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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Fourth Grade Egyptian Canopic Jars

 Fourth graders are fascinated with ancient Egypt (as am I!). In the past, I have had them make pharaoh's masks, which have turned out pretty well. This year, I decided to switch it up a little bit and we made Canopic Jars. To begin the project, we discussed what canopic jars were- jars that held the internal organs of the deceased. That really caught their attention! Of course, then they had all kinds of questions- how did they get the organs out, why did they remove the organs, what did they do with the body. This naturally led into a great research opportunity for the students.

We learned that there were traditionally 4 different canopic jars: jackal, falcon, baboon and human. Each one held a different organ. The human jar held the liver, the baboon jar held the lungs, the falcon jar held the intestines and the jackal jar held the stomach.

We looked at a variety of different canopic jars that I found in books and on the internet. This helped give the students an idea. Then they designed their own jar and drew it in their sketchbook.

 When their designs were ready, I gave them a good sized ball of clay and had them make the jar (a basic pinch pot was what we used). We tried to make the walls fairly high- when I do this next year, I think that we will do a coil pot instead of a pinch pot. This will allow the students to make their walls a lot higher.

They used their clay tools to scratch a variety of patterns into the pot and I scratched their initials and class code into the bottom when they were done.

Before making the lid of their jar, I showed them a couple of YouTube videos that I had found. These videos were geared toward middle school students, but the fourth graders did a really good job following what was demonstrated.


I gave them a second ball of clay and they made the lid for their jar.

Once both pieces were ready, I fired them and had them ready for our 4th class.




During our fourth class, I pulled out pretty much every color of glaze that I had and let them glaze both pieces. I also had them glaze the inside of each piece.

I fired them one last time and I have them all sitting in my storage room right now. These beautiful pieces will be my beginning of the year art display in August. I can't wait to show off what they created!





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Third Grade Sandpaper Prints

Georgia O'Keeffe was the basis for the third graders printmaking project. I started out by reading the book Through Georgia's Eyes by Rachel Rodriguez. We spent some time looking at O'Keeffe's floral paintings and talking about how they were magnified.

For the project, I have a wide variety of old calendar pages that have been laminated. I have jeweler loupes that the students can use to magnify different parts of the print- helping them focus in on aspects of the picture.


 The students practice drawing 2 different flowers in their sketchbooks first. The focus for them is:

1)  fill the entire page with the flower
2) make the flower go off of the page
3) use a variety of tints and shades to color (by using the loupe, they can really see the colors that are in the flower)

Once they have their flowers drawn in their sketchbooks, they choose the one that they like the best.

 I give them a piece of sandpaper (fine-med grain) and they replicate the flower onto the sandpaper using old crayons- I have a really big tub of old, broken crayons that I collect every year (I never throw crayons away) and these are what they use.

I demonstrate how they need to color hard enough to cover the sandpaper. When they are finished, they should not be able to see the brown sandpaper at all.

They can also use their crayons to build colors on top of each other, creating the tints and shades that

 naturally found in the flowers.

When they have colored the entire piece of sandpaper, they bring it to me.

I have an iron plugged in (I used to have an ancient dry-mount press, but when we got our new school, it did not make it into the new building- a sad day for me!), set on Polyester/Wool. I adjust it as I go along.

I iron the crayon onto a piece of white drawing paper (12 x 18) and then staple the sandpaper next to the print.

I used to iron them onto colored construction paper, but the effect was not as dramatic- now I am sticking with plain white paper!

I especially love the sunflowers! Pin It

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

Third Grade Mosaic

This was a collaborative project that I had about 10 of my third graders work on after school for about a month.

The company Charming Charlies donated a huge boxes of damaged and discarded jewelry to the Spark Park organization in Houston. From there, Spark Park asked Houston art teachers to use the discards to create a "Fun in the Park" themed mosaic. They provided us with a white, foam board that measured about 3' x 5', gave us a box of jewelry and we were off!

I invited 2 students from each of my third grade classes to stay after school with me for about a month. We started the project by working on organization. The box of jewelry was a huge, tangled, chaotic nightmare! The kids and I had scissors, wire cutters and pliers and we cut, twisted and broke up anything that we could and sorted everything into color coordinated tubs. The first day, we did this in the art room. Huge mistake!!! There were beads flying EVERYWHERE!!! The next day, I wised up, and we moved the entire production out onto the patio area right outside of my room- so much better!

It took us about a week just to get everything organized. By this time, the kids and I were all tired of this part! We were ready to get going on the actual mosaic!

We talked about the theme and brainstormed ideas for what activities they do in the park- I noticed a central theme, everything required the use of a ball. So we went with that- I did the drawing for them so that I could guarantee that it would be big enough.

Then I had the students paint the entire board so that when we finished gluing all of the pieces on, the paint would help add to the color (I didn't intend on grouting, since I was afraid the board wasn't sturdy enough).

Once it was painted, the fun really began! I had the students start with the balls. The beads were sorted by color, so they could pull out the tub that corresponded with each one and glue the pieces right onto the board. I used craft glue and painted it onto the board with a brush. The students followed behind me, adding the mosaic pieces.

When we finished the mosaic, the Spark Park committee came and picked it up. It will now be used in an auction to help raise funds for their program. It was really hard for the students to say goodbye to this piece. They loved it- and so did everyone who saw it. I propped it against the wall outside of the art room for about a week and everyone was amazed that 3rd graders had created it! Pin It