Elementary Art Enrichment Ideas

When we started our Continuous Learning Plan, Kansas' response to Covid-19, it was decided that elementary specials would be offered as enrichment. Music and PE had two different Zoom sessions a week for PK-2 and 3-6 but I got permission to just do one for all elementary and to use Facebook live. I think it worked better for me with demonstrating (not that I was flawless) than Zoom would have. Why did I ask for one session? Well, besides that I had scheduled Zoom sessions with my middle and high school classes on the same day, I knew that I could present the same ideas and tell how younger and older kids could participate. I also know that with my own children, if the older kid is doing an activity, the younger kids want to do the same thing. All in all, it worked out pretty well.

Here are the themes I used for each week:

Week 1: Color

In the first week I talked about primary and secondary colors and how to mix them then we made a found object color wheel for the #colorwheelchallenge!

Does anyone else have trouble when downloading images from the Canva app? Sometimes I have to do a screenshot to avoid distortions like in the graphic above.

Week 2: The Creatrilogy
Peter H. Reynolds gave permission for teachers to read his books to our classes and since I'm a big fan, I read The Dot, Ish, and Sky Color from the Creatrilogy box set. Suggested activities were...
The Dot: Make dot artwork!
Ish: Draw ishly- use a marker so you can't erase and embrace mistakes!
Sky Color: Observe the sky and paint what you see. Maybe even observe the sky at different times of day or different days of the week. Watercolor demo.

Week 3: Zoos and Aquariums
Have you seen all the zoos and aquariums that were offering virtual field trips and animal talks during social distancing? I showed 4 project ideas inspired by specific zoos or aquariums- a porcupine from the Elmwood Park Zoo, a jellyfish from the Monterrey Bay Aquarium, Fiona the Hippo from the Cincinnati Zoo, and a giant panda from the Smithsonian National Zoo. Check it out!

Week 4: Earth Week
Goldsworthy-inspired nature artwork, Patrick Dougherty-inspired stick art, nature faces, nature fairies, and stick weaving. I love nature art!
Here is the doc with the activities I suggested. Feel free to make a copy so you can edit!

Week 5: Fauvism
I thought of Matisse's Open Window as soon as I knew we would be working from home. I wanted to talk to students about looking around them and how we all see different things out their windows. I said they could draw from observation what they see out their window or even what they would like to see! I went ahead and threw in some more art history and talked about setting up a colorful still life to observe.
Here is the doc I shared!

Week 6: Art Outside
This was my worst week! I paid attention to the temperature in the forecast but not the wind speed. And I live in Kansas! I tried to show using toys to draw shadows and doing texture rubbings but it was so windy that after 5 or 10 minutes I told the students watching it was a good thing they already knew I wasn't perfect and gave up.

Week 7: 2D and 3D
I couldn't really decide what to do for the last week so I asked on my facebook page what the students wanted. A first grader told her mom it would be "life changing" (LOL) if I would show how to draw 3D shapes since they were doing that in 1st grade math. We talked about the differences between 2D shapes and 3D forms (in art we have more specific vocabulary) and then I showed how to draw cubes, cylinders, and cones. I ended by showing how to do 1 point perspective letters since that is usually a hit with upper elementary students.

Dot Day 2014

Are you celebrating International Dot Day? Dot Day celebrates creativity, courage, and collaboration and is inspired by Peter H. Reynolds' book, "The Dot". This has become a tradition at school and I'm excited that this year our new librarian joined in! She read The Dot to K-3rd grade and they did some "dot" activities in library. It's nice to collaborate!

 I wanted to share my Dot Day bulletin board since it has an overview of our activities with each grade. I'll be posting more details about those projects some day when I get around to it. :)
The background for the "Dot Day" sign was a circle painting made by some 1st-3rd grade students. The Vashti cutout was made for my YAM bulletin board a couple years ago and she's been hanging out in the art room ever since, occasionally making an appearance in the hallway.

We're learning about India this fall so I tied the 3rd grader's dots to rangoli. They turned out really cool and have been a popular project, of course any project that lets the students use glue and sand is a pretty sure thing.

2nd grade's mixed media dots were the most open this year.

1st grade dots were circles filled with patterns, and boy did some kids make it a lot harder than it needed to be! I should have encouraged the students to focus on making one big dot since many drew a ton and then got tired of working on it half way through.

 I decided before I start TAB-ing with Kindergarten, I want to cover a lot of basics. In this first project they practiced writing their names and initials, traced a can, learned about and drew lines, cut a round shape, and used a glue stick. Now they've practiced making different kinds of lines with a paintbrush, "dipped the tip", and explored color mixing. 

I was given a ton of used crayons so I picked out some that looked nice and used them to make a Dot Day decoration. I feel a little guilty using crayons with so much life to make a decoration, but I was given about 10 gallons of crayons so I hope these won't be missed.

