Kindergarten Dancing People

I was thinking of a way to make drawing people more interesting for kindergarten students.  I always enjoy kindergarten people because there is such a range in abilities - some students need a challenge while others are still working on finding their bodies! 

I ran across a lesson using a book called "Giraffes Can't Dance" in which the students drew dancing giraffes - I modified this this idea for my lesson.

I gathered the students to read the book about Gerald the Giraffe.  As we read I ask them to explain how they know the animals are dancing!?  I always get a variety of answers but we always end up knowing they are dancing because it looks like they are moving - bent body parts.

After the book is over I explain that as a class they are going to play 'Freeze Dance'.  Many of them get very excited (I do as well).  The rules of freeze dance are easy: 1) Stay on feet at all times (kindergartners tend to like to break dance) 2) Stay behind own chair (cuts down on impacts) 3) In control at all times.  The students get one specific warning - if they get a second they have to sit down and just watch.

No one is forced to dance - though almost all students do or end up dancing by the end.  We also talk about, like in the book, that on one will be laughed at for how they dance!  I play all sorts of music for about 15-20 seconds each.  I then, pause the music and the students freeze -- looking at each others posses - lots of bent arms, legs, bodies!

After a handful of songs the students sit and take a breather and I draw three pictures on the board and label them 1, 2, 3.  The students then hold up their fingers accordingly to tell me which one is dancing - so they hold up one finger if the first one is dancing... ect.

Next, I pass out fairly large paper 11x18 and tell the kids to draw BIG!  We really focus on having bent arms and legs.  After they draw their person they are in charge of deciding where their person is dancing: on the moon, in the ocean, outside, inside.... then they outline with a Sharpie.

The next class period the students and I talk a lot about coloring IN not OVER their work.  Many of my kindergarteners get so excited that they color over their pictures instead of coloring them in.  We also talk about how they should pick out colors that make sense - no one has green, blue, purple, red, or orange skin!!!

When they are done coloring their people I let them fill in the background using texture plates.  The texture plates are like magic!

This is a project they can all succeed at and have a bit of fun.

Whole School - Light Graffiti

I originally explored light graffiti with my middle school students.  After working with only elementary students for a year, I thought I'd give it a shot - see what they could do with some flashlights in a dark room.

I started out by scouring the internet for videos explaining light graffiti.  I used these with my students:   Talk Talk TV Commercial using Light Graffiti  and  Light Graffiti Tutorial.

Next I used black paper to cover all the windows and doors in my room - make it nice a dark.  We had a bunch of flashlights we used for the musical earlier in the year, so I borrowed those from the music teacher.  I then contacted a local theatre and asked to have their theatre gel scraps (thin plastic they use to color lights in the theatre).  I gelled a bunch of flashlights for different colors.  Last, but not least I checked out a digital camera from the computer lab - set the correct aperture on manual setting (by trial and error).  I hooked up the camera to the TV in my room so that the students would get immediate feedback.

The students and I watched the videos - then we gathered around the open space in the room - I had students in pairs pick out flashlights and move around in front of the camera.  Each pair of students got two turns.  The first picture they see immediately on the TV - they can actually see what they drew.  The second turn is almost always better - the learning curve.  The students not only learned by doing, but by watching each other.  One class a student moved up towards the camera and then back - creating something the class hadn't seen - after that the students were much more curious and adventurous.

We did light graffiti for two cycles.  The second time the students came we tried to make pictures.  I had slips of paper with words like:  cloud, tree, house, mountain, sun.  Each student was in charge of making that object.  In a group they had to plan out their picture.  We drew them on white boards, practiced in the air and then did them for the camera.  Some were more successful than others - but they enjoyed trying.

All these light graffiti pictures were made solely by K-4 grade students!

1st Grade Hot and Cold Color Cityscapes

The students and I started off this lesson by looking at different cities skylines - things they noticed: buildings, windows, doors, cars, lights, sky, squares, rectangles, each city looks different.

I showed students two different techniques to make their cities and off they went!  Each city is an unique as the students themselves - adding stores and places they have been like: toys'r'us, target, St. Lukes Hospital, Walmart.... ect.

After the students created their city, added all the necessary windows, doors, signs - they sharpie outlined their creations.

