Spring 2016
Now that Spring is here we are enjoying the outdoors again, bringing the outside in and soaking up the sunshine. In the art room the students have been busy exploring and creating with several kinds of materials, tools, and techniques. They are learning to Think Like Artists and are practicing the *Studio Habits of Mind that are developed in a studio environment; these include Developing Craft, Engaging & Persisting, Envisioning, Expressing, Observing, Reflecting, Stretching & Exploring, and Understanding the Art World (Collaborating). Here are some highlights:
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Primary Art:
In Primary Art class the students enjoyed creating "Treasure Maps" of their bodies (connected to their classroom study of maps). Each child had an outline created in a unique pose and then added color and details to their maps with paint sticks. The last step was marking the "treasure" (some were hearts...some were tummies!) and showing how to get there:
Primary artists also enjoyed experimenting with paint sticks while making "Friendship Circles". The students created concentric circle designs which were cut into four parts and rearranged as a vibrant collaboration:
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Kindergarten Art Students recently learned to weave on looms! They learned in teams...what I call "Buddy Weaving". As they continued with their weaving they helped each other out. This cooperative process allowed them to practice many *Studio Habits of Mind while they were working: Observing, Engaging & Persisting, Developing a Craft, and Reflecting on their work as they progressed.
Kindergarten art students also experimented with clay and learning how to make a ceramic pinch pot:
Their Matisse Collages were created from a collaborative cutting effort and are both colorful and inventive:
Their Model Magic Snow Creatures had unique personalities and graced our hallways during the cold weather:
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First Grade Art Students continue to travel the world in art class as well as in their classroom. The connections they make between their classroom learning and art class are invaluable in enriching their understanding of the cultures they study.
While in China they learned about, and then made ceramic panda bears:
While in Ireland they painted Celtic designs on silk hoops using liquid watercolor paints and oil pastel resist:
While in Australia they created Aboriginal Dream Paintings after viewing contemporary artist's work from Australia:
The first graders have had the opportunity to learn across the curriculum with collaborations between music and art classes as well as science and art. They created musical instruments with Mrs.Vasey in music class and then painted them in art class, followed by a lesson on sound waves in science with Dr. Yaffe. Dr. Yaffe and I will be collaborating once again when the first graders start their bird observations. Later in the spring they will be creating mixed-media spring trees and some art inspired by their studies of Mexican Culture.
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Second Grade Art Students also had the opportunity to enrich their classroom studies of Native American Cultures by being introduced to an artist from the Pacific Northwest. Her name is Sue Coccia and she creates detailed drawings of Spirit Animals. The second graders picked animals that were meaningful to them and filled them with symbols and designs to create their own Spirit Animal. This lesson allowed the students to practice Expressing and Envisioning , as well as giving them the opportunity to learn about more ways to Understand the Art World:
Second grade artists practiced Observational Drawing using the beautiful flowers that were gifts during Teacher Appreciation Day! The flowers always provide the perfect object for this lesson!
Second gaders also learned a new hand building technique for clay. Making coil pots is trickier than it looks. In order to put the pots together the students had to follow several steps: make the base, roll the coils, place the coils carefully after scoring and moistening the edges with water, and repeat these steps until the pot is at the height they want. If they wanted to add decorative details at this point, that was an option.
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Third Grade Artists were inspired by images of sculptures created by Pablo Picasso during his "Found Object" period. They used found objects along with their imaginations to create their very own sculptures! The students practiced many *Studio Habits of Mind during this project including Engaging & Persisting, Visualizing, Stretching & Exploring, and Learning About the Art World.
The third graders also created ceramic sculptures and functional objects (heart bowls) using Picasso's work for inspiration:
Most recently, third grade artists created intricate design paintings using a multistep process. First they learned about Cubism and some different ways to divide the space in a visual composition. Next they used the letters in the alphabet to divide the space in their painting, painted in each section, and then added decorative details with paint sticks and metallic pens. They needed to use all of their *Studio Habits of Mind skills in this project!
The third graders are currently working on Personal Portraits which will be displayed during their graduation ceremony. This project involves some background information about Frida Kahlo, the great Mexican Portrait Artist, as well as the use of acrylic paints and artist statements! They are creating scenes that include settings and objects to which they have a personal connection.
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All School News: - Please join us on May 15th in the CHS Art Rom for a Conversation About Creativity. Information is in the Thursday Messages and an RSVP is requested for our planning purposes. We hope this discussion will be the start of an ongoing book group focused on the subject of creativity. The first book is called "Children's Imagination-Creativity Under Our Noses" by Ursula Kolbe. It is available through Amazon. It is a very "readable" book with many insightful anecdotes. RSVP jbennett@concordhill.org
- The MOREART classes are full for the summer, but students can be put on the waitlist. Please contact me with questions: jbennett@concordhill.org
- Portfolios are coming home in May for students in K-3. Pease read about them in the attached link: http://artnotesatchs.blogspot.com/2014/05/portfolios.html
- Here is a link to an article I recently read that I found fascinating and very informative in terms of thoughts about intelligence and imagination. I hope you get a chance to read it! http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/04/11/rethinking-intelligence-how-does-imagination-measure-up/?_cldee=ZGdlcnNob3dpdHpAY29uY29yZGhpbGwub3Jn
*Studio Habits of Mind were developed by artists and educators associated with Project Zero at Harvard. These “Habits of Mind” were identified as the ways of thinking that are unique to learning in a studio environment, thus demonstrating the real benefits of a Visual Arts Education.
