Second Grade Day of the Dead

We started out by looking at a presentation on the Day of the Dead and discussing where and when the Day of the Dead is celebrated. We focused this project on the Day of the Dead calaveras (skulls). They children practiced drawing their skull in their sketchbooks and colored them using complementary colors.

There were 3 choices for projects:

The first one was a calavera made out of Claycrete. The students mixed the claycrete with water and glue and formed the shape of the skull. Once it was dry, they painted it 1 color with acrylic paint. They added facial features with sequins, pipe cleaners and other materials that they found interesting.

The second project was a calavera in a frame. They drew the skull onto a transparency and painted it with white acrylic paint. They turned the transparency to the back side and used Sharpies to decorate it.

The third project that the students could choose was a printing project. The student drew their calavera onto a piece of cardboard. They traced it with white glue and let it dry. Then they made three different prints using the cardboard. The first print was a crayon rubbing. The second print was done by rolling ink onto the cardboard and creating a print on white paper. For the last one, they covered the cardboard with a piece of aluminum foil and then rubbed the foil so that the glue created a bas relief. They used Sharpies to color the aluminum.

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Second Grade Calaveras

Second grade repeated their Day of the Dead project from last year: Day of the Dead Calaveras

Here are this years outcomes:

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Fifth Grade Mandalas

Last year's mandalas: Mandalas 2011

This year:

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Fourth Grade Kente Cloth

 I have done variations of this project for many years. This year, we took a trip to Africa and learned about Kente cloths. We looked at a variety of different cloths and the patterns that were used in them.

I gave each student a 9 x 12 sheet of styrofoam and we divided the sheet into a 4 x 3 grid with our rulers. My directions for this were that each section needed to have a different pattern in it.

They spent the first day working on their patterns (drawing them in the styrofoam with their pencils).

The second day, we reviewed complementary colors. Each student chose the 2 that they wanted to use. They had to create 2 prints of their design (1 in each of their colors) and we set those up to dry.

 On the 3rd day, we worked on making our loom. They chose 1 of their prints for their loom and we folded it in half (like a taco, with the opening at the top). I had them use a ruler and draw a line across the top of the paper to use as their stop sign when they were cutting:

They cut their loom, stopping at their "stop sign".

Then we get the second piece and cut that into strips. I have them number the strips so that they know what order they go in. They weave these into their loom and then glue the edges so that they don't fall out.

When they have finished weaving, they glue the entire piece onto a piece of kraft paper.

For the finishing touch, they use a hole punch, punch a row of holes on both ends and then use yarn to add a fringe.

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Third Grade Picasso Portraits

I have seen many versions of this project- here is my spin on it:

My third graders learn how to draw a self-portrait. I teach them how to divide the face, which proportions to use and they get to work drawing their portrait from the front. After they have finished, they trace over it with a black marker- pretty basic.

Then I show them how to draw their portrait as a profile. This one takes them a little longer. Again, we talk about measurements, proportion, etc. When they are finished, they trace this one with black marker also.

At this point, they have 2 different portraits, on 2 different pieces of plain 8 1/2 x 11 xerox paper.

Then I give them a 3rd piece of paper. I have them trace their first portrait and then set it aside. Then they take their profile and place that one underneath. They can move it around to wherever

 they think it looks best and they trace that one. They have now combined both portraits into 1 single, Picasso-ish portrait. After they have traced both portraits, I have them take the 2 originals home, so that they don't get them confused.

For the next step, I give each student a transparency. (With the advent of SmartBoards and document cameras, the teachers at my school have given me TONS of transparencies. I used to have to buy them every year, but now I have a supply that should last me for years to come!)

They tape their Picasso portrait to their transparency so that it doesn't move around. I have them trace the entire portrait with a permanent black marker.

Then it's time to color. We use oil pastels to color the different sections that were created by combining the 2 portraits.

 I stress to the students that no white paper (the paper that is still taped to the back) should be showing through, so this helps them know if they have colored enough with their oil pastels.

When they have completed their oil pastels, they remove the white paper from the back and they pick a piece of construction paper that is complementary to their background and I staple it to their project. Make sure that when you staple them, the oil pastel is touching the paper (the shiny side/uncolored side of the transparency should be face up).

The last step is to use gel pens/markers to add patterns. Again, the students use complementary colors to fill in the spaces with a variety of patterns.

I used to use Phooey Gel Markers, but now I can't find them anywhere. They had the best overall effect and lasted the longest when a grade level of 120 students were using them.

For the last few years, I have been experimenting with a variety of gel pens and markers and have not found anything that works quite as well. If anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment. I would love the ideas! Pin It

Fifth Grade Texture Canvases

Materials Needed

• canvas panels (Sax #412499)
• Liquitex Gloss Gel Medium (Sax #437486)

• gouache set of 24


• brushes

We started this project by covering a canvas with gel medium. As the students were doing this, I passed out baskets to each table. In the baskets, I had put a variety of texture tools. Each student was to create 6 different sections of texture on their canvas, using the tools that were in their basket. 
 



We reviewed all of the color schemes that we had learned in previous years and this year (warm/cool, primary/secondary, complementary, analogous, monochromatic). Each student had to choose 1 color scheme for their canvas.
 
When everything was dry, the students used gouache paints to paint their canvas. I gave each table a palette with paint and they were allowed to mix the paints as they needed them to fit their color scheme.
 
This was a fun project for my 5th graders. They had never touched a canvas before, let alone been able to create their own artwork on one. It was fun to see them taking so much pride in their artwork when they were given their artistic tools. Pin It

Fifth Grade Mandalas

Materials Needed

• sketchbook
• ruler
• compass- 1/table
• 12 x 12 paper
• fine-tipped black markers
• Crayola color sticks

• black poster board

Fifth grade learned about various cultures that make mandalas. They focused on how radial symmetry is created in the mandalas. They also learned how to use a compass and a ruler to create different lines and then practiced making lines in their sketchbooks.

They were given a 12” x 12” piece of paper. We started by folding the paper corner to corner, so that we had a large triangle. We folded again, corner to corner to create a smaller triangle and then 1 more time to form an even smaller triangle. In total, we folded 3 times. When we opened our paper, we had 8 triangular sections radiating around the center of our paper.

We used the compass to draw at least 4 circles radiating from the middle of our paper. If the student chose to draw more they could, but I showed them what would happen to their designs if they drew too many (the designs would have to be very small).

I then did a lesson on organic and geometric designs. We looked at shapes around us and classified them. We brainstormed a list of geometric shapes and a list of organic shapes. The students had to choose whether they wanted their mandala to have organic or geometric.

They began by drawing a design in 1 section of the outer ring. They then had to repeat that exact design 7 more times around the outside ring. I had them move to the next ring and create another design and repeat the process. They continued until all rings were finished.

I had them trace the entire design with a black marker and then we talked about color schemes. We reviewed warm and cool colors, and complementary colors. There were 2 new ones that I added on to their list of color schemes. We learned about analogous colors (neighbors) and monochromatic colors (for this, we looked at Picasso's Blue Period paintings).



Once we had all of the color schemes, I had them choose 1 color scheme and they wrote it on the back of their paper (as a reminder) along with the colors that went into this scheme. They used Crayola Color Stix and Sharpie markers to color their radial designs.

I walked around and reminded them that they had to repeat the color in each section, just as they had done when they were drawing. Pin It