I can't wait to read about other teacher's Dot Day activities. I already read one hilarious account this evening that left me literally laughing out loud (LLOL?) and made me want to try out the project. Thanks for the laugh, Cassie Stephens! See her post here: http://cassiestephens.blogspot.com/2014/09/in-art-room-string-stitched-dot-for-dot.html

If you don't own The Dot, get your copy now! You don't even have to use my affiliate link, I just figured it might be a convenience for someone! I got the Creatrilogy for my birthday a few years ago and I treasure it. Thanks, Mom! :)

Visiting Author(s)

I haven't posted much lately because I am switching over to my new laptop and don't yet have Photoshop... Here's a post that doesn't require student artwork!

On Thursday author David T. Greenberg visited my schools. I saw the talk he gave to my 4th graders about growing up during the Civil Rights era. His father is Jack Greenberg,the lawyer who litigated the "landmark Brown v. Board of Education case that overturned the 'separate but equal' doctrine" (http://www.naacpldf.org/jack-greenberg-biography) and was one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s lawyers. Greenberg wrote a book called "A Tugging String" that was inspired by what he experienced as his father's son. I haven't had a chance to read the book yet, but it's on my "to read" list and was highly recommended by my colleagues. The talk was amazing- informative, entertaining, and heartfelt. It was a great experience for students and staff alike. I fought tears through most of it, affected by all the photos he showed and stories he shared. The timing of his visit was appropriate as this year marks the 40th anniversary of the Brown v. Board decision.



Reflecting on his talk- how excited the students were and how much they/we learned, I started thinking about my dream list of authors to bring to school if the focus were more on art, and, you know, if we didn't have to worry about silly things like availability and budget...
Here they are, in random order.
Dallas Clayton- I first learned about Dallas Clayton a few years ago when I heard about "An Awesome Book". He's written several more books and posted lots of artwork, all bursting with positivity and messages about dreaming big dreams, being gracious, and trying new things. Students enjoy his stories and are inspired by his artwork. Here's some artwork my students made after reading "An Awesome Book" a couple years ago. I think this year my oldest son will be old enough to get the book for Christmas!




Stephen T. Johnson- Stephen T. Johnson was a speaker at the KAEA conference in Lawrence back in 2009 (I think). I fell in love with his book "A is for Art: An Abstract Alphabet". The book is filled with alliterative contemporary art based on each letter of the alphabet, and with the letter hidden in each work. I just saw an autographed copy of the book in a museum gift shop yesterday and it reminded me that it's been too long since I read it.




Peter H. Reynolds- Responsible for "the Dot", "Ish", and "Sky Color" as part of the "Creatrilogy" and several other books. Every September International Dot Day is a global celebration of creativity and "making your mark." Peter, along with his brother Paul, also formed Fable Vision, an education company with some cool products, including big screen books, posters (free poster downloads are occasionally offered if you get their newsletter), and programs that encourage writing, creativity, and self expression. I don't have a smartboard so I haven't tried any of the programs, but I do enjoy the free posters. :)



Eric Carle- Need I say more? Eric Carle's first venture into illustrating books was at the request of Bill Martin Jr. who wanted to work with him on "Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?" Eric Carle has illustrated more than 70 books, most of which he has also written. I love his unique style of artwork, collage made from papers he has painted, and that his books are often inspired by a love of nature. My earliest Eric Carle memory was playing the part of "the Very Hungry Caterpillar" in my preschool play. Carle says,
“With many of my books I attempt to bridge the gap between the home and school. To me home represents, or should represent; warmth, security, toys, holding hands, being held. School is a strange and new place for a child. Will it be a happy place? There are new people, a teacher, classmates—will they be friendly?

I believe the passage from home to school is the second biggest trauma of childhood; the first is, of course, being born. Indeed, in both cases we leave a place of warmth and protection for one that is unknown. The unknown often brings fear with it. In my books I try to counteract this fear, to replace it with a positive message. I believe that children are naturally creative and eager to learn. I want to show them that learning is really both fascinating and fun.” (http://www.eric-carle.com/bio.html)

I know I could have added more to my list... which author/illustrators would you love to meet or have visit your school?

The Most Creative Year Bulletin Board

Thanks, once again, to Peter H. Reynolds/FableVision for bulletin board inspiration! If you're not signed up for the FableVision newsletter, you should be! The newsletter highlights new products, and occasionally includes a link to free printable posters. The poster offered in December was the perfect idea for a bulletin board to kick off the new year. Since the printable was too small for my board, I stole borrowed the wording and painted my version in the hallway. I usually don't cover my painted bulletin board background but this time I decided it would be faster to paint the words on butcher paper than to cut out the letters. I love the look of brightly colored paint on top of black paper.

International Dot Day

I'm a big fan of Peter H. Reynolds' "Creatrilogy", including "Ish", "The Dot", and "Sky Color". We've used the books for inspiration during Youth Art Month, and this year I'm finally organized enough to participate in International Dot Day, held September 15th*. What is International Dot Day? From the Dot Club,

"International Dot Day, a global celebration of creativity, courage and collaboration, began when teacher Terry Shay introduced his classroom to Peter H. Reynolds’ book The Dot on September 15, 2009.