The next class students and I reviewed hot and cold colors - most of them mastered these groups of colors in kindergarten.  The students then chose if they wanted their sky hot or cold and then their buildings were opposite.  I had originally thought to have the sky hot colors like a sunset and the buildings cold - but a first grader asked if he could do his the other way around because the sky is really blue.  Thus, the choice to pick where your colors went as long as all the hot colors were together and all the cold colors together.



They are stunning!

1st Grade Snowman Collages

It is the middle of January here in the midwest which mean lots of cold weather and snow.  I took this opportunity to have the students be inspired by the weather and their imagination to make snowmen collage pictures.  First we read two of my favorite snowmen books:  "Snowmen All Year" and "Snowmen at Night" both books are by author Caralyn Buehner.  The students task was to start thinking about their snowmen pictures - what their snowmen were going to do!



After the books I gave a quick demonstration about tearing paper to make a snowy ground and then how to make the snowmen for their pictures!  The main focus of my demonstration was to remind and encourage them that their snowmen will not be perfect circles.  We tore the paper instead of cutting to give it a more snow-like affect.

The second class period the students added all the colored details - scarves, hats, kites, leashes, sleds, fishing poles -- whatever they needed to add to make their picture make sense!

Fishing

 

Snowball Fight

Flying a Kite

The range of snowmen activities was both intriguing and humorous.  A project I will repeat!

3rd and 4th Grade Musical - A Kid's Life

A Kid's Life was one of the most fun shows to prepare for!  The students and I gathered t-shirts for their costume!  They got to pick the font of "A Kid's Life" for their shirt - I ironed it on and off we went designing their costumes.  The creativity and patients they had to make their shirts the best they could was fantastic - they wore them very proudly during their show.

The show story and songs were a blast for the kids to sing to - but also for their backdrop.  The show was all about how the power goes out and the kids have nothing to do - no computers, tvs, all cell phones are dead - all hand held games are dead - they are in distress.  Grandma and Grandpa come over to watch the kids while Mom and Dad are at work.  The grandparents teach the kids how to play board games, card games, tell ghost stories, make silly instruments to play in a band, make paper air planes, jump rope and so much more.  All these activities made designing the background a lot of fun.

I drew it out, the kids painted it, and I outlined it!  It was beyond amazing!

Students Learned/Reviewed:
- Graphic Design
- Typography
- Backdrop (theatre)
- Problem solving
- Planning Ahead
- Patients
- Teamwork
- Ownership

2nd Grade - Paper Sculptures

Abstract Paper sculptures with 2nd grades students:

Students Learn/Review
- Sculpture
- Abstract
- hot/cold colors
- problem solving
- patients

Students use markers to make basic shapes on both sides of their paper - hot on one side and cold on the other.  Next students trace those shapes over and over - almost touching the line before but not quite.  I tell the students to use the side of their marker instead of the tip - making the lines thicker and this part taking less time.  If students mess up - its okay, they are going to cut the paper anyway.

When the whole paper is filled with colors - the students either cut their own paper or I draw a line for them to cut.  The students need to cut a crazy line throughout their whole paper with out making and scraps.  (Most students opt for me drawing the line that they cut)

At this point students pick up different parts of their paper and glue them together or on their tag board.  The goal is to make an interesting sculpture from all sides.  I encourage the the students to bend, fold, twist, loop, and even cut their paper to make it even more interesting!

2nd Grade - Printmaking Bugs

In collaboration with a 2nd grade science unit the students shared and practiced their knowledge about bugs while they learned how to do printmaking.

Students learned/practiced:
- Parts of an insect body:  head, thorax, abdomen
- brainstorming
- how to transfer a picture using normal pencils
- how to cut a printmaking block safely
- what a brayer is used for
- what printmaking is
- how to label a series of prints

The students did a great job!  I was a little nervous about having 2nd graders using cut tools - but they heeded my warning about them being sharp and kept their fingers out of the way!

The students enjoyed cutting their blocks and printing them!

