Tunnel Books

My student teacher, Ms. Edwards, introduced me to a project I had not seen before...TUNNEL BOOKS. We decided that it might be best if 4th grade attempted the project because of the degree of difficulty(though I now think 2nd or 3rd may be able attempt it). We used an aquatic theme, but it lends itself to any theme!! She taught the lesson this past Monday, and the students LOVED it!! On Tuesday, Ms. Edwards had to attend a Job Fair, and I was left to teach Tunnel Books for the first time. It went great...the kids loved it....and I'll be adding it to my bag of tricks!!! I did some research(when attempting new projects...I always try to find out as much information as possible first!!). Here are two sites I found on Tunnel Books that I thought were WONDERFUL!!

http://www.artbookscreativity.org/curriculum/book-instructions.html

http://www.popularkinetics.com/gallery_tunnelbks_page.html

...a sweet & artsy gift from Rowan...

Rowan is one of my 4th graders. You may remember her from the trash art contest in a previous post. She's an artsy kind of girl, and extremely thoughtful! A month or so ago she asked me what my baby's name was going to be, and when she was coming. She was working on a special project, and wanted to make sure I got it before the baby came!!! I had no idea what she was planning.....until today! She worked on this poster for the past month her mom told me, and used her own money to buy the scrapbook stickers for it(two of the light up!!!!!). HOW SWEET!!! I love it!!!! The blanket was created by her grandma, but I'm sure with guidance from Rowan...it has my signature turtles on it(the boarder is small pink turtles) & pretty butterflies(which I'm not sure if she knew were were doing a butterfly theme?!?!). That will be a special blanket for daddy to use with Margaret(mommy can use some other blanket!! ha ha). Then, at the bottom of the bag I found this sweet charm bracelet. Rowan, thank you so much. This means a ton to me! I just had to share with all my blog readers!!!

...Research on Color...

Take a moment and read this artical I found on yahoo news. It's interesting how color impacts people!! Feeling blue could be a good thing for an artist!!!! Check it out!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090205/ap_on_sc/med_color_psychology

YOU NEED THE ELMER'S GLUE PUMP!

This product is a must have for any art room, Sunday school room, or excessive glue user! If you buy Elmer's gallon glue jugs to refill your classroom glue bottles.....YOU MUST HAVE THIS PRODUCT! There is a cap on the end of the pump to keep the glue from drying up inside. It averages around $25, but is worth EVERY penny!!! Just a side note..if you aren't using Elmer's glue...you should be!!!!! I've used a variety of glues over the years and have found Elmer's to be the best quality at a good price. Here in Nashville(and I figure this is the same across the country), Wal-Mart has a Back to School Sale where you can get Elmer's glue for around 25 cents a bottle. IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME....JUST LOOK HOW EXCITED MY STUDENT TEACHER, MS. EDWARDS, IS TO BE USING THE ELMER'S GLUE PUMP!!! YOU CAN'T DENY THOSE KIND OF RESULT!!!!

ART THOUGHT FOR THE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint you can on it." -Danny Kaye

ART GAMES ON-LINE

I found some great online games that are art related. If your curriculum/standards have technology/digital art listed,this might be a fun way to meet that standard for the elementary age....it could be a fun reward for students....or if you're a parent looking for safe & fun sites for your child.....HERE ARE THE LINKS FOR YOU!!!! ENJOY!

http://www.kids.albrightknox.org/index_launched.html http://www.childrensmuseum.org/games/index.htm http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/Learn_About_Color/index.html http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/van_gogh/menu.html http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/dancers/index.html http://www.getty.edu/gettygames/ http://www.haringkids.com/ http://artpad.art.com/artpad/painter/ http://www.iknowthat.com/com/L3?Area=L2_TheArts http://www.crayola.com/gamesfun/index.cfm?n_id=2 http://www.alifetimeofcolor.com/main.taf?p=4,1 http://www.alifetimeofcolor.com/main.taf?p=4,2

Results from the Trash Art Contest

Results from the Art Contest: Unfortunately my girls did not win the Beautification Art Contest sponsered by Metro Public Works (..though I thought they should have!!!). However, they did get their art placed on the side of two trush trucks.....and the art-on-wheels will be rolling around Nashville for the next 6 months!!! Congraduation girls...I THINK YOU'RE BOTH AWESOME ARTISTS & IT IS A JOY TO BE YOUR ART TEACHER!!!!!!!!!! I'M GOING TO MISS BOTH THE GIRLS NEXT YEAR WHEN THEY GO ON TO MIDDLE SCHOOL!!!

