Kinder puppets begin!

4th grade gain experience mixing colors

Every painting lesson I teach begins with this sort of color exploration. Because these children are 4th graders I will not only teach secondary colors, but also make them aware of how they can manipulate the mount of paint they add to the mix to create a variation of the secondaries. I explain that experts in any media are not born, but that only in time spent working with the media does one become more adept at manipulating the desired affects. 

Below are what I call 'mixing papers'. Since I try to use the same palettes many times over, it's imperative that they NOT mix their colors on the 6-color palettes I give them. They combine their colors either on their own work or on these small mixing papers to see what new colors are created. Through time and practice children learn to, in advance, know how to make the colors they need just from switching around the color recipes. 

Snowman

4th grade creature sculptures...real or imaginary

Kindergarten bowls

Here is a two day lesson. The first day you demonstrate how one uses fingers to stretch a bowl from a sphere. I keep the bowls moist in a container until the second and last class, in which I then leave bowls out to dry to get them ready for the kiln. The second day kids use all sorts of 'tools' to create decorations on the inside, sides and lip of their bowls. Tools range from tradition clay tools all the way to marker tops and pencils. 

Prepping for Romare Bearden inspired collages _2nd grade

First, you need tons of magazines....

Have kids cut our large color shapes....

Have them sort colors into bins....you will need all rainbow colors, plus black, brown, white and pink. 

Here they are....ready to work with.....

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Afterschool Mexican folk-art-inspired paintings

Kindergarten explore clay

For all beginning of any units children are encouraged to explore the media. In this exploation lesson for the beginning of kindergarten clay unit, children are given an agenda in which they must practice making 4 simple forms with their clay.

Educator night at Renwick Gallery