City Reflections

This is a project I found on another art blog. http://laughpaintcreate.blogspot.com/2011/08/city-prints.html This was a fourth grade project that reviewed warm and cool colors. It was also fun for the children to print. We painted the background the first week and then started work on our printing plate (foam). The next week we finished our drawing of the city and printed.  They really came out nice and the children had a great time doing them.

Big Fat Hen

I read the book "Big Fat Hen" to the first grade. We discussed all the beautiful illustrations of hens in the book and then drew one step by step. After talking about  texture, we used texture rubbing plates when adding the color to the hens.

Illustrated Names

I use this lesson during the frst few weeks of school since it helps me to remember my students' names and get to know them. During the first class they decorate each letter of their name to tell something about themselves (the A is a piece of pizza, the d includes a soccer ball etc.). The second class involves a lesson on positive and negative space and opposite colors. Students make a cut paper design using these principles. When complete, they glue their name to the top of the cut paper design.

Uncle Sam

Uncle Sam
I had a bunch of cardboard egg cartons donated. I did this with fourth grade for a patriotic project. It is a little crafty but they turn out very cute and the students and other teachers love them!
Materials:
(4) cups from egg carton
blue and skin color tempera paint
(1) 2"x4" white construction paper
(1) l"x5" blue construction paper
(1) 2"x2" blue construction paper
(1) 3"x3" black construction paper
scraps of white yarn, paper, ribbon
scissors and glue
sharpies
Day 1
1. We talk about symbols and that Uncle Sam symbolizes the United States.
2. Each student is given 4 cardboard cups from an egg carton. Trim the edges.
3. They must glue together the egg cartons and paint the top skin color and the bottom blue. (this can be a challenge for them so it may take a whole day to just do this)
4. Have them write the name on the bottom of one egg cup with sharpie.
5. Collect in a paper box lid.
Day 2
1. Fold the 3"x3" black construction paper in half and cut a heart for the feet. Glue to the body.
2. Use the l"x5" blue construction paper strip for the arms, adding hands (cut
into blue rectangle). Glue the center of the strip to the back of the body. Write the name on the back of the blue rectangle in sharpie
3. Color or paste red strips on the 2"x4" white paper. Paste and roll into a cylinder.
4. Cut evenly spaced slits up one edge, fold back and paste to the brim, brim, fold the 2"x2" blue construction paper in half and trim off corners.
5. Use the scraps of white yarn to make hair and a beard. Glue to the head. Glueon the hat. Add other decorations with the scraps.

Sunset Silhouettes

These are great for fall. I found this on Deep Space Sparkle. I shopw 4th or 5th grade this video on positive and negative space: Positive and Negative Space.

1. We talk about what creates a silhouette.


2. Students wash a 9x12 inch piece of drawing paper.


3. Then they trace a ruler on all 4 side of the black paper to create a frame.


4. After that, they draw a landscape with pumpkins, bare trees, fences, grass, houses, etc.


5. Next they cut out the negative space (or background).


6. Finally they glue the black on top of the sunset colors.

Pop-Up Books

I took a graduate class last fall in bookmaking....NOT SCRAPBOOKING.  While we did several versions of binding and construction, not all were applicable to elementary Art....several, however were. This is a simple pop-up that may be used 3-5 grades, providing you work slowly.
To start, you need 2 bookends, about 6''x4'', of some heavy poster board. Next cut a long strip of heavy paper for the folded pages. Pleat it accordian style to fit inside the ends. The paper should be slightly smaller than the bookends. On each outward fold , cut a small design that will ''pop''.
The inside paper that is to be folded needs to be long enough to make at least 4-5 cutouts, so you will need 8-10 pages, plus 2 more pages to glue to the bookends.
For the bookmaking class, we used special glue, but a cheaper substitute is paste...yes, the stuff none of us buy anymore.

 I and Janis Gillespie spent 2 hours wednesday, September 21 constructing one. They turned out great!

Name Design

This lesson uses letters of the student's name to form a colorful, patterened design. You may also use vocabulary words, spelling words, or any other words which you wish the students to remember.

Start by drawing on a 12'' x 18'' white paper the word/name you wish.....you may change either size or paper color. Place on each table ONE color...have the class paint in the first letter. Change colors, clean brushers. Place the next color on the table--next color, next letter. Repeat until all letters are done. Then begin with the spaces, and repeat the process until all spaces are done. Time permitting, pattern in the letters or background. These always turn out great...the biggest problem is getting the class to paint slowly, so that they stay within the lines. P.S. I use regular tempra.

Positive and Negative Space Name Art

Positive and Negative Space Name Art

This turned out to be a nice review of positive and negative space for my fifth graders. They began by making a grid on their papers using a ruler with different sized squares and rectangles (one space for each letter or number). Then the students drew the letters of their names using capital and lowercase letters that had to touch at least two sides of the spaces on the grid. If they wanted, they could also put the year or the year they were born. Finally, students colored in either the letter or the space around the letter with a marker and then erased all pencil lines left showing. The fifth graders were very proud of their abstract names.

What's in a line?

Contour Line Drawings

My second graders were reviewing types of lines. I took out a bunch of scrap paper and they searched for interesting shapes. They used a glue stick to put the shapes on their 9x12 paper. Then they followed the contour of their shapes with a marker.