Busy Month

My oh my how time is flying by! with Thanksgiving Break i was hopeful to get many of our past projects up and posted but seems like the Turkey took over my day and i haven't even gotten my photos on my computer yet.  But within the next few days i plan to have many new projects up and out there to be used and taught!  Thank you to all those who keep up on this blog world better than i do your projects have been a great help to a starting out teacher and i hope once i get mine up they can help all of you too!

2nd Grd- Laurel Burch Cats

This project was one i picked up from my students teaching teacher and then i have seen many versions of it around the web.  But my second graders did a great job on this projects!  We started by viewing a short power point on Laurel Burch to make them familiar with the artist and her life.  They then got to work.  Each traced a pre-made Cat template and then drew in their cats face and tail details.  Then followed mixing their own tins and painting the whole cat.  then next day they added pattern details with construction paper crayons, and if they did a nice job and finished on time they were able to add smaller details with glitter glue.  Finishing by cutting out their cats and having their own Laurel Birch inspired feline.

The lesson over all took about 3 40 minute classes:
Day 1- Ppt and tracing
Day 2- Painting with tints
Day 3- Cutting out cat and adding crayon details and patterns with glitter glue 

My sample Cat :

 Second graders results:

Boards and Decor

After a few weeks i began to truly figure out what i wanted my room to look like, i love colors and wanted it to be a bright and fun place for the kids to come into and then being in Florida it feels like summer year round so a bug or bee theme seemed to fit the mood. I mainly tried to put up things that would be helpful for the kids and friendly reminders, like the rules, color wheels and then the Art No No's board
The no no board is more of a fun thing than anything else for the kids.  Never do i intend to limit their creativity but i want it to be simple reminders for them to take their time and put care into their work, if they simply scribble and rush through free draw time or their projects they will never reach their highest potential, but if someone draws an amazingly detailed sun with a face, i would never call that a no no in art. 

One Project Down, Many more to go...

Under the Sea

First project the kids did for the year was aimed to please the parents with our annual art fundraiser with Square One Art.  the students took the school team mascots and designed and under the sea world using different color combinations and colleaguing techniques.  

 The Kindergarten kiddos created hand print fish, the First grade crew created Rays, Second Eels, Third sponge painted Seahorses and fourth used analogous colors to create a collage styled and animal of their choice and Fifth grade used Warm and Cool colors to decorate their chosen animal.

Kindergarten:

First Grade:

 Second Grade:

 Third Grade:

Fourth Grade:

 Fifth Grade:

New...

After using so many blogs out there to help with planning prepping and teaching i felt it would only be right to try and join in the 21st century and start sharing what my students have been up to.  But first a little background on me.  I am a fist year art teacher in Land O 'Lakes, Florida.  I have kids from PreK-5 that wander in and out of my classroom doors daily.  I attended school at Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, IN and recently graduated in May.  I am very excited to get through my first year of teaching and so far things have been great! we are only about 2 projects in but i hope things get better and better from here!