Time for Review: Kindergarten

So we have a month left of school, and I'm wanting to start reviewing some skills/concepts with my kindergarten before summer break.  I knew that they had their kindergarten graduation coming up....so I asked the kindergarten team if they had a theme or an idea of something to help fill up the background of the stage for their performance.  They suggested flowers.  I like to try to help/connect with classroom teachers where I can...and where appropriate in my curriculum.  This was an easy fit!!

I wanted to have a project where I could review painting procedures, work on filling up their page, and practice our lines.  This did that for me!!!  They are doing great with painting & lines, but filling up their page is a challenge for many of them. 

Mixed Media: 2nd Grade

I love doing mixed media projects with my students.  Each "layer" of the mix adds so much to their work...and their excitement builds as their art work progresses! 

Here is the breakdown of this project.  

DAY ONE

Draw the vace & flowers with pencil, trace with Sharpie, and do a watercolor wash overtop.

DAY TWO

Using color pencil, go into the work and add some cohesion to the vace and flower by adding "some" color.  I talked to them about blending & value when using colored pencil.  

DAY THREE

Students created two or three collage flowers to add to their vases.  We discussed proportion/size to make sure they looked like they belonged with the other flowers. We also used bubble wrap to print some metallic color onto it

SNEAK PEEK: ATC2018

Here is a sneak peek at Tulip Grove Elementary's Artist Trading Cards for Mini Matisse's #ATCswap this year!!!  I'm having a hard time parting with these...some are so beautiful I want to frame them!  We do them a little different than others participating in the swap.  The past couple years I've done them as a collaborative project with different grade levels.  This year I had my kindergarten students pain the backgrounds(they were doing a tempera project...so I passed these out as they finished up).  My 2nd graders cut out leaves.  My 3rd & 4th graders cut out the flowers and did the oil pastel color on them(they both were using oil pastels in their main project for the day..so as they finished they were allowed to make the flowers).  I also had 3rd graders match up pattern paper with the painted backgrounds and add the strips onto them.  

3 Day Group Spring Mural

Thought I'd do a video for this one...

The last full week of the 9 weeks I have "Finish Up Day" for my students.  I give them their art work back, allow them to work on refining and finishing, and I call them back to grade & do a portfolio review with them.  So what do I do with the days are are not a part of the full week? There are usually only 2 or 3 days in those situations. I usually create collaborate murals.  I have each of my classes create a part of the board...or finish unfinished pieces from other classes.  With it being spring...and our school in need of cheer & happiness(after terrible state testing)...this is what we came up with!

I incorporated the "dots" flowers into the kids work.

The Dots Final Form: SPRING

If you have been trekkin' along with me this year...you may have seen my 1st day of art painting project morph. It went from a beautiful hanging Wall of Dots.... to Fall Leaves...to Winter Mittens & Hats.  Now it has arrived at its final state of being....Spring Flowers!  

The students, teachers, and parents have all commented how much they've loved seeing this project progress through the year, and have been wondering how I'm going to top it next year. 

?!?!?!TOP IT?!?!?!!?  

I'm not sure if I can "Top It".  I have some fun ideas floating around in this crazy brain of mine, but I do not see it as topping what I've done in the past.  Each year is different...each project has its own life...and it all should be appreciated in that time & in that place.  I hope none of you place such pressure on yourself.  Yes, you want to bring new life & energy to your program, but don't view it in light of having to "Top" the year before.  Let each year be its very best...because you are being your very best.

If you're new here...or missed my past posts about The Dots...here ya go!

                                    http://www.artwithmre.com/2015/12/the-dots-winter.html 

Oh Georgia!

          

I tend to put some of my best student work on my blog....I think most of us do that.  However, like you....some of my students struggle to follow directions, complete tasks, or give me their best work.  Aren't we all like that from time to time? 

So how do we motivate the student that is not meeting grade level expectations?

PATIENCE is a big thing!  At the end of the school year...I know it can be in short supply.  Many of our children need to be loved & encouraged through the struggles.  Sometimes those struggles are not reflective of their feelings/abilities for art...but go deeper into personal/home life issues.  Not that we need to make excuses...but have understanding.

Next...don't let them get away with it!  Call them out on what they are doing wrong.  They won't grow if they don't know...or aren't made aware that you expect more from them.

Spend time with them...set down and work beside them with one of your examples.  Model good artist behavior...model good craftmanship.  Things like this are better caught than taught.  They "catch" you doing the right thing...they may try to "copy" that behavior!!  

Not long now...you can do it!!!  Help your kids finish out strong!!

Spring Flowers:2nd Grade

I wanted to do a fun spring flower picture in one class time...but was not wanting to go "still life" or "Georgia O'Keeffe".  I had the students work on wet on wet with the gouache.  We discussed color mixing...and possible combinations to avoid.  I allowed the students to blot their painted background with a tissue to remove excess water & to lighten up the over all feel.  I then had them paint directly on top of the colorful background(they did not draw first..scary for some...other thought it was fun/exciting).  I feel the results turned out wonderful...and it looks amazing in the hallway!!  Really brightens things up!!!

More 1st Grade Watercolor Flowers!

Here are more of the 1st Grade flower paintings!!

 LOVE THEM!!! 

Watercolor Flowers: 1st Grade

I was excited to paint with my 1st graders again...they had so much fun the last time we did watercolor!!  Over all the lesson went ok....but I'm thinking I may cut the paper down to 9 x 9...and maybe this will allow the students to really focus on painting each petal individually.  I love having them trace with crayon...the wax resist creates such a lovely effect.  

Big Collage Flowers: K

My kindergarten students created these large collage flowers last week that will be going with their big 'ol bumble bees for our all school art show in March!  They did pretty well.  We talked about AB patterns...a skill that is no longer taught in kindergarten with common core(OMG?!?!?!).  One thing I noticed...the cutting skills were really poor.  I talked with our kindergarten team and asked why they thought this was.  The answer was the same from all of them...they no longer have time for cut & paste activities.  WHAT? That kills me.  These kiddos are missing out on a lot of things because the new demands being placed on them.  IT IS A BASIC SKILL THEY NEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! UGH.  Anyways!?!?  The flowers are beautiful..and I'm very proud of their work!!

Reduce Reuse, ReIMAGINE: Kindergarten

I did not mount the work on anything because of the weight of the project.  I was afraid if I glued it to another piece of paper...they'd be poppin' off the wall!!!  There is a base paper that they glued on their green painted paper....tissue paper circles for the flowers ....cut fabric for the leaves...plastic lids for the centers...and beads/buttons glued in the lids for a little texture.