4th and 5th Grade Musical - Destination America

The 4th and 5th Grade show created a challenge.  Their show was in our districts brand new concert hall - making a background in the traditional sense, impossible.  The students and I worked together to make banners that greeted our audience in the lobby.  The students learned how to use a grid to redraw pictures - going square by square.  It was a great way to enlarge our design and have everyone participate.  The patchwork feeling really connected to the idea of their show, 'Destination America'.  Their show was about taking a trip around America and learning about different musical styles, musical history... etc.







Since the students were performing on stage and not in the lobby we still needed something to connect the audience with their show on stage.  I had gone a tour of the space a few months before their show and was introduced to a very large projection screen.  I knew that was going to be our best chance of having a backdrop.  I scoured the internet for pictures that represented the time period/type of music the students were singing about in their songs and made an imovie to play behind them.  It was a hit - worked great.

K-1st Grade Musical - Barn Yard MOOsical

While the students were learning all their songs and actions to the Barn Yard MOOsical in the music room, they painted the backdrop for their show in the art room!

For each musical I draw out the backdrop on large paper (33'x8').  I cut or fold the backdrop into four sections - one section for each day of the specials cycle.  Every student that wants to paint part of the backdrop has the chance to paint.











The Barn Yard MOOsical was a blast to paint with the K and 1st grade students.  They painted the whole thing - all I did was outline it in the end.

3rd - 4th Grade Graphic Design (T-shirts for Jump Rope For Heart)

This year I have tried to focus projects towards real life art jobs - more than just drawing and painting pictures in class.  When the PE teacher in my building told me that Jump Rope for Heart was holding a t-shirt design contest for next year - I thought, how perfect!  I immediately started to design a unit around graphic design and typography.

After I introduced the project the students were very excited!  I haven't heard my classroom so quite.  Students first did two rough drafts to get their ideas down on paper.  Their requirements were to have text, typography, that said either 'Jump Rope for Heart' or  'Be a Heart Hero' or something else that goes a long with the theme.  They also needed some type of graphic that makes sense for the project, and last they needed to fill space appropriately.

Next class the students working in partners to share their favorite design and talk about what they liked, what they planned to change and what they wanted their final to look like.  After their discussion they jumped into action and started their final design.

Final Requirements:
-Readable (text needs to be able to be read easily, also all words spelled correctly)
-Graphic that makes sense
-Fill space appropriately
-Colored with quality

Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade Wrapping Paper

I first did this lesson a few years ago and since then my students ask to do it each year around the holidays.  I cut large pieces of paper from paper rolls that have been donated to my classroom - about 18x24.  The students and I talk about different times we use wrapping paper and how all wrapping paper has a design that repeats.  Next, the students and I brainstorm all sorts of patterns using shapes and lines - the older the kids the more complex the patterns.

I pass out paints, brushes, and paper and let the kids make their own wrapping paper - fantastic!

1st and Kindergarten Kirigami (snowflakes)

When we came back from Thanksgiving break we had our first snow in the Midwest and the students were excited - so I took the opportunity for a 'teaching moment'.  Instead of fighting the snow I taught the students about kirigami, cutting folded paper, and made snowflakes!  The students were very excited and had a great time cutting shapes and being surprised when they opened their creations!

3rd and 4th Grade Books

This was a new project I did this year with my 3rd and 4th grade students - a lot of fun.  The covers were completed in the first class period.  I wanted the students to expand their reasoning/critical thinking skills - so for their covers they had to create a non-recognizable line composition.  The trick with this assignment was that the students needed to tell me why they were done.  Some students needed some guided questions to help them articulate why they were done - many stumbled onto the answer by accident or out of frustration.  Students would try things like, 'I worked hard' or 'I did my best' or 'I filled the whole thing in' -- all great things - but not why they were done.  For many students who still struggled I compared their project to making cookies.  You spend all the time making the cookies and when they are done you take them out of the oven - if you keep cooking them they burn, or get ruined.  At this point many students understood that if they kept working on their project it would be ruined.

The next two classes were spent learning how to use a jig, folding and punch holes in paper and then binding their books!

These books are made in such a way that they are meant to be taken apart if desired.  This way the students could take out pages or add pages after they left the art room!!!

Students Learned/Practiced:
- Compostion
- Critical Thinking
- Patients
- Fine motor skills
- what and how to use a Jig
- Problem solving