July 29, 2010

There's a Wocket in My Pocket!

I found a wonderful Dr. Seuss book called THERE'S A WOCKET IN MY POCKET!  Each creature's name is associated with and object or place...they just change the first letter or couple letters of the object or place.  So I had my students brainstorm some ideas after I read them the book(had to be different from the book).  We then created these acrylic paintings.  I LOVE THEM!!!!

July 27, 2010

Green Eggs & Ham...with a twist!


My summer camp kids created a picture of their fav. foods!  We then talked about how we can use mixed media & a variety of greens to create an interesting picture.  I really loved the results.  We used red or orange to pop the image. 


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July 26, 2010

Responding to Heather...

Heather, thank you so much for your question & for trusting me to help you with it.  I did not have an e-mail for you or a way to contact you...so I hope you find this post!!!  

Curriculum mapping is challenging...and when you're a new teacher & it isn't your actual trained field..WOW!  Blessings to you as you work through this.  I will tell you that there is no one perfect way!  So give yourself grace as you work through it.  Plus..I'm sure your administrator will allow some wiggle room as you are progressing through the year if you deviate from the original plan. 

Take your State or National Standards to reference as you are planning.  You may want to base your projects on themes.  The themes could run for a week or two....or could last a whole nine weeks(or however long your grading period lasts).  The themes could cross over multiple media/concepts/projects.  This type of consistency of theme will build excitement in your students.  Say you want to do farm animals in the lower elementary age....they could do a drawing, a tempera painting, and a clay animal.  In the lessons you can focus on space/landscape, texture, color/color mixing, proportion..etc.  You have covered a grading period & hit a ton of standards.  In this...you can bring in elements of art/principles of design...AND art history.  Breaking these up and teaching elements, principles, history for the sake of teaching them feels too disjointed. Approaching it more fluid will feel more natural to you and the students!  I'm not sure how much this helps...but it was a really big question.  Get back with me and ask more questions...that will help!  Or..if you feel comfortable..it may be easier to talk on the phone.  You can e-mail me if you like at artwithmre@yahoo.com

Here is Heather's comment/post to me...if any of you have other thoughts you'd like to share with her..please post a comment under this post!  Thanks so much for your help.  Together we're stronger!
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Hello Mr. E.

I have just accepted a position as K-8th grade Art teacher in a private christian school. This is my first teaching job and I only have a minor in art. (So I did my student teaching in a regular ed. elementary class.) Currently, I've been instructed to come up with a curriculum map of what I will be teaching and when (for the year.) My question for you, where do I begin? ha ha.. big question I know! I have been given a few art curriculum books but have been told to "run with it."  I'm not sure if I should divide the year up into the elements of art and teach history, periods, and different mediums in with that or if I should section it by; elements, periods, artists, 2d, 3d art...
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One Fish Two Fish....well..actually...A LOT OF FISH!!!

For the Who's....they were my younger group...we focused on One Fish Two Fish!  They did an acrylic painting & a collage.  I'm having trouble with the new upload and arranging of photos...so sorry they are not all together neatly!! 





July 24, 2010

Seussical the Musical Camp!

This is my second year teaching at the arts summer camp for the Donelson Station Fifty Forward.  They have a theater company and do a kids camp that connects to the production.  Last summer was Beauty and the Beast(you can look back to see those projects here on my blog).  I really enjoyed the projects I did with the students, but the situation was a bit difficult.  I had 2 groups of 30 students each(in a small room with big tables)...in each group were ages 6 to 13 yrs old.  As you know...this is a challenging situation.  I wasn't sure I wanted to return...HOWEVER...when I heard they were going to do Seussical the Musical I just couldn't pass it up.  What fun projects could come from that theme!!!  The best part was they changed the set up...I had 3 groups of around 20 & they were broken up more based on age. 
So here comes the projects I did with the students!