5th grade Memory Artwork

When my whole family went swimming.

For this lesson, 5th grade students were asked to think about their personal history, brainstorm important events in their life (good or bad), and choose a significant event to represent in a mixed media artwork. I decided on this lesson because the students needed a chance to try out collage. I chose the memory/personal history theme because it would allow for a ton of possibilities but give students a task beyond cutting out picture of things they like and gluing them to paper.

 I gave the students a 1/2 sheet of paper and asked them to brainstorm 3 memories or events that were important to them. In one class, I kid you not, 1/2 of the students chose "I got a dog". Now, I recognize that this could be a very significant event in a kid's life. But I was frustrated when the rest all chose that theme after one student said it out loud. When it came to choosing one of the 3 memories to use in their artwork, I told the students it could be whatever was most important to them, or just whatever they were most excited about using in artwork.

 I was hoping to have more actual "collage" in these artworks, but due to time, most ended up being drawings with a few collage elements. I had a hard time with 5th grade schedules this spring. The students only have art for 40 minutes, every other week anyway, and when you throw in field trips, orchestra rehearsals, etc. it's not always possible to reschedule. Some students took the initiative to finish their work at home and I was pleased with their efforts!

When I got to let a butterfly go in Kindergarten.

My first day at my new school.