Tints & Shades Turtles: 2nd Grade

 When we returned to in person classes, I decided that we would do ALL THE THINGS!!  I was a little more cautious when we returned for 6 weeks in the fall (using supplies I could easily disinfect). So my students had not painted since before the tornado & then pandemic (which is going to be a year ago next week I believe).  I was so excited to just give my students supplies they could get messy with & create whatever their hearts desired.  Well...that lasted 1 day.  I quickly realized my students were out of practice with.....well....a lot of things!  I needed to reign our project in a bit, and use it as a stepping stone to be more creative as we got back into the swing of being "in" school.  

So we worked on tints & shades creating turtles (my fav. animal). 

The students loved it & I remained relatively sane that first week back! ha ha We're starting to get our in person school groove back!!  

Turtle Collage: Kindergarten

There was a time...long long ago...that kindergarten students had a good working knowledge of using scissors & liquid glue.  Those days are no more, and it is up to us as SUPER ART EDUCATORS to teach our youngest artists how to use these tools of the trade.  As a way of introducing new media & tools, I keep the kinder-artists' projects very simple.  Sticking with simple shapes, and not giving them unlimited choices of paper will allow for you keep the main thing the main thing!! 

For scissors I teach my kids to play follow the leader.  The scissors are the leader....and their other hand follows behind hold thing paper as they cut.  The leader is always in front & the other hand never gets in the leader's way.  For glue I do the ever popular....DOT DOT NOT A LOT!  I also teach my students that the orange part of the bottle ALWAYS touches the paper when they apply glue.  I also teach them to scribble scrabble the glue out once they've done the dots so it is a thin & spread out layer of glue.  YOU WILL ALWAYS....ALWAYS....have those students that you need to reposition their hands holding their scissors.  YOU WILL ALWAYS.....ALWAYS.....have students that use too much glue.  That is life as an elementary SUPER ART EDUCATOR!!!  They will get it...eventually.  

HOPE YOU LIKE THEIR TURTLES!!  

Pile of Turtles: 2nd Grade Still Life

Last week my students created a still life that was made of several objects that they arranged with their table partner.  This week the students had one stuffed turtle to draw from.  They had to make a minimum of five turtles that overlapped & filled up their page.  We also discussed "value" using different amounts of pressure. Since I was just introducing the concept of value...there was much grace in how they applied the new information!  The turtle was light green & dark green.  So I told the students that they could make the turtle what ever color they wanted as long as they stuck with the lighter value for the body & darker for the shell as it was in the original.

This last one is not finished yet, but it is super cute &

  had a Power Rangers vibe to me?!? ha ha

Silk Screening/Printing Experiment

Sometimes you see things online & ya just have to give it a try!  

So let me share with  you my attempt at the silk screen project using pantyhose, embroidery hoop, and Mod Podge! I was pretty happy with the results, however...I'm not sure about doing this with a whole class...or whole grade level, but I can see this being an amazing project for small groups/centers/art clubs! 

1)  Buy some cheap Pantyhose! It really doesn't take much to cover a medium hoop.

2) Trim the excess off!  It will get in your way later if you don't.

3) Draw out your design.  You could place a pre-drawn image under the pantyhose, but I was afraid I'd slip and slide.  So I Sharpied it right onto the pantyhose.  

4) Paint on the Mod Podge (note: It is MOD Podge...not Modge Podge.  I did not realize that this ticks some people off when said incorrectly.  You've been warned! ha ha)  Remember that where you place the Mod Podge will remain white/paper color.  Also...pantyhose can be a bit challenging for young artists to "paint" on...so you might need to encourage them to make a thicker/bulkier design.  I think fine details would frustrate them when they apply the Mod Podge.

5) Allow to dry completely.  I did paint two coats of Mod Podge on my design just to make sure it had solid coverage.  One might have worked...but better safe than sorry!

6)  I used acrylic craft paint on mine.  I was afraid traditional printing ink would be too thick.  I placed it along the edge of the hoop.  Not sure how much that matters....but I was just thinking about traditional silk screening/printing.

7) I used an old gift card as my squeegee. You could use cardboard, cut down plastic lids..etc.  It isn't a large area, so use what will work best for the size hoop you are using.  

8)  I'm not sure what happened with my first print?  I printed these one after another...adding a little more paint when needed.  

