Our state convention is coming up in November (Texas Art Education Assoc). I look forward to this event every year and this year is no different. I love seeing other art educators all in one place and getting new ideas from amazing teachers!
This year, however, will be something new for me. I just volunteered to do a walk up workshop at convention..... Not a full-blown workshop, but one of the mini workshops that are set up in the hallway on your way to the big ones. However, for anyone who knows me.... you know that public speaking (except in front of children) is not my thing!! At all! I have nightmares about it! My speech class in college was enough to scar me for life!
Anyway, I am trying to overcome this phobia and am taking baby steps. I am going to do a mini workshop on sketchbooks. I do 4 different types of sketchbooks with my students and I will be sharing this at convention. Unless I panic and back out.....
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Saturday, September 7, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
Brand New School Year
A new school year is about to begin and I am just putting the finishing touches on my room. We have Meet the Teacher this afternoon and then the children come back on Monday!
Here are a few photos of my room this year. I have made a few changes- thanks to the wonderful posters on Pinterest- and thanks to my amazing student teacher, we have been able to update and redo a few of the visuals.
This is my organizational board. On the far left is a flip chart for all of my classes. It is divided by tables (each table is labeled with an artist) and each table receives points during class time: working quietly, cleaning, helping each other, etc. At the end of 9 weeks, the table with the most points get to choose reward coupons from the pink basket (below the flip chart). These are rewards such as: sit in the teacher chair for the day, sharpen all of the pencils, sit by your friend, Tech Time, pick a prize from the box, etc. Most of the rewards are FREE and require little to no time.
Next to the flip chart is my job board. I have 4 jobs: Distributor/Collector (passes out and collects materials), Polisher/Dryer (cleans and dries table), Expert (listens extra hard, so they can help anyone at their table who needs it), Tree Hugger (empties the trash bins on the tables and sweeps the floors under the table)
The yellow paper is a list of choices that the students have when they are finished working: work on any incomplete projects, choose a project from the file box (I have a file box full of simple projects that they can work on independently), go to my classroom blog, work on a research project, answer artprint questions (I have an artprint posted with 3 questions that require research. They write their answers and then I draw a winner to receive a prize from the Art Awards), projects for Ms. Mary (I always have odd jobs for the students to work on (sorting crayons, making art passes, etc).
Each table corresponds with an artist on the point chart.
I have also place a piece of colored tape on each leg of the table. The students will be responsible for the job that corresponds to that color.
Steps for getting ready to paint are posted next to the paint shirts.
The Mona Lisa Rules:
Hands in your lap
Ears listening
Lips quiet
Eyes on the teacher
My student teacher made the shape and texture posters for the room.
Color- color wheels, color schemes, color value.
I have a large box of donated crayons that the students will begin sorting by color when they finish early. Then when they are looking for a particular color, they will be able to find it quickly.
I am going to do the same with the markers that have been donated.
My drying rack is separated by grade level. That way, I do not have to stand there and show the students where to put their papers. They find their grade level, put their paper up to dry and then I can pull them out when they are dry and put them into their class folders.
I have also color coded each grade level and put poster board on the shelves, so the students can see the colors.
I have 3 sinks in my room. I know, I am extremely lucky!!!! I purchased dollar store dish drainers and they children put their brushes, cups, palettes into the drainers when they are finished washing them. At the end of the day, I pull them out and sort them.
Each table has a basket with scissors, glue, crayons and a drawing book. The drawing book has pages on the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design. This is a quick resource for the children to use in their projects.
Each table also has a trash bin which the Tree Hugger will empty out at the end of class.
Each table also has wet towels so the Polisher/Dryer can clean at the end of class.
This is my counter by the door. The paint can has passes for the students. The students sign out on the cookie sheet, as they are leaving (in case of fire drills).
When they come back, they erase their name.
My student teacher made all of the passes.
