Owl Symmetry

Owl Symmetry

This was a great way to have successful symmetry projects with little ones. I gave them a sheet with half the owl drawn and the other half with "clues" to where the rest goes. They were then asked to color it to keep it symmetrical. 

Mixed Media Collage

Multi-Media Collage

Third grade worked through this project over several class times. This is a multiple step project that covers many techniques. The background in simply tempera paint applied thickly then scraped with a texture scraper. The girls drew a tree on a separate piece of paper and when they were happy with it, they cut it out and traced it onto brown construction paper. On another paper, they used a wet-on wet technique to fill it with colors, considering color blending while they worked. The students also experimented with salt in some areas. After the watercolor was dry, they cut out the leaf shapes and glued the collage together. 

Abstract Sculptures

Abstract Sculptures

Fourth grade was given a huge box of wood pieces and beads after looking at a PowerPoint of various abstract sculptures (works by Richard Serra, Tony Smith, Henry Moore, Rachel Beach, Lynn Chadwick). I ordered one of those miscellaneous boxes of scrap wood from an art supply catalog, then added Popsicle sticks and coffee stirrers. We discussed how each viewpoint needed to be interesting and the difference between a "sculpture in the round" and a relief sculpture. Balance and color were also discussed. 

Stocking Caps

First grade used resist to add patterns to these winter stocking caps. I gave them tracers of the caps, which they traced onto white paper. They then added patterns with white crayons--remember to put pressure on the crayon to make it very waxy. Next, they chose a color of watercolor to paint their hats. Lastly they cut out the hats and used tissue paper to make the pom pom on top (small torn pieces, glued to the top). Each hat was glued to black paper and the negative space was colored.

Snow Globes

First grade loved making these "snow globes" during the winter months. I gave each a circle template and blue paper, as well as a black strip of paper. After tracing and cutting out the circle, they used construction paper crayons to draw a snowy scene. They also added patterns or pictures to the black strip. After the snow scene was complete they added dots of glue and sprinkled silver glitter over it to make sparkly snow flakes. The black strip was made into a tube and taped in the back. I cut slits in the tube and they gently slid the blue circle into the slits, creating the base and globe. 

Winter Mittens

First graders traced their hands with their fingers close together and their thumbs out--this created a "mitten" shape. Don't forget to add a little bit to the bottom to make the bottom of the mitten. We used black paper and construction paper crayons to make patterns and designs on the mittens before cutting them out and gluing them to the blue paper.
Designs were added on the blue paper after the mittens were complete.







 

Pattern, Lines

First graders used markers to create pattern and line designs. They first put a "dot" central to their paper, then added radiating lines from the dot to the edge of the paper. Each space created was filled with a different pattern using a variety of lines.