Simple Birds

This is the very first assignment my primary students will be working on. Students will use watercolors, tisse paper, and a black sharpie. I love using modge podge and did try to incorporate it to glue on the tissue paper feathers (red bird) but I think I will have to pass on the modge podge this time. The background is watercolors and rubbing alcohol. I let students decide if they would like to have a WARM bird or a COOL bird. What ever bird they pick then the background will be the opposite.

Back to School

I have seen the blog world of art teachers awaken this week. I love looking at all of the rooms and getting great ideas. I am hoping to post my room and my changes this weekend. My room is not fancy but I am pretty pleased with the changes I have made.

I love doing bulletin boards but at times it does become overwhelming. I was asked to do a bulletin board a few hours before open house. I think many art teachers save things if they have the room and space. I created these monkeys a few years ago to do a spring bulletin board and these guys were lifesavers last night. I just added the SWING INTO SCHOOL to go along with the school year.

My goal this year is to post at least once a week. I hope I can accomplish this task!!!!

I have LEARNED something today!



I have been wanting to learn more about how to do a few things to my blog. When I first put my blog together I just wanted to hurry up so I could participate with other art teachers. Now that summer break is here I have been trying to figure out a few things ....and let me tell you it has been countless hours of reading, researching, and trying to decode all of this stuff. Well today I was successful.

Today I learned how to .....
add words to a photo or image (I know simple you say but I didn't have a clue),

make images smaller, and

center my header.

Adding words to an image or photo is super easy..I have recently found out. When you right click on your photo or image you will then click on Open With. From there you click on Paint. This is where I began to write on my image. I am super excited!!!!

Making images smaller was very simple once I found this website www.shrinkpictures.com. I know it could be considered cheating but I think it is something pretty special. It helped me shrink my background and my header. Plus it was FREE!

Now centering my header. I have been trying to add an image to my header for sometime now but I could never get it centered. It bothered that I could not center it so I always went back to plain....there is nothing wrong with plain when you want it. I just didn't want plain. So I started researching how to center headers. I googled and found this website. Now I will say you can not cut and paste the code because it will not work. You need to type the code yourself.

Now I feel as if I have accomplished something today!!!!!









 

Paper Cut-Outs





I enjoy doing this project. I talk about symmetry, proper cutting techniques, fringing, color choice, and design and pattern. I also introduce students to Polish cut-outs.

I already have the petals cut in squares. I find this to be a bit easier for the students to draw circles the same size. From there the students can cut out the circles and fringe to make petals.

Students are to draw a pattern or design on the pot. Sharpie markers are used for the pot designs.

ERIC CARLE Project



I was asked by the principal to create artwork to cover the tables in the library. Students had taken off the top layer of the table and bare wood was showing. So I decided to do an Eric Carle theme. This is the first table that the students created. I will have the students decorate another table at the being of this coming school year. It turned out better than I expected.



I Love Eric Carle!

I had students paint paper and then we cut out the shapes and pasted the pieces onto the table. This was a very FUN project to work on.

Ceramic OWLS!!!! again



If you have had a chance to go through my blog you know I have a thing for owls. This lesson I found on Artsonia. I do not have pics of the finished project. I wish I did. The first time I tried this with my students I had them wedge the clay together before pounding it back into a block. I wanted to have the students use the proper techniques. Well, it didn't work out the way I wanted it to. I think there was too many air pockets because all but 2 blew up in the kiln. So the second time around NO wedging.

I enjoyed this lesson because the students used many objects to add texture to the owls. The eyes we used bottle caps and a pencil. The feathers we used paper clips and the clay needle for extra added texture.



WARM FUZZIES

I don't know if any of you have ever heard of a WARM FUZZY but I was introduced to warm fuzzies in elementary. The warm fuzzies then were a funny creature with a big belly on copier paper. In the belly you would right a thank-you or an acknowledgement to the person you were giving the warm fuzzy to. Well of course being an art teacher you have to move away from Xeroxing the warm fuzzies and you need to personalize them for that individual.
I always wanted to make a warm fuzzy for people at work but I always seemed to busy or something came up. Well one day the counselor was a huge help and I was very thankful and grateful that she was able to assist me. By the end of the day I had forgotten to shot her an email thanking her. So I said, I'll just do it first thing in the morning. Of course I forgot. Now it had been a couple of days and I could not tell her thank-you now. It would seem as if it wasn't that important. SO .......my warm fuzzy was the perfect solution!!!!!



Then I was asked to make the warm fuzzies for the staff of the month and for our aide appreciation. On the back of the warm fuzzy I have a white piece of construction paper.

I start off by writing......This Warm Fuzzy is for___________. Then I add why that individual gets the warm fuzzy. It is a great way to make someone feel warm & fuzzy!!