Kindergarten and First Grade Explore the Primary Colors!

 

Through the use of centers, we explored the primary colors- red, blue and yellow. We also read the book, little blue and little yellow by Leo Lionni and listened to Ok Go's Primary color song. We experimented with mixing primary colors to make new colors!

If you are interested in learning at home, you can find Ok Go's Primary Color song by doing a YouTube search. The video and song originally appeared on Sesame Street. It is an excellent way to learn about the primary colors and color mixing.

 

Drawing Center in 3rd Grade!

Bobby and Sierra experiment with chalk pastels.

Anna sets up a still life with fruit.

Tommy works on a self-portrait.

Self-Portraits!

Self-portraits by first grade! Students chose to use either colored pencils, crayons or markers.

More Oops!

2nd Grade OOPS!

Awesome fixes of oopses by second grade!

Mouse Shapes with K and 1!

 

Students really loved exploring all the paper shapes!  They came up with so many wonderfully creative designs.  It is a joy to walk around a room and watch students use their creativity in the learning process!  Many had stories that went with their creations, too.  Ask your student what is happening in their shape collage.  I'm sure they will have a wonderfully imaginative story to share!

Line, Shape, and Color Stations for First and K

More Photos From Our Learning Centers/Stations!

Explorations of Shape, Line, and Color!

Today, kindergarten and first grade worked in stations exploring shape, line, and color! Students looked at books about color and shapes at one station, did a line and shape activity sheet at another station, explored and arranged paper shapes in third station, and our final station was creating drawings using shape stencils and colored pencils.

The stations were a really great way for our young students to explore the art elements, shape, line and color!

4th Grade Self-Portraits

Quote of the Morning!

"Look what I did! I didn't know I had this in me!" 

Loving the power of choice and we are only in our first day!

Drawing Station is Open!

It's not a mistake, it's an opportunity!

Every year, I find it frustrating how quickly many of us are willing to just give up when we make a mistake. This year, I have found inspiration in the book, Beautiful Oops! I encourage everyone to read this great book. The book illustrates many mistakes and how, if we just look at things differently, we can change those oopses into something beautiful! What a lovely life lesson as well! 

I have already read the book to kindergarten and first grade this year. We followed up the book with fixing an oops. I gave the students papers that were ripped, folded or marked up and they were tasked with turning the mistakes into something beautiful. 

The older students will be discussing the book in upcoming art classes.

The image above shows a few of the posters hanging around the art room this year. Reminders for all us, including myself, that it is not a mistake, it is an opportunity! 

Beginning of the year preparations!

The beginning of the year in art class can be, kind of, well, boring. We have to spend a lot of time getting ready for the year. Good news is we are almost there! Most classes have finished up their portfolios. We have added a flap with Velcro this year to help prevent loosing pieces! 

Many classes have finished up their idea maps (the heart or lightbulb images you see below). Idea maps will help serve as inspiration when we run into those mental blocks throughout the year!

Sketchbooks have been passed out and stored in portfolios, for most grades. I think we are almost there! 

Next up is opening up the drawing station. It is empty right now (as you can see in the photo). Soon, it will be filled with drawing supplies and the masterpieces will start appearing! Yea!

Oh, Mona Lisa

With all the new things we are trying out in the art room this year, I thought it was time for a new quiet sign. Give Me Five was fine, but I was getting bored with it and so were the students. I came across this gem on a blog somewhere and loved it. How perfect for the art room! 

So, in our first three classes, we have been practicing what being Mona Lisa Quiet looks like and modeling good listening behaviors. I say "Mona" when I need their attention and the students respond "Lisa," followed by displaying Mona Lisa listening. It has been a great attention getter and we are learning about the world's most famous painting in the process! 

As a fun way to learn a bit more about the Mona Lisa, we watched a short YouTube video about the Mona Lisa. It is done by a seven year old girl. It is cute, fun and informative. The students loved it. Some classes loved it so much, they requested it over and over again and I obliged (only while they were working, though, of course!). It is called "Why is the Mona Lisa so Famous?"

I think Mona Lisa is really going help us display excellent listening behaviors this year!