“NOT SO SCARY SCARECROW” COLLAGE — 1ST GRADE!

December 6, 2017 No Comments

First graders did such a fantastic job creating all these adorable scarecrow collages!

Just look at all these happy, proud faces! And they should be! I know I am posting a ton, but I couldn’t resist!

On day 1 of the lesson, students learned what a landscape is, and looked at various landscape paintings by the artists Vincent Van Gogh, David Hockney, and Grant Wood for inspiration!

They then created their own landscapes by drawing 3 hills (using curved lines) with different types of lines within each hill.

Then they added a few clouds and a sun either setting, or up in the sky. Then went over all their lines pressing hard with various colored crayons. The only things students colored in completely, were the sun and clouds.

On day two, they painted over their hills and sky, creating a crayon wax-resist technique using liquid watercolors.

On day three, students created a scarecrow using little cardboard shirts, pants, and skirt tracers onto different cut patterned papers.

They glued down a couple pieces of raffia for arms, buttons, then added additional details with oil pastels, like hats, hair, facial details, and crows!

For more art lesson ideas and additional Scarecrow collages– click on 1st Grade Art Lessons listed under the Menu –then scroll down! Thanks for stopping by!

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1ST- 5TH GRADE SKETCHBOOKS!

October 15, 2017 No Comments

In the beginning of every year I have all my students create their own sketchbook, that will be used periodically throughout the whole year.

Each grade has a different drawing lesson to create a cover for their sketchbooks. Sketchbooks will be used to free draw in if kids finish a lesson early, to practice drawing before creating a final version for a lesson, to copy down information that they’ve learned about a particular lesson, and to experiment in with various art materials.

5th grade – Superhero Sketchbook Covers

5th graders looked at a variety of superhero comic book cover illustrations and then came up with their own unique superheroes demonstrating their superpowers. They had a choice of creating sidekicks, whether they wanted to include a villain and created a background scene. Drawings were then outlined in black sharpie and colored in with a choice of marker or colored pencil or both.

I love this drawing lesson because it allows so much creativity! Each one is so unique!

AS YOU’LL SEE BELOW, SOME STUDENTS ARE STILL WORKING, BUT COULDN’T WAIT TO SHOW THEM! I WILL RE-POST THEIR FINAL VERSIONS ONCE COMPLETE LATER.

STUDENTS FILLED OUT A WORKSHEET ON THE FIRST DAY TO PLAN OUT THEIR IDEAS FIRST.

PHOTOS OF 5TH GRADERS WORKING ON THEIR SUPERHEROES!

***To view superhero sketchbooks from previous years, click on the menu button and select 5th grade art lessons and scroll down.

Up next!!!…..OP ART 3D CONE DRAWINGS!

4TH GRADE – INITIAL DESIGN WITH ANALOGOUS

COLORS

For this lesson, students created a tracer of their initials from manila tagboard using block letters. Students could draw their letters on the tagboard either stacked on top of one another, side by side, diagonally, and could flip them backwards.

Once cut out as one piece, they traced their initials at least 8 times, creating an interesting design and went over their lines with black sharpie.

They then drew a background design with pencil, and colored in only the background with markers using analogous colors, leaving their initials white so they popped from the colorful background.

PHOTOS OF 4TH GRADERS WORKING ON THEIR ARTWORK!

UP NEXT!…… VICTORIAN HOUSE DRAWINGS!

3RD GRADE- ART TOOL SKETCHBOOK COVERS

Third graders chose 1 art tool (they could choose from: scissors, hole punchers, staplers, tape dispensers, foam rollers, glue bottles, or paint bottles) and created observational drawings of their chosen tool from 4 different viewpoints (from the top, from the bottom, from the side, and from the front). Kids could also draw additional drawings of their tool once the 4 viewpoints were drawn and could draw some of them coming off the page or overlap some.

Once drawn in pencil, they outlined in sharpie and colored in using marker or colored pencils, or both.

3RD GRADERS WORKING ON THEIR ART!

(Students are currently working on their “Finish the Picture” lesson)

UP NEXT!…..DAY OF THE DEAD SKULL DRAWINGS ON TINFOIL!!

2ND GRADE- WARM/COOL HANDS WITH PATTERNS

Second graders created a drawing of their hand with patterns inside their hand and in the background and then colored in using warm colors inside just the hand and cool colors only in the background (or vice versa) with marker.

This student is still coloring in, but is doing such a fantastic job had to post it! Nice work Milo!

(2nd graders are now working on their “Abstract self-portrait paintings!”)

UP NEXT!….MONET INSPIRED MIXED-MEDIA 3D WATER LILY

**1ST GRADE- LINES THAT WIGGLE DRAWINGS**

First graders listened to the fun story “Lines That Wiggle” by Candace Whitman. We then looked around the room and did a line scavenger hunt with our eyes!

Students drew at least 8 loopy, overlapping lines with pencil. We talked about how it kind of looked like a rollercoaster! We also discussed how when lines connect, it creates a shape! Students then outlined all their lines with black sharpie, and colored in each shape created with marker!

(1st Graders are currently working on their “Pumpkin’s Starry Night” lesson inspired by Van Gogh!)

UP NEXT!….. “NOT SO SCARY SCARECROW” COLLAGE!

