Wonderful Weaving Workshop

This year I pushed to have professional development for the elementary art teachers.  My director was extremely supportive of the idea, and helped to make it happen with the powers that be.  My friend Janet (yes...we do a lot of stuff together) & I brainstormed PD topics.  All of which support our curriculum, and bring in aspects of our new text book adoption.  I then found art teachers in our district to instruct.  Janet & I are helping to lead several of them, but we've brought in other teachers from our district to lead as well.  We are our own best resource...and it has been a joy to watch our peers lead & bring their own unique ideas to the workshops.  

Janet & Mindy both have degrees in weaving/fabrics, and were the perfect choice for this workshop.  I love weaving, and was confident in several of the things they were demonstrating. However...YOU CAN TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS!!!!!!!!!!!!  I learned many!

This first image is not exactly weaving...it is braiding, but it is something I know my students will enjoy doing at some point!!  The basic weaving with recycled materials was challenging, but fun.  They showed us an easier way to do it, but I always make things hard on myself.  It worked, but would probably go with the way they suggested if I were to do it with students.

You know I had to make a turtle weaving!!!  This is made from felt.  You can order large packs of felt for a good price.  You'll need a rotary cutter & mat to make this easier on yourself!!!  With a wood rod going from leg to leg...it gave it a wonderful support to be turned into a wall hanging.

The belt was made with a straw loom.  I WAS ADDICTED!!!!  I had never worked with a straw loom before...it was so much fun.  The circle weaving is something I do with my 3rd graders every year....I love making them so much that I stayed through lunch working on it. ha ha  

16 yrs in a district the size of ours...you develop great friendships with your peers...even if you don't get to see each other very often!  When you do though...it is always a blast with much to talk about & laughs to share.  I know how blessed we are here in MNPS to have so many art teachers, and to have the opportunities to get together for professional development.  I wish I could have all you who find yourself the one and only...or one of few to come and be a part of our times together.  

LEGACY

Today at our weaving workshop (more on that in another post), I looked to my left & my right, and realized I was setting between two of my former student teachers that are now teaching in our district. How fun to be working along side these people I invested into for a period of time.  Legacy in the arts comes in many forms, and I am thankful I have an opportunity to pour into others' lives.  

PIcasso Heads: 2nd Grade

Here are the finished results from the Picasso self portraits!  They turned out WONDERFUL!  My markers bit the dust, but the work looks great!!  

While you are waiting...

The bathrooms are right across the hall from my room(eww..the smell!) on the 3rd & 4th grade hall.  The kids line up outside my room for bathroom breaks.  Well, I noticed that some teachers & students were looking at, talking about, and using my math investigation day poster I put outside my door.  So, I decided I'd give them something else to look at & study.  

It says...  "WHILE YOU'RE STANDING IN A ROW HERE'S SOME ART FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW!"  

Under it I hung up an Elements of Art & a Principles of Design poster that I just received in our new book series our district adopted!   Hopefully while they are waiting...they'll take some time to look at & apply the elements & principles.  

The Last of the Miro Robots: 3rd Grade

This last batch has some really interesting characters!!!  I was so happy to see some fresh ideas from my students, and that they weren't just copying Ms. Howell or I's example.  

Campbell's Soup Band Wagon

I know several of my bloggie friends have already posted about this, but it is worth repeating.  GO TO TARGET AND GET YOUR CAMPBELL'S SOUP CANS!!!! I think I paid 75cents a can.  Totally worth it.  I have them on my book shelf in classroom with a Warhol book on top!  

Textured Fall Trees: 1st Grade

This is one of my student teacher's lessons. I usually do this with Kindergarten(minus the tissue paper leaves).    It was amazing how much the 1st graders struggled with glue?!?!?!  Kind of shouldn't be too surprised...there was struggles in Kindergarten with this group.  At least I know..and can provide more opportunities to use liquid glue.  

Oil Pastel Flowers: 3rd Grade

This is not just another Georgia O'Keeffe lesson.  My student teacher wanted to use O'Keeffe & Judy Chicago to introduce this lesson.  I was like...Judy Chicago?? I DON'T THINK SO!  ha ha  A lot of what I know of Judy Chicago isn't the most elementary friendly.  To my great surprise...she does have some amazing radial symmetry type flowers that really were a nice addition to what can be kind of an overdone lesson.  This is another reason I love having student teachers, they bring new ideas to the mix!!!!  Ms. Howell had the students fold their square construction paper in half...then in half again.  They started with a center circle..then went out from there.  Making sure whatever was done in one square...would be done in the other three.  She talked to them about color mixing with oil pastels.  Some got it...some not so much.  I love the way they turned out!  Great job Ms. Howell!!!!!!!!