The first picture is of Rowan's work. She did such an amazing job!!! Rowan is my fun artsy student, and I can always count on her to think outside the box!! The middle picture is Rowan & I in front of the trash truck that has her art on the side....I'm a proud art papa! The last picture is Rowan with Mayor Karl Dean in front of LP Fields(the home of the Tennessee Titans!!!)....HOW COOL IS THAT!!!!

The first picture is Kira's beautiful art work. She has been such a consistantly good artist over the years...and one of the most pleasant students I've ever worked with! The second picture is of Kira & I in front of the trash truck that has her art work on it(I look like a giant beside her!! ha ha)....once again...I can't help but be proud of my kiddo!!!

* I asked the parents of both girls if I could use their name & pictures in my blog. THIS IS A MUST IF YOU ARE GOING TO POST PHOTOS OF YOUR STUDENTS!!!!!

My Art from Grad School Fall ' 08

Winter Bulletin Board

I'm responsible for the main bulletin board in the hall way as you come into our building. I try to keep it simple, bright, and with something school related. This winter though, I decided to have my students help me out with it. I had all of my 4th grades, two of my 3rd grades, and one of my 1st grade classes make collage snow men/women. I was just going to use 4th grade, but they made them too small OR I underestimated how big the board was. They had a blast creating their snow people, and I loved seeing their creations. I laugh as I look through the gathering of snow people...seeing each one has their own distinct personality.

...Oh Turtle Tree...Oh Turtle Tree...

So I found my old fiber optic tree up in the attic and decided to bring it to school & have a little fun! My kids know how much I love turtles, and have gotten a kick out of my "Turtle Tree" for "Turtlemas" What is Turtlemas you ask? (The kids asked too!) Well, it can be celebrated all year long...and it is about taking the time to enjoy people & things that are in your life. It's not about wanting more...it is about enjoying what you have! So as I was putting my fun foam turtles hung with pipe cleaners on the tree...I was singing "O Turtle Tree...O Turtle Tree...how lovely are your turtles". The kids were laughing their heads off, but I have a feeling the music teachers are not going to be happy with me when the kids start sing my version for the Christmas program & not theirs! ha ha

A Winter Art Thought.....

My dear friend, fellow art teacher, and Art Gang member, Ms. O'Brien, sent this e-mail to me today. It made me laugh so hard...I had to share it with the rest of you. "So, as I guide my babies through winter scenes, I can’t help but ponder that the snowman is the stick person of the winter time scene." The collages are provided by two of my ELL Kindergarten students after reading Snowmen at Night.

Christmas Mugs

Tis the season to ask the age old question....WHAT AM I GONNA DO WITH ALL THESE HOLIDAY MUGS?!?!?! Don't get me wrong, I think there is nothing sweeter than a child bringing a gift for their teacher. As an art teacher, we can often be over looked though! So, I will receive any mug or present with great joy!!! However, for a person that doesn't drink coffee...what will I ever do with all those mugs???? Here is my solution. I use them to store my paint brushes & other assorted items(clay tools, spoons, pencils..etc). This way the children can see their gift being used...and I have a place to put stuff! I will usually write the child's name on the bottom w/ the year. What do you do with all your holiday mugs?? I'd love to hear!

Paper Bowls

After seeing this bowl project in a Recycled Art book from Lakeshore Learning Store..I HAD TO TRY IT!!! The kids loved it. I loved it. The end product turned out wonderful! I had my students add an acrylic glitter glaze over top of the final air dried paper bowl to add some extra strength & sparkle! ___________________________________________________________________________________ I had an art teacher ask for an overview of this lessons. LESSON OVERVIEW: I have the students take construction paper from the scrap box(or you could give them new sheets). Using scissors, the students cut the paper into small pieces. You can also have them add in magazine, tissue paper, or newspaper. The students place the cut pieces in the middle of the table in a container. Collect the paper and place in a container with boiling water(don't let the kids help with this part!). At this point you can do two things. 1st...drain the water and squeeze the paper....then add liquid starch OR 2nd...add in plaster pulp(it comes in a bag..it's a mix of plaster and a cottonie material). The students are each given about a half cup of the mixture. They then separate out the paper and place it in a Styrofoam bowl(place a piece of masking tape on the bowl for the students to write their name on it). Have them start at the bottom & work their way up. You need to make sure that the students are not clumping on the paper too thick. You could also pre-cut the paper and pre-soak it before the students arrive..and then pass it out when they get there...giving them more time. The bowls need to dry completely before you pull them out(they'll fall apart if not!!). After the bowls have dried the students can put a layer of glitter glaze/tempera varnish I placed some of Crayola's Pearl It medium in the glaze also.

