The school year is fast approaching and I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about what I’d like my students to create and learn from, for their first day back in art.
I wanted to do something different than other years- definitely something fun, something quick and hey something that wouldn’t be too tricky to clean up or prep for.
So I came up with a few ideas that I’d like to share with you about and hope to get some feedback on!
I have 4 possible ideas that I came up with that I like, and never tried before. I’ll probably end up just sticking with 3 of them. My plan is to do one of the lessons for just 1st graders, one of the lessons for just 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders, and the final lesson for just 5th graders.
I’ll explain more on this in a bit…
So, for starters, (BEFORE we do any games or art making) for ALL my classes, I have a routine that I’m sure all of you guys do too. Going over the rules and routines of art class. I try to keep this as short and sweet as possible. But, as you know, it’s gotta get done. But, because that whole topic is kinda long and not the topic I want to discuss right now, I’ll talk about that in my next blog post.
The general low down (I promise this part won’t be long!)
This is how I start each class on that first day back to art:
Kids come into art and get seated. I have name cards for all my students (1st-5th) written out on large 5×8″ index cards. I put them in no real particular order on tables (and these won’t most likely be their permanent seats) but I think it helps the whole getting seated thing go quicker and no one needs to worry or feel nervous about where to sit and who to sit next to.
Once students are all seated I always start off by welcoming them back and chat a bit about how everyone’s summer was. Then I go over the agenda for the day, with a little one page PowerPoint outline.
I’ll let you all right now know that I’m:
#1 obsessed with PowerPoint’s and
# 2 like to NEED to make lists (Seriously, I don’t know what I’d do without my notes app!)
The agenda of the day starts off with a quick slideshow of photos. To get kids excited about the year I show them photos of what art lessons they’ll be working on, using pics of previous years kids art work.
Kids really enjoy seeing an overview of what they’ll be creating and it gets them ramped up for art making! This slideshow literally takes 3-5 minutes max. Of course sometimes I decide to throw in a new lesson that I want to implement that wasn’t included in the PowerPoint, during the year, but that’s not really a big deal.
Then we go over the rules and routines.
But, like I mentioned, I’m going to put this whole art rules and routines stuff in my next blog post.
Ok, so to recap- once students:
1.) Sit down at the seat where their name tag is
2.) Go over the day’s agenda
3.) Watch a quick slideshow of art they’ll be making throughout the year
4.) Listen very attentively (haha!) to the art rules and routines
5.) THEN they do some art making!
Lastly
6.) Clean up / dismissal
Soo…for the first idea…
For 1st graders I plan to do a drawing lesson. I plan on calling it “What do you see?” I’m sure many of you already do something similar.
I’ll read them the book “Beautiful Oops” 
then, I’ll discuss how random shapes and lines can look like something when we use our imagination. That we can add to it and turn it into something! – like turning a little splash of paint into a flower head, or a random wavy line into rolling hills or a monsters hairdo!
On a separate index card, each student would have a squiggle or random shape drawn (or a few lines and shapes). (I’d prep this part ahead of time).
Students would then think of ways to use what’s already there and add to it to create a picture of something.
If they finish early, they can color on their card (the one with with their name) and create designs around their name.
Here’s where the name card also comes in handy!
While they work I would go around to each student and have them hold up their name card and take a picture of them to help me remember their names.
This is something I do for EVERY class I teach (not just 1st grade). I use those class pics to create class sheets in iPhoto, and then add those class sheets to my binder for reference to help remember who’s who in each class.
(SUPER helpful for someone like me who has a terrible memory and teaches over 650 kids!) Plus, there are usually always new students to the school too.
I hang onto their cards until the next class so I can plan out their seating charts, but after that they can take them home.
OK, so back to the art making ideas!!
For 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders, I thought of doing a fun art game called “Roll with it”!
I’d do the same routine of #1-4 like mentioned above, and then begin the art game (I don’t know if “game” is the best word to use, but I’ll use it anyhow).
I’ll have a numbered list posted on the whiteboard with directions to draw specific things using three of the elements of art (line, shape, color) according to each number.
For instance:
#1 draw 2 diagonal lines close to each other
#2 draw a rectangle
#3 draw a thin wavy line etc.
Students will roll their die on the table in front of them, then draw according to whatever number they roll, on a separate blank 5×8″ index card. They can draw it wherever they want on the card, with whatever color they want, and however big they want (using markers). Then they pass their card to the person to their right and repeat.
