by many.
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| Stipple Drawing 8th Grade |
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| Painting that blended a color family & Silhouette Pasting 8th Grade |
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| Stipple Drawing 8th Grade |
I sent these entries, not only because their 8th graders and they will be moving onto high school, but also because these students were genuinely excited about the possibility of their work being somewhere else. All and all, 5/10 entries are going to be displayed somewhere. Not a bad start.
Well, we had our 2nd official snow day. Meaning the school year will now be over May 27th for both students and teachers. We're all crossing our fingers that there will be no more snow days and according to the ground hog, we should be okay. We have room for one more if you're one of the people thinking you'd like out before June - I know I am. The kids were let out early on Tuesday due to impending blizzard warnings and the snow coming down pretty hard. I decided to crash at my mentor's again and good thing I did because just before 2pm, when I would've left, they called the plows off all the highways and interstates which would've made it hard to get home. We spent the night, of course, talking and hanging out. I am thankful I stay with them because I feel like I keep learning a little bit each time - not to mention, my mentor and his wife give me a little comfort similar to when I see my parents. We went to dinner at a local Mexican eatery and as always it was delicious. Even up to the point when the electricity went out and over 50% of the town was in a black out. Given that my mentor's house is on the other side of town we were confident we had electricity when we returned but unfortunately that was not the case. There we were, candles going and peeing by flickering light. We were charging our cell phone by computer and car and checking whotv.com regarding delays and cancellations. At 745 they called school off for Wednesday and at 8pm, the electricity came back on. If the blizzard was still going as predicted at noon on Wednesday, I planned on staying a second night. However, this morning I woke up around 830am (oh the joys of sleeping in) and the blizzard had clears, plows were in full force, and I was feeling brave about getting home to see Matt and the puppies. After some tasty muffins, I headed home and my drive which usually takes me 65 minutes took me 75 and the roads proved good to drive which actually mentally prepared me for tomorrow morning when I will be driving back that direction.
I need to take pictures of all the displays that are up at the school. 6th Grade Perspective, 5th Grade Human Figure Drawings, 7th Grade Printmaking, 7th Grade Optical Illusions, and 8th Grade Stippling. This trimester is flying by and if I'm not careful I will lose sense of time. I love my students - they have really given me a chance and have taken art into their hands and created fantastic stuff. One trimester left and I can say I've completed my first year teaching. Unthinkable.
I'm contemplating my Masters - they started a new, great program at UNI. I know I want to get my Masters; and I know I want to get it at UNI so I'm thinking, "Why not now?" I'm preparing my stuff and getting the letters I need. And while there are a few minor details I would have to work out - okay a major money related one, it's a possibility that it really could happen. Of course, my small limited blog world - I will keep you posted. I fear I have a lot more growing to do with my personal roll in art before I'm ready to take another step. I'm just so into the teaching thing now that I know I want to take the step - I'm just unsure (nervous) of when. Either way, I think it would be great.
I think next year might change a little bit with my curriculum - I knew it would but it's more thought out now.
8th grade: I know I want to keep the silhouette project but I might specify the context a little more and aim it in the political/cultural action direction by having the kids design a silhouette that speaks out against/for something (appropriate) ...similar to my stencils in Australia project. Definitely keep clay but have them work more towards the specific goal of creating a pot that "stands for a personal moral" either through the design, structure, or decor. I'm not sure if I'll change/keep stippling (the kids hate the process but love, love, love the results)...I have a plethra of books that are being given to me that I could explore book art worth and play off the idea of "writing your own story" through art. And Graphic Design will stay...some of the lessons or end result might head in the same direction of "Taking a Stand". 8th grade would then have a theme... "Taking a Stand, publicly and personally." And they're at the perfect age for that.
7th Grade: Keep the Elements of Art/Principles of Design project, change it up but keep it - they love chalk pastel and it's a good "get to know you" time for me and the students. Optical Illusions - keep. It's a hit at conferences and the 8th graders like playing "Guess who it is". Printmaking, keep. Enlarge the cards, pending size of budget for next year. Monochromatic Painting - still playing around with. I changed it already from cartoons to abstract designs and it seems to be going okay. We'll see - monochromatic is not required and they learn a lot about value so it could just change completely. Graphic Design Advertisements, definitely keep. No question. No theme thought of yet although it wouldn't be too hard.
5th Grade: Wassily Kandinsky...keep and not just because I have a crush on the deceased artist. Human figures...keep. Weaving...keep but I'm still messing around with everything they do. Tube Sculptures...we'll see how that goes.
6th Grade: Georgia O'Keeffe...keep. Perspective...DEFINITELY CHANGE (WHAT A HEADACHE) but I'm still figuring that out. Exploring Materials...what a hit, keeping. Heraldry....we'll see how that goes.
I think I'm stuck reflecting because I'm busy thinking about my portfolio too. I'm not nervous by any means but it is a lot of work. If you have any questions about the above units for any grade, just ask. I played off of the previous teacher because she followed district curriculum. I'm changed it up with permission and continue to tweak so that 5th and 6th grade explore a wide variety and 7th and 8th tone in more on specific ideas and putting purpose in their art.
Well anyways. Matt is getting a redbox and we're about to cook our breakfast for dinner. The dogs are playing (we're dog sitting) and the snow is shoveled/plowed. Wish me luck on my drive...although I think I will be okay.
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