Third Grade Symmetrical Masks

Third Graders really liked this lesson. The first day we discussed What are masks used for? Why are masks worn? Who wears them? What stories can masks tell us? Students looked at a power point of masks around the world and they first made a sketch of a symmetrical mask.

The next class time we used our sketch and began to build a three dimensional paper mask. We discussed how to make a symmetrical shape by folding the paper and cutting on the fold. The shape of the mask was made this way. See belowIn order for the mask to be three dimensional students had to cut a V at the bottom.

Using glue they glued the V together to make the mask pop out.

Once mask was dry student began cutting shapes for the eyes, mouth, nose. There were a couple of art concepts that I looked for in each mask. Mask had to be symmetrical, not just balanced "The mirror image" Shapes had to be identical. They had to fold the paper in half and draw one shape to make multiples. Also at least one shape inside had to symmetrical. Example the noses.

Students were encouraged to have some shapes pop out. Also layering colors added creativity to the masks. Some students did a great job at both of the these. See below.

The final day we discussed "breaking the edge" of the masks. This could be accomplished creating hair, a beard, shapes that went out for horns, ears, etc. With this I demonstrated how to zig zag, curl the paper. These projects turned out great! They made interesting displays on a bulletin board outside the art room and in a display case.

Spring Bulletin Board

Back in April after we came back from spring break I wanted something "Springs" in my room so I painted this bulletin board in like a day. It has been up since. Art is defiantly in bloom in the art room. There are projects everywhere. Only two more weeks until art is over for the year and there is so much to pass out and take home!

North Carolina Lighthouses

In Fourth Grade student's study North Carolina Lighthouses. This project has been one of my favorites. The results were awesome. I was so proud of my student's creativity.

We began the lesson by looking at a power point that showed photographs of the lighthouses as well as paintings, drawings etc by various artists. The power point also discussed the history, location, attributes of each lighthouse.

Deep Space Sparkle's Lesson "Maud Lewis Mixed Media Collage" was really the inspiration for this lesson. http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/2009/10/maud-lewis-lighthouse-mix-media/

I really enjoyed reading about Maud Lewis and looking at her art work on line. "Her vibrant, child-like art is not only full of joy but many of her pieces are inspired by the rugged, yet tranquil beauty of Nova Scotia, Canada" Deep Space Sparkle.

She suffered from Rhumatoid Arthritis most of her life, which left her hands crippled. She was limited with the use of her hands and also was very poor. Maud over came this disadvantages and became one of the most beloved Folk artist in Canada. Her story and paintings are very inspiring.

Broom Mask

This hangs in my classroom and the students always want to know if they are every going to get to make one? A couple of years ago when the school was about half the size I had an art club. We met once a week in the afternoon. Anyway that group made broom masks. Each student was required to bring in a broom

My father helped me saw the handles off. Students were to make a sketch of their idea first, after looking at pictures of masks. . We formed the facial parts with styrofoam shapes that we cut from large foam scraps I had. Then wrapped the broom with plaster strips. I beleive we used acrylic and maybe latex paint to decorate.

We took the brooms outside and sprayed the straw with spray paint.

Will I ever do this lesson again? I hope so. It was a lot of fun.

Lines, Shapes and Color

This lesson was done with my second nine weeks first grade classes. I needed a lesson that together incorprated Lines (review from Kindergarten) and geometric and organic shapes (new concept for 1st grade). I found this lesson on www.artforsmallhands.blogspot.com

materials:
manila paper 12x18
Liquid tempera paints (three or four colors plus black and white)
Small containers for tempera paints. I used muffin plastic pans
Large and small paint brushes
Containers of water for rinsing brushes

First day:
We disussed geometric shapes and free form (organic shapes). I drew these on the board. We looked at a couple of Wassily Kandinsky's paintings, at the organic and geometric shapes and use of color. His work is a great intro to abstract art. We talked about how sometimes are can be non-objective, and just be about shapes lines and color.

Using large brushes students painted as many of these different kinds of shapes on their paper. The prints were helpful to inspire free form shape ideas.
They also painted the negative space as well.

Second Day:
We reviewed names of lines and how they can embellish and add to our works of art. Using small brushes with white and black paint they painted lines inside their shapes, around their shapes, in the background, as patterns,etc. First they used white paint as much as they could and then we rinsed the brushes and used black.

I was amazed how most used different lines together and created interested patterend designs. Their creativity blew me away. These were bright and colorful. I tend to favor abstract art do I loved this art project. I would for sure matt and frame as many of these as I could to decorate my classroom/home with.

At the end of the lesson I asked the class what did this non-objective abstract painting remind them of. Several said and busy city and one student even said the inside of a clock. I love it!

Coil Pottery

In fifth grade this year I am really experimenting with different clay lessons. Two classes made coil pots. I need to take more pictures and post. These turned out Great!

Student's rolled 3 coils from the base up and then could make any design they wanted too with additional coils.

Bird Collage

This project was OUT OF SIGHT! By far one of my favorites this year. I got the idea from http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/. However I made this lesson a little different by using phone book paper.

I began the lesson by showing the print "Musical Forms" by Georges Braque. Students identified objects in collage and guessed what kinds of materials he used to make his shapes. We discussed what a collage is and the word comes from the french word "Coller" which means to paste. I found the below quote on liked it

"Collage artists make use of the standard materials such as magazine pictures, photographs, or stylish paper"

First Day:

each table received several sheet of 9x12 sheets of construction paper to decorate with paint. They used stamps, brushes and paint scrapers to do this. Painting were left to dry for thefollowing week. This will be our "stylish" paper to later make our collages.

Second Day:

sing phone book paper using created and glued a diagonal branch that went across a sheet of either light blue or light green 12x9 construction paper. The more branches the better

If their was time they could start their birds body. I made templates for this.

Third day:

We discussed all the shapes they could use for the birds body. I had these shapes drawn on the board. These shapes students had to draw and cut out themselves, no templates.

I had some google eyes that looked great on the birds head.

On the branch they cut out leaves from greenish "painted paper" and berries from other colorful paper.

Lady Bug Collage

Eric Carl is one of my favorite authors/illustrators. We read a lot of his books in first grade. We focus on his illustrations and how they were made through the use of collage.

With this particular lesson I read the book " The Grouchy Lady Bug" using the document camera.

The background was made using liquid starch and tissue paper on top of a square sheet of drawin paper.

We used construction paper to make simple shapes to create a lady bug on top.

We reveiwed how to dulpicate shapes for the spots on the bug. These collages were attached to a back sheet of paper for a final touch. This lesson took about 40 minutes. However a few classes it took an additional class period.