Spring Break Craft: Paper Weaving!

Hey Parents!  Wondering what to do with the kids on this rainy spring break day?  

Check out the mini-post below, all you need is strips of any kind of paper!

 

  Students have been finishing up their projects in art and I started to wonder what quick, fun activities could I expose them to in the spare time they find within the art room?  Well, suddenly it hit me; paper weaving!  I made the example shown to the many different ways this one technique, can look so different!  During the introduction to the concept we talk about pattern (pulling in that math vocabulary!).  I found that students many times look at a pattern within colors or shapes, but don't connect that a pattern can be a way of doing things or a technique.  This project helped them make that connection!

Now, for all those teachers out there yes, this may sound like a bit of work but trust me it's worth it (and if you can see through the practice loom, I did with my feet up, watching tv after a long day!). I took 4x6 inch pieces of black construction paper, laminated them, and then cut strips almost all the way to the top. This made a great practice loom for the students to get the hang of the "under, over, under, over..." pattern technique.  Then, it was onto the "Super Duper Challenge Weave" as we called it in class.  Students were given strips of construction paper but this time, there was no loom they were shown how to begin with a "+" shape, and add onto each side maintaining the "over and under" technique.  The challenge is, the paper doesn't stay still and students need to think about not only the horizontal weaving aspect but in addition the vertical weaving.  Students have done an AWESOME job!  Check it out!

*Parents:  turn this into a recylced art project by using strips of paper from newspapers, magazines, circulars, and so on!*

Walking with Paul Klee

First grade students have been working so hard the past month or so on projects that take multiple weeks.  For a change in pace, we took a look at Paul Klee's use of lines, shapes, and colors to do as he did and take our lines on a walk.We looked at his artwork to talk about what we saw within it.  Some students saw anywhere from one to three people, some said they saw animals, some said they just saw lines and shapes.  It's always unique to hear what students see when they look at art.  Students were then shown and told that Paul Klee once said....

"Drawing is taking a line for a walk."

Students were then given those awesome Play Color Sticks, shown an example where I had taken my lines on a walk, and then took their lines on a walk... here is what they "walked" within the art room!

A HUGE R.O.A.R to the

first graders in the Dominican Republic Class!

Dinner Party in the Art Room!

   ...A Dinner Party, in an Art Room, with three year olds?!...

I know, you probably think I'm crazy right now, but IT WAS AWESOME! previously I posted about a project(CLICK HERE!) where a parent volunteer came in to lead and work with students to look at art, interpret, and then be inspired to create their own.  Well, Mrs. Phaedra (Otherwise called Augusta's Mom) out did herself!  We looked at the concept of The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago (just the ideas of place settings of course-for those of you who know more about the piece...).  Phaedra worked to envision, collect, and drill all of the materials to the bamboo serving trays for students to create and collage upon their own food and things they'd like at their dinner party!

Students were given those AWESOME Tempera Playcolor Sticks (Check out the blog post on them HERE!)  to begin their artwork with, then after 10-15 minutes of paint creation, we brought out a variety of supplies to collage onto the plates as well!  The final touch was putting tissue paper in the glasses to represent what they students would drink at their dinner party. I think my favorite and funniest quote came from Eliot, who put brown tissue paper in his cup.  I assumed this was chocolate milk however he informed me it was his Dad's DIET COKE!  He then talked to me for about fiver minutes about how he loves to steal sips of his Dad's Diet Coke! 

Check out some pictures of the process, and final results.  We had a BLAST! And a very special  THANK YOU to MRS. PHAEDRA for making this possible and such a hit success!!

 

 * I LOVE the lighting in my classroom  in the morning!

Doesn't our dinner party look delicious and fun!?