Assessments Galore!

How Can We Check for Understanding in the Art Room?

There are so many ways that we can assess learning and understanding in the art room.  

Here are a few that we are putting to use this year at Howe Manning.  

We have been measuring a few key concepts this year.

 Color Theory and Perspective

My 4th and 5th grade students took the following assessments twice this year and 

are scheduled for one more in May.

We also do exit ticket challenges when leaving the classroom.

Finally, students have been self-reflecting on their work.
I hope that their reflections will help them to improve their work on future projects.

Printmaking in the Art Studio

How Does Printmaking Allow for Bringing Art to the Masses?

Howe Manning fifth graders are learning about printmaking and 

how they use a printmaking plate to create multiple pieces of identical artwork.

We watched videos that demonstrated 2 different styles of printmaking plates: 

collographs and relief plates

Printmaking is fun, but it is a lengthy process. The tutorial below illustrates all the steps necessary to create a successful print.  We used the tutorial below to remind us of the printing process.
 We've just started doing practice prints called proofs.
Ask your 5th grade artist how many times it took to get the hang of it!

5th graders were tasked to say something meaningful about themselves through an object.  They really thought carefully about what they wanted to say and how to represent that with an image.

For their final copy, 5th graders where challenged to explore printing their images with different color ink, showing repetition, printing on colored backgrounds, and on interesting unique backgrounds.  They learned how all of these images are a part of their print edition. 

What do you think of their ideas? What do they say to you?

March Mystery Artist is Here!

March's Mystery Artist is a personal favorite of mine. 

One of my art bucket list items to see some of their work in person!  

The MFA might just make that happen very soon (hint, hint!)

I lived from 1907-1957.

I was a Mexican self-portrait artist.

Mexican culture and tradition are important in my artwork.

I was in a serious traffic accident as a teenager which influenced a large amount of my art.

"I paint myself because I am so often alone and because I am the subject I know best."

Kindergartners are Mixing Colors!

How can we use the primary colors to create all other colors?

Kindergarten artists are learning about using the primary colors to make orange, green, and purple, the secondary colors.  We started out by watching this collaborative video between Sesame Street and OK Go.

Watch it as a family, its so fun!

These young artists doubled as scientists and underwent color mixing experiments. I borrowed this paint pallet set up from teach kids art.  It worked out so well and helped each student mix their colors successfully. 

Each color circle was then turned into a little bird.

Finally birds were adorned with complementary color feathers. We watched a special ballad about complementary colors to learn which color pairs complement each other.  K's loved watching these video's and would love to share them with you.

So many skills were learned: primary, secondary, and complementary colors all in one lesson. WOW!

The Year of the Monkey!

How do traditions and holiday celebrations of other cultures compare to our own culture?

Mrs. LaVangie's 2nd grade artists are learning about Chinese New Year and the special dragon dance that often takes place to celebrate the holiday.  Students also learned that it is traditional to hang lanterns and scrolls outside of homes and businesses.

This year 2nd grade artists are integrating both of these traditions to create beautiful dragon lanterns.

Students first created detailed dragon drawings.

Tempera paints were used to add vibrant colors to their dragon paintings.

Finally, a lantern was created and cut from red construction paper to act as an outside layer for these young artists dragon paintings. 

Look closely through the slats and you will see a colorful dragon surprise!

How does your school celebrate Chinese New Year?

Art and books go together like hot cocoa and marshmallows.

Fuller Meadow Kindergarteners have been making up our lack of snow lately with two winter themed projects. Each lesson started with a book and a song for inspiration.

I loved reading Lucky Pennies and Hot Chocolate to my classes, especially when we got to the end! 

This song is from scholastic.com. It went so well with this lesson.

K's created hot chocolate mugs using a resist technique with 

construction paper crayons and watercolor paints. Students even added "marshmallows" to their art to make it authentic!

For their second lesson, they used Jan Brett's The Mitten to inspire their own winter mitten, complete with a favorite winter animal peeping out.
We used the story and this song developed by Nancy Vandenberge to open the lesson.

Next we discussed how each animal can be drawn using different shapes.  The students loved making animals and tucking them in their mittens.

The finished projects were adorable!

What do you think of their winter themed artwork?

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.2: With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details

Gnome Homes!

How can a simple form become the base for a unique sculptural work.

4th Grade artists are busy at work hand building whimsical clay gnome homes.  Students learned to use a basic pinch pot form as a starting point for both the roof and base of their clay sculptures.  Students also experimented with different textures to add designs and realistic details to their works.

Mrs. Magrath's 4th graders turning pinch pots into creative roofs.

The next step was to use the same pinch pot technique to create the bottoms of the homes. Students carved in details like doors and windows. They also learned how to attach pieces of their clay using the slip and score method. Students attached door knobs, curtains, benches, and even tiny pairs of gnome shoes waiting outside the door. I loved seeing all of their creative ideas!

Finally they added color.  Fourth graders choose 3 contrasting colors for their tops 

and used the reverse color pallet for the bottoms.  

The finished projects were adorable and the students were so excited about them!