Mr. E's Hand Exercises!

My poor hand has had a rough life! In first grade, Mrs. Winter wrote on my report card, "Ted grips his pencil too tight!" It was true then...and is true today!! You should see the big ol' callas on the inside of my middle finger! In college, I had a terrible accident in sculpture class...and the doctors thought they were going to have to amputate my thumb, index finger, and middle finger(by the Grace of God...that did not happen!!). For the past month or so, I have been having pain in my right hand & my knuckles have been locking up on me in the morning. I feared arthritis. That is not good for a person in my profession that depends on his hands! I have an amazing & trusted chiropractor that I wanted to talk to about the situation. After examining my hand, Dr. Ed felt that the problem was being caused by an over development of muscles & such in my hand in the "grasp" position. With grad school underway, I have been drawing & painting more than I have in YEARS, all the day to day activities in the art room, and a life time of gripping too tight. He felt that if I would begin doing hand exercises that the problems I've been having would subside. So...now if you come to my school and see me with a rubber band around my right hand fingers...you'll know I've been WORKIN' OUT! :)

Student Paper's Mr. E Interview

********************************************************** Mr. E and His Dream by Tre'Jerr (this was an artical written in the Tiger Times, a publication created by our 4th graders here at Tulip Grove Elementary) Mr. E became the art teacher at Tulip Grove in 2001. A big project Mr. E did was with the third graders. They made 5 foot tall imaginary trees. Mr. E wants his art to be popular, but he would really like one of his student's art work to become popular some day. Mr. E says his wife said they will probably have to drag his cold dead body out of the art room. Mr. E wants to open up his own art center if he wins the lottery, but he doesn't play. Weird! ******************************************************************* Tre'Jerr's artical is an interesting one! There are a few holes in the story though, but it kind of makes it more fun that way!!! I'm just excited that the 4th graders are doing such a wonderful project like this! They come out with a new Tiger Times every month. WAY TO GO KIDS!!! PROUD OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

Circle Weaving - 3rd Grade

Circle Weaving is one of my all time favorite projects to do with my third graders. Now, for the first class time or two...it is kind of like pulling teeth, but after that it is a joy to watch my student get so involved in a lesson! I often have students come back years later and tell me they still have their circle weavings.

Fall Art(NOT HALLOWEEN!!!!)

I do not do "Holiday" art. Holiday art is good for a day and then needs to be taken down after the holiday passes. Seasonal art can be hung for a few months with no problem! Plus, you avoid stepping on anyone's religious points of view on holidays(not usually a big problem in the south, but sometimes you have children that do not celebrate holidays). I had my forth grade class work on color blending with pumpkins. They really enjoyed themselves & did a great job on blending the crayons! I'm NOT so happy with their copy-cat ways! Their pumpkins ended up looking like the ones I created during the demo. I had encouraged them to draw different sized/shaped pumpkins, but...creativity seemed to be lacking that day. Usually they do not copy my demo's....I don't know what was up that day?!?!?! I'm hoping this idea(color blending)will carry over into their other work. WE SHALL SEE!!

LAKESHORE LEARNING STORE

Teachers...have you heard of LAKESHORE LEARNING STORE? If not...don't feel bad. They are not on every corner like Walgreens! ha ha There are only around 50 in the whole United States! Most of which are in California & Texas. My wife(a 3rd grade teacher) & I stopped at the one located in Atlanta, GA yesterday. She calls it TEACHER HEAVEN. I wouldn't go that far, but it is great!! We really need one in Nashville! If you are one of the lucky ones located near a LAKESHORE LEARNING STORE.....be thankful!! If you are not...check out their website!! *****http://www.lakeshorelearning.com ***** Yes...it is geared more for the classroom teacher, but they do have art, music, and p.e. resources as well!! I found a great book, some posters for my wall, and other random things I like to use in my classroom! They had a nice selection of supplies as well..but I was not really looking for those type of items. CHECK IT OUT!

Art Contests

I am not a contest kind of teacher. They often have no real connection to our curriculum & standards, and I do not have the time in my schedule to participate in such things. Sometimes though...a contest comes along that is worth my time & my students time to participate. This year I have submitted two amazing pieces to the Beautification Art Contest sponsered by Metro Public Works. The theme this year is PUT WASTE IN ITS PLACE: KEEP NASHVILLE BEAUTIFUL! I had some amazing pieces turned in by other students(thank you Micah, Joshua,Saige, Alison, and Samuel), but I could only pick two to move on to the next phase of the contest. I think Rowan & Kira have a great chance of winning! If they do win....the entries will be depicted on the sides of the Red River Waste Collection trucks for the next six months! That means over 9,000 people a day could be seeing their work!! Also, if the girls were to win...my art program would recieve money(amount depends on what place they recieved). HOW WONDERFUL WOULD THAT BE!! I told the kids that they could set down and help me pick out some items for the art room if they have the winning entry! CROSS YOUR FINGERS!!!

