Sketchbook Skidoo!

We designed our own SKETCHBOOKS!

OK...this is the "crack me up group"!  I'm doing an afterschool art class called "sketchbook skidoo".  We created many random types of paper, bags and envelopes to bind together into a sketchbook.  They painted, drew, punched holes, tied ribbons added stamps and stickers...you name it.

They are still in the works...but I so wanted to share.  We meet once a week and last week we cut out "heads" from magazines, glued them in our books and finished the picture using pencil and crayons.  They are priceless!  They went from Dr. Phil's head all the way to the gecko's head.  Gotta Love kindergarten & 1st grade!

Limelight Larry, Artist Edward Bawden and 3rd Grade Peacocks!

Another piece I am CRAZY EXCITED about!!
I have been anxiously waiting to do a project with my new fav Limelight Larry and when I was introduced to the new NON Fiction book Get Into Art Animals it was my perfect "in".  So here it goes.
In the book Get into ART Animals the author Susie Brooks shows a variety of art works where artist have painted, sketched, created animals.  The book gives a little blurb about the piece and a little blurb about the artist.  We used the artist and illustrator Edward Bawden who created a fabulous illustration for the fable "Peacock & Magpie".  Then we boasted our chest, fanned our feathers and flew into Larry!  It was also a great way to compare and contrast ficition and nonfiction because the non fiction piece has a lot of elements to it like a table of contents, glossary, etc.

Later I found this fabulous close up by artist Heather Galler and I fell in love with it.  I liked the simplicity of it and thought it would be a great piece for teaching my students how to make OBSERVATIONS and create their own version.  They are on their way to tickling my feathers already!  More to come!

Ancient Greek Vases

Ancient Greek Vases

1st & 2nd have been working on Ancient Greek Vases.  We discussed how these vases were discovered by Archaeologist.  We learned how to look up ARCHAEOLOGIST in the dictionary and found the definition.  We learned about how these vases told stories through pictures and how they were found.  They have used symmetry to create their vase, used patterns that repeat to add designs and this week they are doing their cut outs to glue on their vases of a character from a story.  I am really pleased with how they are turning out.  Hoping to finish them up today.  More photos of finished pieces & power point to come.

       

How to paint pumpkins with little artist.

How to paint pumpkins with little artist...  OR... How to make a HUGE mess!  (Either title really works).  :)

So, I finished this fun painting last weekend and wanted to try it with my little artist...  This is as far as we got today.  Going to try and finish next week.  I made a how to power point...and painted with them to model.  Can't wait to see if any of them actually look like pumpkins in the end...ha!

Here is the step by step power point:
http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/huskeyj72501-1953682-painting-pumpkins-little-artist/

The Peace Book - International Project Mini Accordian Books

My students were asked to help out with an international project called Operation Christmas Child which is through the Samaritan's Purse organization.  Our task was to make hand made books to include in each shoebox that is shipped to children around the world for Christmas.  My 4th-6th graders are super pumped about this project and I am so loving how their mini books are turning out.

  I found these great mini accordion books by Ruth Bleakley at ruthbleakley.com and I knew they would be perfect for our project.  We used maps from the great USA to cover the front and back cover of our books.

The best piece was tying it in to our literacy part.  Todd Parr and a fabulous little simple book called The Peace Book.  The illustrations are bright and cheery and I love the simple text.  My students created their own Peace Book and we are in the middle of finishing the books up this week.

Peace is... having students that go above and beyond to make others happy.