Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Donors Choose Status: FUNDED!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO
SUPPORTED MY DONORS CHOOSE PROJECT OF AN
IPAD MINI FOR THE ART ROOM!!!

I continue to be so thankful for the many people in my life and the world around us who are so supportive of advancing art education in our schools today.  I cannot even begin to tell you all how gracious I am.  This project was funded in under a week thanks to all who helped by donating, spreading the word, and sending their thoughts my way!  
Me, Chelsea, and Leigh!
 
So... Some Special Thanks!!!
 
CHELS and MRS. LEIGH: I've known you both for...hmmm...roughly 17-18 years now? For those
who don't know, Chelsea is my best friend, and Leigh is her Mom! You have both always supported and helped my love of art grow and made me into the teacher I am today, THANK YOU!

CENTRAL OFFICE staff including Brian Pick, Amanda Boggs, and Heather Holaday and many others: thank you so much for providing me with opportunities such as these to expand my practice.   Being supported by your district is crucial and knowing that these people understand the importance of art education keeps me going!

ESIN OZDAG: Although we've never met you have changed the lives of my students as well as my experience as a teacher.   Thank you SO very much for donating to this project.  It means so much to know there are supporters out there amongst the political drive of DC. 

ANONYMOUS and MATCHING DONOR: I cannot say thank you enough not only from myself but all the other teachers out there who you have helped by donating or matching gifts for.  Educators today feel so supported by you all, and although I'll never meet you, you will always hold a dear place in my heart!

Monday, October 14, 2013

ATTENTION ATTENTION!!!! Donors Choose Project is Up and Running!!!

Have you heard of Donors Choose
        It's a great site where teachers can post projects online that they need the supplies funded for I've
        done Donors Choose twice before for sketchbooks, as well as for supplies to create marbled
        paper!  Well, now I'm hoping again for a funded project so I can have a IPAD MINI for my
        classroom!

Now, many of you are wondering...
        "Why do you need an Ipad?".... 
 
       Well, besides the fact that it is the constant source of music which my students LOVE... I would
        like an Ipad specific to the art classroom so it can be used by students to research images, create
        art on, explore art history, and also to upload artwork onto an online portfolio system. I also
        would like to use it as a resource for students with special needs to help them further engage and
        interact with art.

The Bottom Line is...
      We live in the 21st century where technology is crucial to student success and students need to have
      these experiences and skills to succeed in our technology driven world.  I'm hoping that this Ipad
      will begin to provide my students with those experiences and who knows, maybe one day I'll have
      a class set of Ipads to use!!!

Let's Get This Project Funded!!!

Share this project with your friends, families, businesses, co-workers, art appreciators, and anyone else who wants to make a difference within the art room!

It's Easy... Just Click This Link!!!

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Choice Based Art: The First 6 Weeks!

 Hey fellow art teachers! Ever wonder how to introduce to students to choice based art education?  I've gotten so many questions about just how do my students know what supply to choose?  How do they get that initial urge just to "play around" out of their systems?  

Well, here's an overview and glimpse into how I teach my students to choose wisely, and make educated choices that will ensure them success! 

The first six weeks:  Exploratory Learning through Material Exploration

Students enter the room and there are six "stations" set up.  I usually make these stations more complex and higher level supplies such as Charcoal, Chalk Pastel, Oil Pastel, Watercolor Crayons/Pencils, Watercolor Palettes, and Liquid Tempera.  

These centers also help students experiment and learn how to properly use and manipulate each supply.

Students fold a piece of paper into sixths, then have black markers at all tables so they can label each square with it's supply.  

Students then rotate through the tables(roughly 5 minutes per table) to experience each supply.  I usually do not limit them to what they must draw in each box, we stick to simple drawings because the purpose of this activity is to gain experience and knowledge on each supply.  


 So what are those papers labeled with the supply and the sticky notes?  This is how students share their tips, suggestions, and thoughts with other students throughout the school about each supply.  

By each supply in the classroom, we have a chart that has two columns.  One labeled "The Good" and "The Bad".  Students post sticky notes with challenges they encounter while using this supply, or things the supply works very well with/for. 