....a color I'll need to get use to....

PINK

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser

I have found a name brand product that is worth every penny!!! Mr. Clean Magic Eraser(Extra Power) lives up to any/all expectations. My art room tables are probably 20 yrs old(I've used them for 8 yrs..but a teacher told me they had been here since the school opened!). I'm not sure if my students are extra messy this year...or the tables are just beginning to show their age......BUT I HAD TO DO SOMETHING!! I like my room to be nice & clean...and my terrible looking tables were starting to throw off my groove! I picked up a 4 pack of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers at CVS & thought they would be worth a try(they were on sale!). The first thing I did when I got to school this morning was try them out! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was such a drastic difference from my normal cleaning supplies. I am totally sold!!!! I might not use them every day.....but a once a week cleaning will keep my tables looking half their age(if not better!). TRY IT OUT FOR YOURSELF!!! You won't be disappointed!

SOMETIMES I USE DIFFERENT BRANDS FOR THE DIFFERENT COLORS. SOMETIMES I LIKE TO TEST OUT NEW/DIFFERENT PRODUCTS I HAVEN'T USED BEFORE. HERE IS WHAT I FOUND OUT ABOUT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT OIL PASTELS ON THE MARKET! I'D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU USE IN YOUR ART ROOM!

Here are the three types of oil pastels I use in my art room. I really like Crayola's Oil Pastels. They have a great hexagonal shape so they don't roll off the table while the kids are using them! They have a great color & go on fairly smooth. The paper around them are a bit tough to peal as they begin to run down. Worth the price!! Cray-Pas Junior Artist Oil Pastels are an oldie but a goodie. They are pretty soft(which doesn't translate to smooth application unfortunately)...which can be a problem with heavy handed children. They do have a great variety of color & they blend well! Very affordable!

If money was no object, I would only use the Portfolio Series Water Soluble Oil Pastels. The colors are amazing & their application is smooth as silk! The two downsides to this product is price & the paper that refuses to peal off!!!! As a grown-up I had trouble trying to remove the paper from around the oil pastel!

Mr. E's Refrigerator Art

I often have students bring me art work that they have done at home or during their free time at school. I love to see that they are creating outside of the art room! However, I wanted to push my students to do more than trace pictures or draw Sponge Bob. So...Mr. E's Refrigerator Art was born! I created a life size refrigerator door from butcher paper(would have loved to use a real refrigerator door, but I don't think my principal have have approved it!). I have a list of rules for what can be placed on the refrigerator posted right beside it in the hall, and have spoken to my classes about what is or is not acceptable. The response has been AMAZING!!! I have kids that have the other art teacher asking me if they can give me art work to hang up(how can I say no?!?!). Maybe you want to try Refrigerator Art at your school! Mr. E's Refrigerator Art Rules:

• Art must be done by YOU at home or during free time at school.
• Art work must be or appear to be finished!
• Coloring Book pages are NOT acceptable.
• Art work must follow the rules of the NO-NO Board! (look at my bulletin board post)

Perspective Drawing 3rd Grade

Over the past few weeks my 3rd graders have been looking at place & space. They have drawn their dream home, busy cityscapes they'd want to be a part of, and have tried out 1-point perspective. Some of them get it, and others not so much. I decided to do an exercise with them to continue the idea of place & space. Atmospheric perspective is not always easy for this age group. I decided simple boxes would be an easier way for them to gain a greater understanding of this concept. Most of them really enjoyed it!!(well...one student cried for a half hour about it, but that's a story for another day). I thought Carson & Joshua did some nice work! There are a few things with each that need tweaking, but over all they are great examples of what 3rd graders can do. Gaining an understanding of atmospheric perspective is really important at this age so they can move forward in their drawing skills.