My faculty is very generous when I ask for donations. I have set up bins outside of my room so that they can drop off anything that they are bringing to the artroom.
They children have learned that when they are doing projects, they are welcome to check the bins for any materials that might fit their needs.
Even teachers have come and used materials for their lessons.
An easel that I have outside of my room with my daily objectives written.
I learned quickly that it needed to be covered. Little fingers love dry erase boards! I bought clear shower curtains and cut them to fit and then used Velcro dots to attach it to the easel.
I know all of you receive artwork that the children have done at home. I never have a place to display this artwork, so this year, I created a bulletin board, just for that special artwork that the children take time to create at home.
Projects from last year that I saved for displaying this year: African drums and Australian didgeridoos.
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Here are a few photos of my room this year. I have made a few changes- thanks to the wonderful posters on Pinterest- and thanks to my amazing student teacher, we have been able to update and redo a few of the visuals.
This is my organizational board. On the far left is a flip chart for all of my classes. It is divided by tables (each table is labeled with an artist) and each table receives points during class time: working quietly, cleaning, helping each other, etc. At the end of 9 weeks, the table with the most points get to choose reward coupons from the pink basket (below the flip chart). These are rewards such as: sit in the teacher chair for the day, sharpen all of the pencils, sit by your friend, Tech Time, pick a prize from the box, etc. Most of the rewards are FREE and require little to no time.Next to the flip chart is my job board. I have 4 jobs: Distributor/Collector (passes out and collects materials), Polisher/Dryer (cleans and dries table), Expert (listens extra hard, so they can help anyone at their table who needs it), Tree Hugger (empties the trash bins on the tables and sweeps the floors under the table)
The yellow paper is a list of choices that the students have when they are finished working: work on any incomplete projects, choose a project from the file box (I have a file box full of simple projects that they can work on independently), go to my classroom blog, work on a research project, answer artprint questions (I have an artprint posted with 3 questions that require research. They write their answers and then I draw a winner to receive a prize from the Art Awards), projects for Ms. Mary (I always have odd jobs for the students to work on (sorting crayons, making art passes, etc).
Each table corresponds with an artist on the point chart.
I have also place a piece of colored tape on each leg of the table. The students will be responsible for the job that corresponds to that color.
Steps for getting ready to paint are posted next to the paint shirts.
Hands in your lap
Ears listening
Lips quiet
Eyes on the teacher
My student teacher made the shape and texture posters for the room.
Color- color wheels, color schemes, color value.
I have a large box of donated crayons that the students will begin sorting by color when they finish early. Then when they are looking for a particular color, they will be able to find it quickly.
I am going to do the same with the markers that have been donated.
My drying rack is separated by grade level. That way, I do not have to stand there and show the students where to put their papers. They find their grade level, put their paper up to dry and then I can pull them out when they are dry and put them into their class folders.
I have also color coded each grade level and put poster board on the shelves, so the students can see the colors.
Each table has a basket with scissors, glue, crayons and a drawing book. The drawing book has pages on the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design. This is a quick resource for the children to use in their projects.
Each table also has a trash bin which the Tree Hugger will empty out at the end of class.
When they come back, they erase their name.
My faculty is very generous when I ask for donations. I have set up bins outside of my room so that they can drop off anything that they are bringing to the artroom.
They children have learned that when they are doing projects, they are welcome to check the bins for any materials that might fit their needs.
Even teachers have come and used materials for their lessons.
I learned quickly that it needed to be covered. Little fingers love dry erase boards! I bought clear shower curtains and cut them to fit and then used Velcro dots to attach it to the easel.
I know all of you receive artwork that the children have done at home. I never have a place to display this artwork, so this year, I created a bulletin board, just for that special artwork that the children take time to create at home.
Pin It
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Back to school- 2013
Well, it's that time of year.... again.
Is it just me or does summer vacation go by faster and faster every year???? It seems like just last week that I was closing down my room and getting ready for a restful summer. Now I am loading up my car with all of the materials that I brought home and heading back to get myself organized for the year!