I am SOoo excited because I have SO many NEW awesome art lessons planned for the year that I KNOW the kids are going to LOVE!!

I cannot WAIT to get started on them! (There will be least 1 new lesson per grade) and can’t wait to show you!

Of course many of my previous art lessons will still happen because they are keepers and students love them as much as I do!!

Some new ones will start right away and some are coming up later on the year!! Stay tuned!!…..❤️

Best,

Mollie

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Open House Photo Op!

October 10, 2017 No Comments

A wee bit late posting this…. I created a little photo op spot in the gym during open house at Roosevelt School (which was almost two weeks ago!) But O-well! Better late than never right?!?

I thought it’d be fun to create a fun, silly photo opportunity for kids to strike a pose for that evening, while parents went to their children’s classrooms! Kids were playing basketball too, so it was kind of a crazy space to try to photograph– BUT…even amidst all the craziness and chaos with balls flying everywhere the kids had fun!

I made a giant frame from foam board, cardboard and model magic, a quick splatter paint backdrop, a couple of speech bubbles, as well as painted giant paintbrushes and a paint palette for props. There weren’t too many kids that night but the ones that did come with their parents (or ones that were hosting a table with info. for parents) had a blast posing for a quick pic!

NEXT BLOG UPDATE COMING THIS WEEKEND!

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1st Grade 3D Line Sculptures!

September 26, 2017 No Comments

First graders are continuing to learn more about the element of art line in ART! (More photos below of close-ups and of kids creating their sculptures!)

They created 2 of each of the following (curved, zig zag, and curly) to create these awesome three-dimensional paper sculptures!

They also learned that they created their sculptures focusing on 4 of the 7 elements of art(line, color, shape, and form) and how ALL artwork in the world is created using at least one or more of these elements- And that 3D artwork means artwork that isn’t flat and sticks out and that sculptures are 3D!

Students did such a fantastic job creating these line sculptures! They got really creative and glued pieces on top of other pieces and created their own lines as well!!! I love how they look all assembled together on the wall too! Thank you Cassie Stephens for the lesson idea!

Be sure to read the previous post below! Super fun glow in the dark pumpkin painting lesson for 1st graders!!

Follow me on Instagram @mammalovespeaches for more student artwork and lesson ideas!

Best,

Mollie

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ART is for EVERYONE!

September 19, 2017 No Comments

LEAF BIRDS!

My special education classes just finished their super cute leaf bird collages inspired by Art with Mr. Giannetto (via Instagram)! Thanks for the idea Mr. Giannetto!

On day 1 They glued strips of brown paper for branches, applied yellow painted dots with their finger, and added leaves using crumpled tinfoil dipped in green paint.

On day 2 They glued their leaves for the birds body, added a triangle for a beak, and googly eyes and a feather to complete their collage!

Since the second part was only going to take a few minutes, we started another art lesson for the remaining time in class.

They stamped black lines and circles using cardboard and a plastic cup on 12×18″ paper. We talked about horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines as well as shapes (in this case; circles) and overlapping lines and shapes.

We looked at Kandinsky’s abstract artwork for inspiration.

In the following art class we will add paint to the shapes created to finish our masterpieces!

I teach 2 special education classes at one school in my art room and 1 class at another school off a cart. The classes are small (usually up to 4 or 5 kids) with AMAZING paraprofessionals that assist them while they create. Their ages can range from 1st-5th grade and they have varying physical and mental challenges.

When I plan lessons for these students I think about their ability and what they will feel successful at, what can I have them work on to improve their fine motor skills, speech, social skills, emotional processing and of course, what they will enjoy! A lot of the lessons are tactile, which are especially nice for my hearing impaired and visually impaired students.

Modifying the tools and techniques are important for these kids. Sometimes the para’s bring in special equipment like small easel boards that can mount onto the wheelchair or special sized scissors or electric cutting tools. I also offer large handle paintbrushes, wide pencils and sometimes have things pre-cut or use tracers to help them draw and collage together. Smaller items to glue or alter (like bending pipe cleaners for instance) also help students develop their fine motor skills.

Most of my students I see year after year in the same class…which makes it a bit tricky coming up with new lessons every year for them. Especially since most lessons are 1 day projects (at best, 2 day projects). I sometimes repeat lessons that are just way too awesome not to, but I try to switch up the art lessons so they don’t bring home the same projects year after year. That way they are learning new art concepts and techniques AND creating new art each time too!

I get so many awesome ideas from my fellow art teachers in my district, (love you guys!!) fellow teachers on Instagram, art teacher blogs, as well as on Pinterest. Oftentimes I’ll see a lesson for kindergarten or 1st grade and just modify it a bit. A BIG thanks to EVERY ONE of you AMAZING art teachers out there sharing your awesome lessons!! It’s so wonderful and helpful to have those great resources! I hope that my lessons help you out as well!

If you teach special needs kids too, what are some of you’re favorite art lessons?

Please respond by clicking on “no comments” directly under the title of this post or “comment” if someone has already commented.

To view previous student artwork with lesson descriptions for special needs scroll under my menu on the main page and select special education!

Some of my favorites I’ve taught are shown below! (all photos are of student artwork only)

Follow me at mammalovespeaches on Instagram for more elementary art lesson ideas!