Projects from Maternity Leave

My son was born the Saturday after Thanksgiving (4 months ago today!) so I didn't go back after Thanksgiving break until the end of January.  I was excited to look through the projects that the students completed while I was gone.  Most were new projects that I had never tried with students before.  Some are keepers "as is" and some will need to be reworked if I try them again.

December

One of my examples

4th-6th Grade students finshed or started "name doodles" or other projects that incorporated words.  The name doodles turned out great!  I left several examples with different variations for the other word art but I may not have done a good enough job explaining.  Or the students just might not have fully understood.  I could tell from some projects that the individual students "got it" but others either didn't or maybe were trying to take the easy way out.  I forgot to save a few photos of student work but I do have some of my examples.  It might be worth trying again.

Another of my examples.  Including my random thoughts!

Kindergarten students made collages inspired by Mondrian's paintings so they could practice squares and rectangles (part of my SMART goal).  Here is my post about the project last year.

1st grade students did follow the leader penguin drawings.  I stand by follow the leader drawings or "I draw, you draw" as being fine in moderation.  I think it can help drawing be less intimidating when students see me model the thought process and breaking pictures down into lines and shapes.  It's also good for practicing listening skills and following directions.  I always allow the students the freedom to personalize!  I saw lots of students added other penguins and creative details in their backgrounds.

2nd grade students learned how to shade spheres and reviewed cool colors.  The students made drawings of snow people on cool colored construction paper with pastels.  I intended for oil pastels to used but my sub couldn't find them and used dry pastels instead.  I think it might have actually turned out better, sometimes the dust looked like snow!  I wasn't prepared with fixative or the substitute of hairspray (even though my drawing professor would do the alive equivalent of rolling over in his grave!) so I just had to warn the teachers not to carry the stacks of artwork against their sweaters since the drawings were messy.

3rd grade students tested out a new project for me.  I don't know whether to call it a collograph or something else.  If you know what it would technically be called, please let me know!
Day 1- The students drew snow people on cardboard and then traced their lines with bottled glue.
Day 2- The students put paper over the top of their glue drawings and rubbed with crayon to make the image show through.  I could tell lots forgot to hold the crayon on it's side and ended up pressing too hard while some didn't use enough pressure.  It's always a challenge so I put in my plans to let them practice on computer paper before making their final prints.  Since I wasn't there, I don't know if it actually happened.  I would try this technique again even though it was super hard to see most of the images this time.




January
4th-6th grade students started the Jr. Duck Stamp program and finished it when I got back.  Another post about the ducks (I love ducks) is coming!

K-3rd drew self portraits of themselves in the snow then started birthday cake drawings for Kansas (our state is now 150!)