I have spent the last couple of days going through the blogs that I follow, Pinterest, Arts and Activities and School Arts magazines looking for new, exciting and innovative ways to organize and make myself more efficient this year. With 800-850 students (PK-5 grade), I need to be as on top of things as I can possibly be.
I have found quite a few ideas that I plan on trying out- check out my Artroom Organization board on Pinterest .
Here is my question for all of you teachers out there......
What new ideas do you plan on putting into effect for this new school year? Do you have any tips and tricks for behavior, organization, grading, things for the students to do when they are done, etc.
Please share your ideas and/or send a link to your Pinterest or blog. I am always open to new ideas!!! Photos are always appreciated, too!
Have a wonderful school year!!!
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Tuesday, July 16, 2013
First Grade Starry Night Cityscapes
Then we made our cityscape by printing with white acrylic paint and recycled tools (corrugated cardboard, tape rolls, toilet paper rolls, blocks, etc).
The students needed to start their city at one side of their paper and continue over to the other. We talked about how the buildings could be different heights and how they should have windows, doors, etc.
The next week, they created the background with a black piece of construction paper and oil pastels. Each table had a selection
They cut out their cityscape and glued it onto their background.
To give it a little bit of sparkle, I let them glue sequins onto the sky for their stars.
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Kindergarten Tar Beach
This is the first year that I have done a project using "Tar Beach" with my students. I did this one with my kindergartners. We looked at the art print and the students told me everything they could find- and boy, did they find a lot!
After discussing the print, I gave each of them a piece of blue paper and we started working on the border. For this, we used a combination of fabric
squares (I found an entire box at a resale shop for $5!) and wallpaper squares. We used regular school glue for this and this was my first mistake. Next year, I believe that I will adapt this and use craft glue. We lost a lot of squares because they wouldn't stick.
For the center of the project, they made a self-portrait of themselves flying in through the sky. I wanted to make sure they made them large enough. One
thing that I am always struggling with with my little ones is getting their images LARGE! So I put a basket of shape tracers (square, rectangle and circle) on each table (I am not a fan of tracers, but this is one way for me to make sure that their image is large enough).
They used these to trace shapes onto scrap paper. We talked about using symmetry- if they made 1 arm blue, the other one should be blue,also. They cut
the shapes out and glued them onto their sky to create their self-portrait.
I had a basket of yarn with different brown colors in it. I had pre-wound them into small enough balls that they could handle them without them unwinding all over the room. They chose the color they wanted and cut hair to glue onto their head. Many of them would show me their pictures with 1 piece of yarn. We then had to have the discussion about how much hair we have on our head-
"Do you only have 1 hair on your head or do you have lots of hair?"
I gave them 2 googly eyes (oh, how they love googly eyes!) and then they used marker and crayons to decorate and add details.
After doing this project once, I want to adapt this for the next time. I want to have the children add a skyline in the background and instead of using blue
paper, I believe we might actually paint our sky.
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After discussing the print, I gave each of them a piece of blue paper and we started working on the border. For this, we used a combination of fabricFor the center of the project, they made a self-portrait of themselves flying in through the sky. I wanted to make sure they made them large enough. One
They used these to trace shapes onto scrap paper. We talked about using symmetry- if they made 1 arm blue, the other one should be blue,also. They cut
I had a basket of yarn with different brown colors in it. I had pre-wound them into small enough balls that they could handle them without them unwinding all over the room. They chose the color they wanted and cut hair to glue onto their head. Many of them would show me their pictures with 1 piece of yarn. We then had to have the discussion about how much hair we have on our head-
I gave them 2 googly eyes (oh, how they love googly eyes!) and then they used marker and crayons to decorate and add details.
After doing this project once, I want to adapt this for the next time. I want to have the children add a skyline in the background and instead of using blue
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