Clay Cottages

Channeling my inner Thomas Kinkade (GASP)...my fourth graders created clay cottage facades.  They love the projects, but the results can be real hit & miss.  By 4th grade...I have only a few handfuls of students that have been with me since Kindergarten(out of 100 students in 4th).  Some of them have never touched clay before.  That makes for an interesting class.    I thought this group did very well over all...other than them being small.  

?!?!?FIVE?!?!

When did my sweet baby turn into this 5 year old beauty?!?!?!  

It happens so quickly friends...treasure them!!!!!  

TOP 10 ART SUPPLIES FOR THE ELEMENTARY ART ROOM

THIS IS NOT A LIST OF WHAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO RUN AN ART ROOM...BECAUSE YOU NEED A WHOLE LOT OF STUFF!!!!  THIS IS JUST A LIST OF PRODUCTS I LOVE!! 

***This top 10 list is my opinion....if you like something else...AWESOME!  Share in the comment section the products you enjoy.  If a parent company of any of these products is known for killing puppies or kicking old people.....please do not yell & scream at how evil I am for supporting such things.  THANK YOU! ***

1)ELMER'S GLUE ALL

Not the washable stuff!!  It is too thin.  Most other brands are also too thin.  This causes the paper to become extremely "wet" and does not "stick" things as well.

2)TACKY GLUE

(Elmer's Craft BOND or ALEENE'S)

For those sculpture & assemblage projects where Elmer's Glue All is just too ridged!!!  

Aleene's in the gold bottle has been around forever...and is a wonderful product that I use in my art room.  Elmer's has come out with a pretty great product too....plus it has the ease of the twist top lid to open & close!!  

3)CRAYOLA CRAYONS

Accept no substitute!! ha ha  I actually do use other brands in my table crayon boxes(I like to have a variety of colors)...but if I were trapped on a desert island with only one box of crayons...it would be Crayola!!!!  

4)CRAYOLA CONSTRUCTION PAPER CRAYONS

Seeing is believing!  I had my doubts when I first got construction paper crayons, but now I can't imagine not having them!!!!  Though I wish there were more color choices....they are so much fun!  

5)PORTFOLIO SERIES OIL PASTELS

Wow...talk about a dreamy product!!!!  Water soluble, amazing colors, creamy consistency....what else do you need from an oil pastel!?!?  Though they are a bit pricey....they are well worth it!  

6)SARGENT ART-TIME TEMPERA PAINT

I'm not a big tempera paint snob...I use just about anything.  However, I do like the look & feel of Sargent's Art-Time.   If I'm able to get it....I do!! 

7)RED HEART YARN 

My first few years of teaching I tried ordering yarn via catalogs, but was never happy with what I received.  I finally gave up, and started buying all my yarn from a big box store.  That way I am able to select the size, color, and weight of yarn I feel will be best for my weaving projects.  I love the Red Heart yarn.  It is affordable...and comes in a ton of colors that the kids love!!  

8)SHARPIE MARKER

You can't go wrong with classic black, but the other colors are great as well!!  I've tried other permanent markers, but Sharpie seems to out live/outlast all the rest! 

9)SCRATCH ART SCRATCH-FOAM

For beginning print making projects...this is a wonderfully easy product to use! You also don't compromise on the print...they images turn out great.  

10)MR. CLEAN MAGIC ERASER

I know that it isn't really an "art" supply...but come on....WE USE THEM ALMOST AS MUCH AS ART SUPPLIES!! ha ha  This product is truly amazing...and has saved my tables.  

SO WHAT PRODUCTS DO YOU LOVE IN YOUR ART ROOM??

Door Decor Day!

                                                    

                        Do to our snow & ice days last week...our Read Me Week activities where moved to this week.

This was one of my favorite books as a child(Spooky Old Tree &  Pokey Little Puppy were the others).  I love getting to read it to my students now!!

Final thoughts on Going Buggy For Art

I tied in a "cause" with my art show this year.  I've never done this before.  Though we only raised $35, this is more than "NOTHING".  I hope if I do this again with another "cause"....it will continue to grow.  