The Dot is the story of a caring teacher who dares a doubting student to trust in her own abilities by being brave enough to “make her mark”. What begins with a small dot on a piece of paper becomes a breakthrough in confidence and courage, igniting a journey of self-discovery and sharing, which has gone on to inspire countless children and adults around the globe.

And each year on International Dot Day – with the help of people just like you –the inspiration continues. What started as a story in the pages of a book is transforming teaching and learning around the world as people of all ages re-discover the power and potential of creativity in all they do."

*The 15th falls on a weekend, so my primary students are participating on their closest art day.

We started the year off by reading the Dot, talking about the message, and making "dot" artwork. I've got some special dot activities planned for our IDD celebrations, including a collaborative dot mobile and hopefully a collaborative mural. I've even convinced some staff at school to make their own "Celebridots"! I think it's great for students to see other staff's artwork. I'm also hoping to have a "dot" spirit day. If that doesn't get approved in time, I'll just make sure to wear my own "dot" outfits on celebration days. Stay tuned in coming weeks for more pictures and "dot" ideas!

This Year's "Ish" Artwork

Here is a sample of this year's 2nd grade "Ish" artwork, inspired by the book "Ish" by Peter H. Reynolds. Some were finished with crayons, some with watercolors, and some with marker, but they all started the same way- drawing directly on the paper with sharpie. Why? So that the students have to let go of being perfect. If they make a mistake, they have to find a way to make it great. 

I love the balance of composition in this one!

This 2nd grader is obviously interested in cosmetics!

Abstracted plant

YAM Bulletin Board

I'm a big fan of Peter H. Reynolds' books. They have great messages for kids about creativity, taking chances, and solving problems. Each grade at my K-3rd school completed a project inspired by one of the books. Kindergarten and 3rd grade students made dots, 2nd grade students made "Ish" drawings, and 1st grade students made Sky Color paintings using a wet-on-wet watercolor technique. My bulletin board says:

In Art class we learn to...

Take Chances

Persevere

Make Decisions

Be Confident

Solve Problems

Communicate

Happy Youth Art Month!

I reused the Ramon from "Ish" I made for last year's YAM bulletin board (Happy-Ish Youth Art Month) and added a Vashti from "the Dot" and a Marisol from "Sky Color" to complete the scene. Having the characters on the bulletin board reminds the students of the stories and it was honestly just a lot of fun for me to imitate Reynolds' fun style of illustration. :)

My YAM art show entry was a dot made by a Kindergartener. His learning statement said: 

 I made all colored in circles. I used markers, crayons, and paint. We all made circles but mine was different because I kept going and adding stamps and coloring it in. It was fun putting paint on it. I'm proud of it.

The background of the bulletin board was painted by a couple of 1st grade classes with "sky color"- no blue paint!

The last step was a sign describing the student projects and how they related to the book characters on the board.

Kindergarten Dots

A while back I posted about my 3rd grade students' "dots" inspired by Peter H. Reynold's book, "The Dot". I finally got the kindergarten versions photographed! They had lots and lots of choices with materials and approach. Some chose rectangular paper and others started on cut out circles.

I put out a tray of each primary and secondary color and let the students come over to a designated spot to stamp with cardboard tubes if they wanted to. This was really popular so I just limited it to one student per tray and let others fill in when there was an opening.

It took this student a while to get going but he eventually chose his favorite color and went to town.

 I like how this student made her paper pop up off the page a little bit. It added great texture.

3rd Grade "Dots"

The first item to make it to my Christmas list year was the new "Creatrilogy" box set including "The Dot", "Ish", and the new "Sky Color" by Peter H. Reynolds. I recently read "The Dot" to my 3rd grade and Kindergarten students. After reading the book, the students started to brainstorm different ways to make a dot. I told the students about all the supplies set out for them- pencil, crayons, markers, oil pastels, scrap paper, glue, and yarn. I also said if they had an idea that required a supply not set out, they should talk to me about it and I would probably get it for them. Several students asked for tempera paint and I obliged. I don't let students dispense their own paint partly because I have to be really stingy with supplies and partly because the pumps tend to squirt paint at random angles, which can be messy! In addition to the consumable supplies, I also had tubes for printing and several circular objects around the room that some students chose to trace.

Most of the students didn't need much prompting and got right to work. They also did a pretty good job of being responsible with the supplies and returning them to their proper place. Since my classroom is not currently set up for stations, I used more of a "buffet" approach. I lined a table with all the supplies that would fit and just pointed out the location of others.

 Below are some of the results. Half my classes had two class periods for this project, the other half just had one. I couldn't show just a few since there were so many different approaches. Some students stuck to one medium like paint or construction paper collage, but some of my favorites were mixed media, often using yarn to highlight a dot. 

I liked seeing all the different solutions and how the students developed emphasis and unity.