9) Rinse the excess paint off the surface...CAREFULLY!  Well, that is if you want to use this "screen" again.  I washed mine off under slow running water...and just used my fingers to rub it to help get the paint off.  If you rub too hard or use too much water...you run the risk of removing the Mod Podge.  If you do plan to use it again...I'd recommend repainting it with the Mod Podge just to be safe. 

I HOPE THIS WAS HELPFUL/INFORMATIVE! 

Story of a Sticker

My cousin just sent this picture to me today.  It was taken in the custodian's closet at the elementary school we attended (which closed years ago & is now a community center).  Random?  Not really.  The custodian of the school was my Aunt Bonnie.  I often would go into school with her in the early mornings before anyone else would arrive. There was something magical about school that I truly fell in love with. I think this had a huge impact on me & my desire to spend a lifetime in education. Back then, I would often help her do some of the custodial tasks around the school. Sweeping rooms, picking up crayons & pencils under desks, mopping the gym/cafeteria floor....hard work for a kid, but I loved it.  As I got older, those of us on free/reduced lunches were required to work in the cafeteria.  We spent a lot of time with the cafeteria ladies, and they treated us like their own kids.  I was able to see how so many people were involved to make "school" happen.  Each one was important.  Each one deserved respect for their contributions. I loved the community that made school possible.  I knew by the 1st grade that I wanted to be a teacher.

Back to the sticker...  My cousin (who is a kindergarten teacher now) & I were in the same class K-8th grade (that is how our elementary schools were set up)....and had classes together throughout high school.  She often helps out at the community center (our former elementary school), and was cleaning up after an event.  She walked in and found this sticker in the custodian's closet.  She knew right away that it had to have been me. My love of turtles goes back...way back!  ha ha  Amazing how after over 30 (EEK!!!..close to 40) years....this sweet little turtle sticker can remind me of all the wonderful things that laid the foundation for my path in education. 

BEHOLD THE TURTLE...
THAT ONLY MAKES PROGRESS WHEN IT STICKS ITS NECK OUT!

RANDOM INFORMATION

Did you know the artist Robert Indiana died May 19, 2018(Saturday)?  I totally missed this until yesterday.  He was a very interesting individual, and if you don't know much about his life & art career....you need to look him up.  All I use to know about him was a few of the "major" works he was known for creating.  

Today is WORLD TURTLE DAY!!!!!!

  I love turtles & wanted you all to know it was their day!! 

CELEBRATE!

#aheartaday2018: 7-19

I'm not sure who all has been following along with this year's #aheartaday2018 on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook....but I thought I'd share the next "batch" of Turtle-rific Hearts! 

Practicum Student Ms.H: Lines With Kindergarten

I open my room to student teachers, practicum students, and observations every year.  I believe in helping to develop the next generation of art educators, and truly enjoy my time with them.  This looks like the first year in about a decade I'm not going to have a student teacher.  

However, right now I'm hosting 3 practicum students from MTSU.  They have been a wonderful group!  This post is about Ms. H's lesson.  She chose to work with Kindergarten.  I love when people are up for the challenge of our littlest people!!  She really did well for her first time developing a lesson plan & teaching it!  In the picture she is teaching the students about lines in a kinesthetic manner. So much fun!!

They applied the lines they learned about in a turtle drawing.  They used construction paper crayons to finish their work.  This was the first time Ms. H used them...and she LOVED them(I do too).  One of the greatest things about Ms. H....she wants to grow!!!  I love when a up & coming teacher comes humbly to the table...and just wants to learn!  She is going to learn...she is going to grow...and she is going to make a great art teacher!!

Kindergarten Turtles: Patterns & Cutting Skills

In TN they removed patterns from the Kindergarten standards in their "regular" classroom.  REALLY??  They also do not have the time they use to to cut and past in their "regular" classroom.  This truth is being reflected in what I'm seeing in my room.  I'm having to work with students on how to hold their scissors, how to cut, how to make smooth lines....EVERYTHING.  That blows my mind, but I won't go off on that.  I am trying to introduce & reinforce things that I once took for granted that they would know.  Anyways?!?!  I'm really happy with their patterned shell turtles!  We used construction paper crayons on a dark green paper....and then cut and glued the turtles onto black paper.  The story we started with was Jubuti The Tortoise(I tried to find an African turtle story, but could not...Jubuti is from the Amazon.)