Connections with books

In one side of the art studio classroom I have an art library. These are books I use with specific grades and units. In making unit connections with books, it allows children to witness ways in which books can help us further inform ourselves on topics of interest.

5th Grade Plunge into painting water.....

Children in 5th grade have been studying traditional paintings of water/ocean. They answered questions that required them to really look at the paintings. The questions were:

1. What colors were used in depicting water in these paintings?

2. The brushstrokes go which directions (vertical, horizontal, vertical strokes)

3. How long are the brushstrokes you see?

4. How do you think the colors were applied? which one was first and last, etc.

children will paint their 'water' this week and next week they will be adding their shorebirds onto their water paintings.

Half the children in art choose to stand while they work. They all are so focused on their paintings.

2nd Grade Learn About Molds and explored uses of Plaster of Paris

The children in 2nd grade are going to create molds of basic doll faces and individualize them. This week children are first creating very basic molds using plaster of Paris. See the molds drying below.

Children used modeling clay in cups, used tools to create imprints on the clay. We then mixed plaster of paris and poured them onto the cups. Next week will be the BIG REVEAL and children will discuss what they learned about the working of molds and come up with creative ways to use this new medium.

1st Grade Leaf Paintings-(Bergin)

Last week children learned how to create various types of marks using a thin flat brush.

This week, they used their skills learned in using a brush to paint giant leaf paintings.

Since we are working with lines, leaves are a perfect subject in which to explore this topic.