Bubble wrap printing

1st grade students learned how to print using bubble wrap. They used a brayer to roll yellow paint on to their bubble wrap and then printed it on their paper. They discussed how printing and painting are different. The next week, they cut their bubble wrap prints into the shape of a bee hive. They drew and colored bees and glued them on to their bee hive.

 

Theme Parks

5th Grade students looked at maps from theme parks such as Michigan's Adventure, Cedar Point and Six Flags. Then designed their own theme parks. They had to consider what the theme of their park would be, as well as practical design elements like walkways, bathrooms, parking lots, eating areas, etc.

Observation Drawings

Third grade students focused on really looking at an object while they drew it to make it as realistic as possible. Students looked at matchbox cars and other toy cars at their table groups. They also voted on some other vehicles (Ferrari and Lamborghini) for me to project on to the screen. Then they chose one car and drew it as realistically as they could. Finally, they colored their cars with the colors of their choice.

Reduction Printing in 4th grade

Every year the students study printmaking, they learn a more difficult printing process. In Kindergarten, students print with cups, in 1st grade, they print with bubblewrap. In 2nd grade, they print with styrofoam colored with markers. In 3rd grade they print with styrofoam and ink. This year, the 4th graders used the same process, by printing with styrofoam and ink, but they learned to create a reduction print by only printing a part of their styrofoam in their second printing. Take a look at these amazing results!

 

Studying surrealism

Fifth grade students were introduced to Salvador Dali and the Surrealists. They watched a video clip from YouTube about surrealism called Get Surreal! With Salvador Dali. Students learned they can make ordinary drawings and paintings surreal by using some of the same techniques the surrealists used; juxtaposition, metamorphosis, dislocation and transformation. Then the students got creative and drew and painted their own surrealist painting. They had to explain which technique they used in their painting to make their artwork surreal.

Circle Weavings

Third Grade students made a loom from a cardboard circle. They strung the warp strings on (the strings we weave through), and then used many different colors for the weft strings (the strings we weave with). They colored the outer edges of their loom with markers.

Flower still life

Kindergarten students learned that a still life could be any grouping of small objects that can not move by themselves. The learned that artists like to put a group of small objects together to practice drawing or painting them.  Students looked at examples of still life paintings and painted their own still life of flowers in a vase.