I'm an artist!

After reading the book, "The Dot" by Peter Reynolds, the students discussed that we are all artists. If you can make a dot or a wiggly line, than you can make art! First, the students used craft sticks to create an easel on which they glued a mini picture. Next, the students drew and colored self portraits and environments. Focus was placed on fine motor skills (outlining, gluing, and coloring) and the building of their self-confidence so that they can create wonderful things.

Pickles on Parade!

Pickle People, Pickle Princesses, Pickle Pets, even Pickle Fish! Mixing yellow and blue paint allowed the students to experience first-hand how green is made. In the following two weeks, each student made a unique pickle character and used paper and markers to add details and “pizzazz!”

Blot Monsters

The class read "Where the Wild Things Are" and, like the main character Max, used their imagination to create a monster. Students experimented with Rorschach’s test to interpret a paint blot and to see monsters within their symmetrical designs. After a discussion of symmetry, students cut out and added details to their new monster. Lastly, the creatures were named and placed in an environment.

Animal Tales

We are chasing our Tails! Or is it our Tales? Together, the class folded our paper in to an accordion style book. Each interior page was designed with an animal pattern (real or imagined) using oil pastels or colored pencils The front and back covers were designed with an assortment of materials. this project serves as a nice introduction to book arts, as well as reviews the students' knowledge of patterns.

Easy as A, B, C!

The students looked at Jasper Johns work. The class discussed the way he brought attention to everyday symbols and objects. The students recognized that the letters and numbers in his paint­ings were unlike those that they use in their class work. Using tempera paints, the students turned their letters and numbers into unique colorful art. The students learned that creativity can begin by using “building blocks” from their existing body of knowledge.