**************************************

I've tried to do an interactive area before...but it was never this successful!  I could not have been happier with how this part of the art show turned out...and would encourage all of you to add this to your show!!  I had parents, grandparents, friends, students, and teachers setting down together and creating bugs for the spider web.  They laughed..talked...shared their creations..IT WAS WONDERFUL!

BEFORE

AFTER

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED MY ART SHOW!!! If you have any questions about doing one at your school...please feel free to e-mail me.  I've been doing this for 13 yrs at my school...and have worked out a lot of kinks over the years.  I'm always trying to make it better & try new things!!!  

Art Show 2014: Part 3

This post contains some of the displays for 2nd & 1st Grade (as well as the K lining the bottom that I spoke about in my last post).  

2ND GRADE

COUPLE CLOSE UPS FROM 2ND

1ST GRADE

CLOSE UPS OF A COUPLE PIECES FROM 1ST

Art Show 2014: Part 2

Here are the images of 3rd & 4th Grade displays.  I have classes of each...but a couple of my pictures just were terrible(lighting issues).  I'm include some close ups of some of the projects so you can get a better idea of what the lessons were about.  

NOTE:  In the following posts about the art show...you will also see big bubble bees & ladybugs with flowers.  I decided to run my kindergarten art along the bottom of the entire show.  It really framed things nicely...and freed up wall space so I could display the other work more effectively.  I loved not feeling like the art was SQUISHED together this year!!!!  When you are hanging about 550 pieces in a limited space..it can be challenging.  

4th Grade

3rd Grade

Art Show 2014: Part 1

This is the art show that almost wasn't!  However, it turned out to be one of my best in 13 yrs at Tulip Grove Elementary!!  Parents were greeted as they walked into the school with a sign in table(always important for Title 1, but also great for personal reflection later!!).  There were thank you cards created by K-4th students right about the sign in sheets....a favorite of regular attenders!! 

The next thing parents came upon was an activity table!!  They were encouraged to set down...students, parents, and all guests....and create a bug for the spiderweb!!!  I had so many parents tell me they had never used construction paper crayons before...THEY LOVED THEM!! ha ha  This ended up being a HIT this year...the table was always filled with people creating the whole evening!! 

Then they entered the show.  they walked through "Mosquito Netting" curtains.  Had to set the mood!!

Yes...I put little bugs in the netting for "extra" POW! ha ha  You know me..I'm a little over the top.

This is where the bugs made at the art show will go(can't wait to share with you the finished work..AMAZING).  

My color coded fly swatters allowed parents/guest to find the grade level easily.  They then just had to find the teachers name!!  

My kindergarten team have THE BEAR CAVE where they were teaching about hibernation...the bears don't come out for another week...so I had to work it into my theme!  Spider's Cookie Cave ready to serve yummy cookies to the kiddos!!  Teachers donate a package (or two) to the art show....I always have more than enough!  

This year I decided to add a cause to my art show...Malaria No More.  It seemed like a perfect match for the art show's theme!!!  I'll let you know the results...and my thoughts on this in another post.  

Art Show Night

      

 The art show was a huge success!  I will have several posts over the next few days about Going Buggy For Art!!  Hope you enjoy! These pics are at the end of the show...my sweet family came to help clean up so daddy could get home faster!  

                                 

THE DAY BEFORE THE ART SHOW

So this is the week of my art show, and what happens....

I GET A STOMACH BUG THAT TOTALLY KNOCKS ME OUT! 

Then we have 3 snow days in a row!!!!!!!!  WHAT? IN NASHVILLE?

This the first picture is what I saw when I walked in at 7:30am this morning( Day 3 of our Snow Days).

I was motivated...and got to it!!!

Then I "HIT THE WALL"!

 OH MY GOSH.  

I powered through though....and worked till they kicked me out at 5pm.

Then I turned into a bug.  

All School Art Show Next Week!!!

        

  My all school art show(K-4th) is next Thursday!! So much work to do.....but I am so excited to showcase our amazing artists here at Tulip Grove!!  This year I am also trying to raise funds for Malaria No More!  I thought it was a great tie in with our bug theme...and would get students thinking outside of our comfortable school setting!  Stay tuned for pictures from the art show this time next week!