    Once the station day is over, the following class students review basic concepts such as using the elements of art within a piece as well as key genres of art such as portrait, landscape, still life, etc.  These next 4-5 weeks are when we practice the procedures of responsibly getting up, retrieving, cleaning, and putting away supplies while completing review projects.  It is crucial that students learn, understand, and demonstrate the ability to take care of their supplies and environment properly during these weeks.  During these weeks I also introduce them to the concept of tracking their own time by using a darkroom film developer timer.  It is color coded as follows: 
       Yellow: 10 minutes of Group Instruction
       Green: 27 minutes of Independent Work Time
       Orange: 3 minutes (Clean up begins for paint, charcoal, chalk pastel)
       Red: 5 minutes of all students cleaning up their materials and work space.

    After these initial 6 weeks I have found that students are able to make educated choices about the remainder of their projects throughout the school year.  I will admit, there are times that these procedures seem to be lost in the excitement of field trips, holiday breaks, or three day weekends.  So what do I do when that happens?  Well, we go back to the basics.  If students are not properly cleaning up their supplies and classroom, they lose that supply for a week.  If we have forgotten a simple procedure such as how we enter the classroom quietly, we stand up line up back outside, and try again until it is done correctly.  The visual timer is great at these moments because they are able to see the time which they are losing that day because of their behaviors.  

So, there you go, a brief but hopefully helpful introduction to the daily life in a choice based art room.  It may look like chaos when you walk into my room, but talk to any student, and you'll find inside, it's organized!

 




Friday, October 11, 2013

Got Bark?




Hispanic Heritage Month is alive within our art room, and we continue to celebrate as second and third graders through creating our own bark art paintings! 

Bark paintings originally came from Mexico, more specifically the Aztec people!  Students learned about the process of preparing a piece of bark for painting that the Aztecs used and that these bark paintings were typically of celebrations, or things the Aztecs valued and enjoyed.  

Students first drew their chosen image with a black marker then used Q-tips to paint in their image.  Students only had red, blue, yellow, and white paint to use so they had to think through mixing the green, orange, and purple that were in so many of their paintings! 

It's often the painting portion which students claim is their favorite part of a project, but surprisingly polls showed students really enjoyed balling and crumpling up their paper before starting to give it the bark like texture was a favorite moment! 

R.O.A.R to my classes for being so responsible while using paint!
 


Thursday, October 10, 2013

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!

Throughout the past few weeks students have been completing projects to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! 

Kindergarten and first grade have been learning about and creating molas.  Although most molas are made out of fabric, we used paper.  Students first looked at different molas and found that many focused on animals and looked as though they had multiple layers of color.  Students began by drawing an animal and tracing around it to create the illusion of layers.  

After looking at exactly what a mola was usually an image of, students identified that these molas were made with many details which were various lines and shapes.  After drawing and filling in their animal with details, students used markers to color in their animal in the same way as mola colors looked.  Students found molas were very bright and colorful. 

To the right, you can see students cutting and gluing down their mola animals on a black base paper.  Students then used pre-cut strips of construction paper to add details around their animals.  The artwork pictured to the left, is by a student who decided to include not only her animal, but it's environment surrounding!  I love creative moments like this where students take a project and take it to the next level!

To the right you can see a first grade student thinking through where he is going to place his blue strip of construction paper.  The process of students thinking about where something will go before they actually place it there is a very important skill!  I'm so proud of these students for showing that they are thinking, processing, and making artistic decisions!

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Allow Me To Introduce You To....





The Art Room 
Red Clawed Crabs!






So many classrooms at my school are getting awesome class pets, from our heroic Lola the Hamster, to a turtle, guinea pigs, fish, and even a desert tortoise!  Well, I have some fish at home and of course while at the pet store picking up some fish food I saw these crabs!!  In case you didn't know, I love crabs.  Maybe because I'm from Baltimore?  Or because they're delicious? I don't know, but I fell in love with these!  They're super easy to take care of, and something my students don't always get t see up close and alive.  So I figured, why not?!  So let the naming process begin.  We have decided one is a boy and a girl (as to not show favoritism...not based on any factual knowledge of crabs.... we just decided it's only fair to have a girl and a boy).  As K-5th grade students visit the art room this week they are meeting the crabs(looking only!!) and getting a sheet to suggest possible names and why they feel the names would suit the art room crabs!  So stay tuned for the results!