My 2019-20 classroom

Second grade painting

        All painting intro begins with playing with color mixing. We often begin with just 2 primaries and work ourselves up to 6 colors, primaries, white, black and brown. Yes, I know the students can make their own brown yet, I this is the only mixed color I provide. I am working my 2nd grade class to learn each center separately and after they have 2-3 media down I will make these centers available daily. Here students paint in their sketchbooks, which is a composition book. Notice all the amazing colors this student made with her limited palette. 

Classroom set up: I have 4 kids per table and have 6 tables. I place 2 palettes per table and 2 3/4-filled jugs of water per table. They are placed diagonally from each other so that each child has easy access to the paint and the water. Various width brushes are placed in the center of the table so students can begin to choose the right width for their work. Notice also that I do not cover my tables. I use either wipes OR squeezed-out sponges to have students clean their hands and the table at the same time. NO ONE washes their hands in the sink; with 35-minute classes that would not be possible. 

            Each palette is shares by 2 kids and the students learn to keep their palettes clean and mix on their papers. The students learn fast and these palettes last 2-3 weeks without issues. If a child does get the colors "dirty" you simply wipes the mixed color with a tissue or wipe and place new color. Students learn fast not to mix the colors on the palette for if they do they limit the amount of colors they can make. I use half an egg carton, either plastic or styrofoam for palettes. They store easy and can be replaced easy too. 

Kindergarteners, all the way to 2nd, when they first start mixing colors become more obsessed with the change of color in their water than in their own paining. This is normal and it's a great learning experience for them. Here two students are sharing their findings and trying out new color mixes. Total engagement. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 

 

Egg cartons make amazing palettes

My art classroom 2014-15

5th graders built a 'shared-knowledge' wall of ways you can make paper in books pop out. They will use this wall as a resource for when they create their pop-up book.

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Need help building metal shelves

I am seeking help from anyone in the Murch community who might have strong 'IKEA' genes. I have ordered and received three wire metal shelves funded by the HSA (that's you....my awesome parents!!!) and would love some help building them. If you are free the week of April 11th, please contact me at miriam.cutelis@yahoo.com .

Thank you HSA

Thanks to HSA funds I have now outfitted the classroom with a whole new artist series on 36 artists. These are soft-cover books about artists that are geared to children. Thank you Murch HSA!!

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.

Art Classroom Tour FALL 2010

Hey all!! I have taken a few pictures of the studio art room.....enjoy!

Here I keep all my art book resources, and my library books related to lessons we are learning.

Here are my vocabulary walls, one for each grade. The white cards are vocabulary words we have already worked on during these past 3 days.
This is my portfolio and anecdotal notes corner. Each class has a cubby that will hold their 2D work, and a folder for professional notes about each individual child. Yes, each child!
Over 20 types of paper varieties.
General supplies, easily labeled. I love labels...can you tell?
I write down objectives, agendas, prior knowledge and essential questions for every lesson I teach during the day. Here is a close up of the pre-k one.
Here is what all 6 classes I teach during the week looks like.

Visual Resources In the Class- A tour

Just thought I'd give you a tour of the art room since I got my 3 rolling visual boards, funded by the HSA.

Each class now has their own visual board related to subjects they are learning. Below, for example if the visual board for the 5th grade class. They are using recycled materials to design a bedroom for a "client" (a class peer) based on a long questionnaire they filled in at the beginning of the unit.

Here is the 4th grade visual resource board. One of my angel parents brought in these amazing catalogs of vases from 3 separate artists. 4th Graders will be using the skills they learned in the last clay activity to create purposeful containers out of clay. These samples are great in getting their creative juices flowing.

1st graders will be creating garden-related mosaics connected to drawings they make of vegetables that will be grown in the garden.

Ordered New Shelves for the Art Room

Thanks to our amazingly organized and hardworking HSA, now I will have more floor space in the art room. I just ordered 2 double shelves from Ikea. I need them most to place drying large sculptures and tall gallon paint and glue containers. When they arrive I would love some help putting them together.....in exchange, I'll make you a batch of delicious banana muffins.....

Thank you HSA....

The HSA has recently bought the art room 3 display panels like the one you see above that will greatly enhance the way art is taught at Murch. Children will now be able to hang their 2D art when done and having visual access to every one's work will allow for more furtive discussions about process, specific skills they see utilized and learn from each other's observations and comments. The displays are very light and have wheels which means they could serve as temporary wall or art displays anywhere in the building. Thank you HSA!!

My next task in getting a state-of-the-art visual arts program in place at Murch is improving the dire storage situation in the room. As it's apparent to all parents who have come in to volunteer, the classroom is overwhelmed by too many needed supplies and too few placed to put them on. Please check back soon for more information on my progress in this area. In the meantime, of you have any extra shelf furniture or bookcase you no longer need, I'd love to have them....Aesthetics is not as important as sturdiness. I can always repaint them to freshen them up.....

Again, thanks HSA.....!!

Welcome to the art room...

Welcome to the art room....here are some images of the room....

We have a vocab wall.....one per grade....
Here are some artwork created by the pre-K.
Everything has its place!
The sculpture center is where sculptures are stored and are set out to dry.
More art on the walls.
Your art responsibilities.....
Some painting explorations created by 2nd graders.
Storage of work to be completed...and the top is another sculpture area.