Color Wheel & Pointillisim Turkeys

It was Turkey Time so we made artsy turkeys.  My kindergartners looked at the color wheel and we also talked about the colors of the rainbow and how they blend together.  We found various items circles in the classroom to trace and decided how to make them various sizes and glue them in order.  Then we turned these fabulous color wheels into turkeys.  It was an easy quick lesson to do with my classes before Thanksgiving...and they look so bright and cheery in the hallway. 

We also learned about Seurat and did a quick version of pointillisim turkey collages.  You can visit my power point link here:

http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/huskeyj72501-1596941-pointilism-turkeys/

Beijing Opera Inspired Mask

Our Chinese teacher, Ms. Hu, worked with my art students on this project.  The first did research on the Beijing Operas and looked at the meaning behind the mask...the symbols, colors, designs, etc.  Next they created their own designs on their mask for display.  They turned out really well I think.

Whooo Loves Art? I'm Not Cute - K and 1st grade Owls

Whoooo wouldn't love these cute little owls?!  We read the book I'm Not Cute!

It is a cute easy read aloud about a baby owl that everyone says is cute.  But he doesn't want to be cute, he wants to be a scary hunting machine!  Next we used scraps of wrapping paper and scrapbook paper for the body and found circles around the room to create the eyes.

Clay Sculputures for Fall

We continued our FALL pumpkins and leaves and fell into clay sculptures.  These are still in the process.  Final photos to be posted later.

Kindergarten and First did coiled pumpkins which we have just started.  They will be painting this week.  We punched a circle close to the stem where we are going to thread green ribbon and pipe cleaners to resemble the leaves and serve as a hanger. 

2nd & 3rd grade did Leaf Art which I spotted on funart4kids blog.  Thank you for the idea!  The first round I baked and they all went flat.  I realized I can bake these in the paper bowls to keep their shape...so we tried again. 

4th made miniature pumpkins (pinch pot technique) with lids. 

Pumpkin Crazy with Paper Strips

PUMPKIN SCULPTURES:  My 3rd graders are in the process of creating pumpkin sculptures to hang from the ceiling out of strips of paper.  They are working in teams of four and it has been a great cooperative lesson for them.  We cut many many many 1" strips of orange paper and a few green and brown for stem and leaves.  I saw a post titled "Big Foot Cinderella" and for the life of me I can NOT remember who to credit it too...so I apologize now, but their art work was made of strips where they made Cinderella's head to hang from the ceiling.  This inspired me to try the pumpkins!  They used "art clamps" instead of calling them clothes pins which was a FABULOUS tip!  If anyone knows the person I owe credit too, please let me know.  I will publish photos when their pieces are finished.

WOVEN PUMPKINS:  2nd graders just finished their woven pumpkin pieces which they loved.  We began by painting designs and splatter painting an orange & yellow sheet of construction paper.  Next they cut out the pumpkin shape and the yellow strips to weave through.  They glued this on a blue square sheet of paper.then added the stem and leaf.  Our final piece was our Pumpkin Poem we had learned which they attached to their artwork and can say in their sleep.  Poem below:

Pumpkin poem One day I found two pumpkin seeds. I planted one and pulled the weeds. It sprouted roots and a big, long vine. A pumpkin grew; I called it mine. The pumpkin was quite round and fat. (I really am quite proud of that.) But there is something I'll admit That has me worried just a bit. I ate the other seed, you see. Now will it grow inside of me? (I'm so relieved since I have found That pumpkins only grow in the ground!)

Scaredy-Cat, Splat!

Splat the Cat is an adorable little thing!  We decided to use Splat as our inspiration for our latest Kindergarten and First grade art!  We read the book then looked at the shapes of the cat for how to draw Splat using charcoal pencils. 

Many of you have asked for my how to power point.  Here is the link:  http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/huskeyj72501-1427599-scaredy-cat-splat-how-to-draw/

 They added wiggly eyes and a sentence strip with the Title and author.  Next week they are going to add the stem, leaf, mouse, spider and finish out their pumpkin!  They are LOVING them!

My favorite nieces...Ruby and Rosy