Now they each have someone else’s card. They roll again, draw whatever number they roll, then pass to the right again. (I’ll ring chimes each time to let them know to pass the paper to keep track.) This happens over and over for as many students there are in the class and each time they draw, they can overlap someone’s previous marks as well.
If kids say “I messed up!” I’ll say that there are no mistakes with this one!- you just have to roll with it! (Here’s an example of what a finished one might look like below)
Here’s where I’ll add some math into the mix! After doing 12 rolls, I’ll ask kids to add 4 to what ever number they roll. So if they roll a 6, they draw what number 10 says, if they roll a 4 then they draw what 8 says (and so on).
I think that by giving directions of what to draw, but still giving them creative freedom as to HOW and WHERE they draw it, it helps loosen their creative juices and helps engage those students who may not be interested in art as much as other subjects. Plus it incorporates a bit of math!
So let’s say there’s 26 kids in the class- they roll, draw and pass the card 26 times. Once 26 rolls have been made- students stop, hand them back to me, and we review the elements of art as well as abstract art.
The cards then get handed back to me, and then I walk around taking pics of each student holding up their name card with their name showing. As I do this they can free draw around their name until it’s clean up time.
I was thinking maybe the cards from each of the classes could then be punched out into small circles and assembled into a collaborative mural to hang in the hallway.
Each grade will have one giant “dot” mural, and will hang on the school walls around International Dot Day (which is on Sept. 15th) with a description on how it was created next to it. I was thinking it could also be an interactive display! I would have some sticky Velcro on the backs of all those circle cut outs and they’d be attached to a large sheet of black felt that is stapled onto a poster board, hung on the wall.
Kids could then take them off and move the circles around to create new images!! I am still not entirely sure on this though—what do you all think of that idea?? I would LOVE to hear from people on some ideas as how to display students collaborative drawings.
For 5th grade classes, I’d go through the same routine (steps 1-4 as mentioned in the beginning) then kids would get into teams and play “paper towers“. Each table of students would be a team. I have 4 tables in my art room (the red, blue, yellow and green tables). So wherever they’re sitting that’s their team. That way no one has to worry about who’s with who.
I’d place a stack of newspapers in the middle of each table and rolls of masking tape.
Each team would have (I’m thinking 10-15 minutes) to create the tallest tower using just newspaper and masking tape! I’d give each team 5 minutes to brainstorm and make a plan first (without touching the paper or tape). Then they’d get started. I’d use my cell phone timer to keep track.
Kids could tape the newspaper to the table to start their towers but can only use those two materials to build them up. After the timer goes off, I’d walk around and measure each tower with a tape measure. (Here is a paper tower that I tried constructing)
Not the best, but you get the idea!
I’ll definitely discuss how the focus is more about teamwork and creating a three-dimensional structure that can stand on its own before it begins.
I think this would not only be a super fun fast paced 3D project, but it would also help them build communication skills, work collaboratively as a team, get to know other classmates they might not otherwise talk to, and builds critical thinking skills.
My 4th idea would be something I’d call “Art Detective” for 2nd-4th graders. I would have kids get in pairs with the person sitting across from them. One person has a drawing (something simple but not too simple) in front of them- he/she has to describe the picture with enough detail to the other person who listens (but can’t look!) and draws what they’re hearing. Then compare pictures –the students drawing vs. the original image.
There is no right or wrong art making here though! If it’s a close image the pair did an excellent job of communicating AND listening. Then if time- swap places with a new image.
I think this would help students:
- learn how to talk about artwork- using their elements of art vocab
- listening and paying attention to others
- being able to describe things in detail
- drawing skills
- helps with patience (since they need to wait until the person finishes drawing one particular part before moving onto the next)
- helps get kids out of their comfort zone (speaking / communication)
- and helps students focus, which are all great tools for anyone to have!
For the past 3 years I’ve done the PowerPoint slideshow of pics of art lessons, gone over the rules and routines, but then for 1st grade I’d have them just free draw around their name on the cards, and for 2-5th I had them answer some questions about themselves on the back (like below), then they could free draw around their name.
But, the tricky thing is, is I never had time to read them all! (Especially once lessons were underway). Plus, it didn’t have much to do with art making as it did with writing. So this is why I wanted to switch things up from previous years.
So, I’m leaning towards the first 3 ideas- what do you think? Have any of you tried something like this?
What do you have planned for the first day back in art?
I’d love to hear your feedback and hear what the first days back in art looks like for you and your classes!
Best,
Mollie