Ms. Levy's Class finish their Joseph Cornell-inspired 'times capsules'

The objective for this unit was to create personally meaningful time capsules inspired by Joseph Cornell's boxes. Students had two weeks to bring in items and/or images that were of importance to them personally. Ms.Cutelis shared items that she has kept from when she was in 5th grade, such as a card from her Garbage Pail card collection. Pictures of all boxes will be posted soon....keep checking.

You are cordially invited to attend the reception for the District of Columbia Public Schools Annual Citywide Student Art Exhibition

11th Annual District of Columbia Public Schools

CITYWIDE Student Art Exhibition

You are cordially invited to attend the reception

for the

District of Columbia Public Schools Annual Citywide Student Art Exhibition

on Wednesday, April 27, 2011, at 6:00 p.m.

in the Historic Lobby of Terminal A

at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

The DCPS Citywide Student Art Exhibition is a showcase featuring an array of students’ artistic achievements to the national public, Washington, DC and DCPS stakeholders. The artwork has been on display since April 9, 2011, and will remain through May 30, 2011, on the baggage claim level of Terminals B and C. The theme for this year’s event is “Celebration of Artistic Expressions.” Reagan National Airport is accessible via Metro. Take the Yellow or Blue lines to the Reagan National Airport station. If you choose to drive, you can park in Garage A. Please bring your parking ticket to the reception area to be validated.

Please RSVP for the reception via email at mildred.washington@dc.gov or call

202-442-5030 by Monday, April 25, 2011. We look forward to your support of

the District of Columbia students and teachers.

Note from Ms. Cutelis to all parents: I will be taking the metro, please email me at Miriam.cutelis@yahoo.com if you want to ride there together. I will be leaving the Murch area around 5:20 pm.

The 9 Murch Students in the show are

Gus confalone, Nate Coates, Eva Robertson, Claire Lewis, Melissa Jefferson, David Jefferson, Stella Magee, Hadley Carr, Tessa Furlow.

Backdrop for Little Red Riding Hood (3RD)

Since 3rd graders have been working on lesson plans related to the Murch garden or trees on our property, this one particular class studied varied ways to make the color green. Green generally is the mix of blue and yellow. Yet, artists learn that when you tweak that basic recipe and add more blue, you get another color. And when you add more yellow, you also get a new color.

For this activity, these children were given blue, yellow, white and black and told to create as many variations of green as they could.
These explorations will later be used for the backdrop for the play, Little Red Riding Hood happening in May at Murch with some of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes.

When the class ended, I told them that today they probably invented a new green. I don't think they will ever see any color in a singular way again.

Watercolor explorations (2nd Grade)

2nd graders were introduced to watercolor paper, which is much heavier than regular paper. They also used a wonderful technique of creating an instant 'frame' for your painting which I picked up from fellow Murch parent and artist, Regina Holliday.

This is not just any ordinary watercolor palette. This is a metallic watercolor set......the colors were brilliant!!

Children used masking tape to create an instant 'frame' for their watercolor paper.

4th Grade moving bodies figures...a few more samples

Here are a few more samples of our unit on moving bodies. Kids added props to strengthen their message. The goal was to create a sculpture in which the body's position expressed a very obvious message or movement.

Click here to volunteer for the art show!! (need help setting up and with snacks/refreshments)

Parents, above (green button) is the link to the volunteer sign up form for the 2nd Annual Murch Art show. Thank you all so much for your support in advance. To have your child's work celebrated by the entire community is an amazing feeling that will stay with children for the rest of their lives....

If you are having trouble signing up just know that food/drinks/cup/napkins due the 25th (night of the art show) at 5:30 to the all purpose room. You can also drop it off in the art room at drop off/pick-up. I will also need help with set up from 4-6pm and then after at 7:50pm for clean up. The works will come down the week after on Thursday at 3:30pm-4:30pm.

Are there any student or adult musician(s)/singer(s) out there who would like to perform that evening....I am wide open......

See you all FRIDAY!!!

2nd Annual Murch Art Show-DEADLINE EXTENDED

Pk kids to 5th Graders!!
Enter the....
2nd Annual Murch Art Show

Opening Celebration and Reception: March 25th,2011, 6-8pm
(Parents needed to donate refreshments and help set up and take down. Contact Ms. Cutelis at Miriam.cutelis@yahoo.com if interested)
Time: 6pm-8pm in All-purpose Room at Murch
Up to 2 flat art pieces due to Ms. Cutelis: By March 21th, 2011, 4pm or before

Instructions for entering:
All work must be 2D (flat). Sorry, sculptures will not be accepted this year.
Up to 2 works only per child
The work could be work done from home or at school.
All work MUST have a fully completed label (see below for labels)
All work must be taped/glue to a larger BLACK paper or black cardboard that will act like matting or frame. (see image below)

All labels must be attached to the matting, on the BOTTOM, to the RIGHT.
All work MUST be turned in by March 18th (4pm) to the art room.

Cut labels below:

Artist’s Full Name:_________________
Teacher’s name:___________________
Grade:___________________________
Title of work:_____________________
Medium used:_____________________

Artist’s Full Name:_________________
Teacher’s name:___________________
Grade:___________________________
Title of work:_____________________
Medium used:_____________________

All labels must be attached to the matting, on the BOTTOM, to the RIGHT.
All work MUST be turned in by March 18th (4pm) to the art room.

Cut labels below:

Artist’s Full Name:_________________
Teacher’s name:___________________
Grade:___________________________
Title of work:_____________________
Medium used:_____________________

Artist’s Full Name:_________________
Teacher’s name:___________________
Grade:___________________________
Title of work:_____________________
Medium used:_____________________

2nd Grade Mammal Clay Containers

Children in 2nd Grade have been studying all about sculptures. They are learning that sculptures can be made from pretty much anything such as wood, paper, cardboard, metal and even gold. We also learned that often sculptures can serve a double purpose. These here are beautiful mammal sculptures that are also containers and can serve a purpose. These sculptures are drying and will go through a 2-part painting process. Ask your child what mammal they made.

Metallic Watercolors, an exploration (K/welsh)

Kindergarten students in Mr. W's class have been exploring watercolor media. I introduced the kids to basic watercolor techniques, such as 'waking up the colors', and keeping a puddle in your palette to help keep colors rich. I also taped their 140lbs. paper to the table to prevent the paper from buckling. The watercolors were also not just your ordinary watercolor sets, they were METALLIC colors. The kids loved the glittery affect of all the colors.

Kids get to conference with either me or Mrs. Marcus to verbally work out their choices in composition.
Kids discover that the water color changes as they wash off their colors in the containers.

Check out that watercolor palette.

Amazingly detailed bird sketches (3rd Grade/HSU)

This 3rd grade class made the most amazing birdhouse for the Murch garden out of popsicles sticks. To decorate the birdhouse we made detailed sketches of birds that will afterwords be decoupaged on the house. I connected adding 'details' to our drawings as similar to adding 'details' to our stories. I told a story with very little detail and then the same story with many more details, then asked the kids which story they preferred. Kids loved the more detailed story. I then told them that the 'viewer' too prefers more details, for the eyes have more to see. On that note, I gave them wonderful calendar images (donated by Murch parents) from which to sketch from. I LOVE how amazingly different these sketches are!!