Draw It! Book Review

Draw It! (Series) Written by Patricia Walsh/Tiffany Peterson & illustrations by David Westerfield/Mark Adamic. Growing up in an area that did not have art instructors till high school, I’d often go to the library to find art books that could be my teacher. How To Draw books were the beginning of my “formal” art training! I gained so much from spending hours with those books, and will forever be grateful. This drawing series, Draw It!, provides young artists(and artists young at heart) an easy to follow...STEP by STEP…way of drawing anything from Dinosaurs(I LOVE DINOSAURS!!)to Fashion Design! Though it is not practical for me to use these books in the art room(other than maybe an art center), I would defiantly recommend Draw It! to my students to check out of the library! The use of simple line & shape allow most to find a level of success that will build confidence & interest in drawing. I believe by using these types of books, it will allow young artists to begin breaking down other objects mentally into shapes & lines. This is extremely beneficial, and I view these books as great exercises in art. As with an athlete, exercise is not the sport, but allows you to perform your sport to the best of your abilities by developing different parts of your body. The skills you gain from Draw It! can allow you to perform at a higher level within art by building different areas of your artistic skills & mind. I also truly appreciate the use of the art vocabulary within the series. I would say these are some of the finest How To Draw type books I have seen. If you have a student that loves to draw, please don’t hesitate to recommend a book from this series!

My First Year of Teaching

In August of 1997, I packed up all my things in my Chevy Cavalier & moved from southeastern Ohio to Nashville, TN to begin my teaching career. I had only been to the city once to interview for the position, I knew no one, and I had no place to live(or even stay for that matter) . Great way to start things, eh?(sorry for the "eh?"...I did my student teaching in Montreal, Quebec & haven't been able to get rid of it all these years later!!). I told myself if nothing else I could sleep on my teacher desk until I found a place(I was joking..kind of). I quickly found a place...and amazing group of friends(the Art Gang)...and seemed to know or be known by many in the city! It helps to be an outgoing personality in a situation like that! My school was welcoming & supportive. My classroom however...was kind of a nightmare. I had the old ISS portable out back( no water!!). With 1st year teacher enthusiasm....I decided I'd transform that portable into an amazing place for my students to come. And over the next several months...I did just that!! Paint, a fun border, curtains I had made.....and even a trash can cozy(that matched my curtains....yes...I am a bit OCD). My classroom was my home away from home. I loved being there. However, April 16, 1998....that all changed. A tornado goes through downtown Nashville & surrounding areas(who knew tornadoes actually hit cities?!?!?). East Nashville was the worst hit. That whole week I had been staying till 6 or later trying to get grades ready for report cards. That morning though...in the terrible rains we were getting...a belt on my car was thrown, and I had to take it to the shop. So...as soon as school let out that day...a teacher took me to the mechanics to get my car. They said it wouldn't be ready for a day or two...so the teacher offered to take me on home. As we were driving...the weather was getting worse & it began to hail. As we looked ahead...we saw a funnel cloud drop out of the sky and go through a building...and then continue on across the road we were driving on. It was only about a quarter mile ahead of us. We watched in fear & amazement as the tornado crossed the road in front of us. We thanked the Lord for protecting us...and then continued cautiously onward. We had no idea that tornado we just saw moments earlier had hit our school. I found out later that evening that my classroom was lifted off the foundation & dropped on a car next to it. The roof had giant holes in it that allowed the rain to soak everything. Something had pierced the wall of my portable & went straight out the other side. One of the teachers was sure I was still in there, and made the police go in with dogs to try to find my body! I am extremely blessed that my car had issues that morning...or I might have been!!! After a week of not being allowed back in the area, I finally was able to go & see what was salvageable. There wasn't much. All of the kids art, my books, my art posters....ruined. I was extremely happy to see the supplies I had stored in Sterilite containers were ok, but that did not make up for the lose of everything else. For the rest of the school year my desk & supplies were on the stage, and I had to go room to room to teach art(or bring the kids to the cafeteria). It was tough...but I made it through. So, the next time you think things are tough...remember my story...and realize that things could be worse!

Clay Faces!

That's me with the go-t...hangin' out with my students!! My 4th graders made clay self portraits a couple weeks ago. They were so excited this past week to get them back to paint!! If you aren't a person in the know about clay....it takes a few days for the clay to air dry....then you have to fire it in the kiln(which takes about 7 hrs or so). I didn't want to fire the kiln till all my 4th grade classes had completed the project...so there was a delay in the painting of the faces. You could use a glaze & refire them, but I opted to have my students use acrylic paint.

Just a proud papa!

This blog post has nothing to do with art. It's just a picture of my baby! This image comes from our three month check up. At this point the baby is about the size of an orange. Look though..he/she is wavin' at us!!! Isn't that amazing. The face is a little distorted in the picture because our little one was movin' around & "talking"(the mouth was moving) the whole time. Hmmm...wonder where they get that from??? Just had to share with my art peeps!!!