Third Grade

I did this project with my third graders back in the fall, but I was so pleased with how it turned out I just had to share. This was actually one of those time I went to school having no idea what I was going to do with my third graders that day. I had them go outside and collect three leaves all different sizes. We then painted the leaves white and then pressed them onto black paper. I had them use metallic paint and the koosh balls to fill in the background space. Then next class period we colored the leaves using oil pastels and blended the colors together. I also had cut out different kinds of leaves from cardstock. I had them place the leaves on a tan paper and using a sponge and the metallic paint sponge around the leaves to create a composition. We then talked about the black paper leaves being the positive space and the tan paper leaves being the negative space. I then had them weave the two papers together. I was afraid it would take them too long to weave the entire thing, so we just did the two ends. I had a parent tell me they got this piece custom framed (for $120 I might add) to hang in their home. 

Second Grade

I actually just finished this project with my second graders and I am so proud of how they turned out. We started by studying how to look in a mirror and proportionally draw our own faces. The we colored our clothes with oil pastel. We even mixed paint to create our own unique skin tone and hair color. In the background we brainstormed adjectives and nouns that describe things about them. They then chose 5-7 to write in their best handwriting on the black paper. For each word they wrote they had to draw a symbol to represent that word.

First Grade

Starry Night, one of my absolute favorites until one kid says "Is Van Gogh the guy that chopped off his own ear?" This project was really fun. The kids used koosh balls to paint the swirls of orange and yellow in the sky. Then they dipped their fingers in white and blue paint to make different tints of blue for the rest of the sky. We used a wet-in-wet watercolor technique for the land beneath the horizon line. I also had them brainstorm ideas of what kinds of things we would find in a community and then they cut out buildings to create a community of their own.

Kindergarten

I did this project to work on cutting with my kindergartners, as well as teaching them the neutral colors and how to mix white and black to get gray. We started with squares and they had to cut the corners off until they got circles. We then used sponges dipped in white and black paint to sponge paint the background to make gray. It was fun to see how each student's bear took on its own personality. 

New Direction

So I was really good for a while with posting, but as of late not so good. As much as I am loving wedding planning I am getting a little pooped out of wedding posts, so I have decided to switch it up a little. I'm not sure if I have mentioned this on here before, since I have had a bit of wedding tunnel vision, but I am an elementary art teacher. I am almost done with my first year and can't believe how fast the year has just flown by. I am loving being a teacher and love seeing the artwork my students produce, so I thought I would share some of my favorite projects on here. 

Photographer

We finally have a photographer and I couldn't be more excited! All we have to do is sign the contract and pay the retainer. Check out his stuff at http://www.staceyschmitz.com/

Blue Shoes

I know if may be a little weird, but I want blue shoes.