Friday, May 29, 2015

Aztec Masks

I love making myself crazy. 

So when the other art teacher on my campus was ready to settle into weaving for the next 9 weeks with 4th grade I should have taken a deep breath and done the same. BUT, I thought, 9 WEEKS? That is a life time!

I'm terrible at reminding myself that I don't have 9 weeks with a group, I have what, like MAYBE 7 classes left with them? Much of which is interrupted by the art show, talent show, passing back art etc. 

But I love to be crazy, so I squeezed one last project in. I never expect them to finish weaving anyway. 


OMG you guys I LOVE THESE! They are sooooooo cute! I am going to do them next year when 4th grade is actually learning about the Aztecs.












In truth though, we learned about the cultures of Mezo-America, not just the Aztecs. We watched a few Brain Pop videos, and this really cool video from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts to learn about the culture. I also checked out a bunch of books from the library. 




We watched some videos on YouTube to learn how to actually tool the metal as well
This is a good one, so is this, and this.

My main concern for these is that they showed a face (It didn't have to be human) and the face have details on it, as that looked more Mezo-American, and more interesting. 

To finish them off, they cut out the mask, with a half centimeter around the edge to fold over so they don't cut anyone, and glue it on black paper. 

I found this lesson plan on Artsonia.

Until next time.

Friday, May 15, 2015

Regina's Big Mistake

My kindergartners just finished this project and I couldn't wait to share it!

First things first I read them this book:


It is really cute, and all about how a girl fixes her mistakes in her art and ends up loving the results.

There are a couple of ways you can do this project. I actually tried both because I wanted them to have some practice turning mistakes into art before they did their final piece.

1. Everyone draws a mark on a page, and then they trade with a neighbor. Now they have to make something out of the neighbors mistake.

2. Give the kiddos a paper with something already on it, and they turn that mistake into something.

This is the "mistake" I started with
I have the students look at the art from all different angles before they decide what the mistake is supposed to be. Once they have decided on something They get to draw in what they need to make the artwork into what they want.
With my drawings filled in

After they have everything they want drawn in, then they use color to finish off the artwork. The cool thing about this project is that you can use anything to make mistakes, (my mistakes were scraps from a painting project) and you can use anything to finish them off. If all you have is crayons, you can use that for both. One group used oil pastels, but another used markers.
My finished off art


Here are a few of my kindergartners work. On the left is the mistake with the pencil of what the student is going to draw. On the right is the finished work.


 

 And here are a few finished products alone:


Wednesday, May 13, 2015

100% Again

I love participating in the 100% exhibit! It was at the end of March this year, so I didn't share it with you before my school art show sucked all the life out of me.
 Munchy, me, and the Dragon

 M even made one this year.




A fifth grade student and out 2 Pre K classes. 

Timeline of an Art Show

August-  Yay, a new school year! Everything is going to be different this year, I am going to get all of my things in order so I can have an easy go of it in April! Talked to the Tech teacher and we are going to add a digital media component.

September- Plan on the lessons that you would like to put in the art show, and decide roughly when they will fall in the year, Meet with your team and talk about all the plans you have to make this year the BEST EVER! Assure the Music teacher that yes you DO need the choir to preform DO NOT BAIL ON ME!

October-January- Do not think about the art show one time.

February- Freak out! The art show is in 2 months! Have a meeting with my volunteers, dig through the art and find all the pieces that I had planned to put on display, and put them in a secure location, pick a theme that ties the year together, (it is print making this  year) plan to do the projects that I didn't start on yet, fire the kiln like a crazy person, get a parent to be in charge of the food, book the entertainment and get the Creative Learning Leadership Team on board with my plan to make the art show reception more like literacy night. Get a sub.

March- slightly backpedal on all the work that was done because Big Art Day and YAM, 100% and the Book People Show are happening and you have to deal with that. But Film kids like crazy so that the digital media component will work

April-
-Create a volunteer spot so you can get people to help mount the art.
-Forget to send out the volunteer spot so some of the help dates pass
-Add more dates to the volunteer spot and actually send it out
-Tell a very annoyed faculty that the Creative leadership team decided each grade level would be doing some kind of demonstration.
-Hold the mount art happy hour
-Get out of administering STAAR test so you can create all the signs, program, and organize the entertainment.
-Have 4th grade create and select the 5 t-shirts that are going to be voted on for next years school shirt.
-Find script from last years assembly, adjust it, and have art club learn and present it
-Get high school students to create a screen for you
-Check on all the people that have said they are doing things and make sure those things are really happening.
-Set up the art show.
-Be available to put out any fires (what do you mean the QR codes don't work!) so that classes can enjoy the artwork.
-Make sure everything is in place for the evening reception.
-Realize you haven't eaten in HOURS.
-Smile,
-Make sure docents are doing what they should be doing
-Get people to man the screen printing when no one showed up to help!
-Clean up
-tear the show down
-Get all your classes on Monday to help put all the art away and clean the classroom.
-Finally teach again
-Happy hour!