Let it Glow: A Week of STEAM Exploration!

This past week at Fuller Meadow student's embarked on a week of glow in the dark STEAM art.
It was an incredible week and our young artists were engaged and enthralled!

Each grade level had a specially designed art lesson featuring glow in the dark paint
and a special science connection.

Kindergarten: Magnetic Attraction

Young kinder artists experimented with magnets and explored how they can both repel and attract.  After trying out a set of magnets they got to work using magnetic attraction to create marble paintings.  Kinders loved using their magnetic marbles to create works of art
and loved watching their art glow!

1st Grade: Bioluminescent Sea Life

1st grade artists kicked off their art in the dark by learning about bioluminescense
and how scientists are creating the ability to glow in things like plants and trees. 
Check out the video we watched to learn all about this incredible science.

Following this Ted Ed talk, students got to work on their own glowing bioluminescent sea creatures.

This lesson was inspired by artist Michelle Guieu. She has created some incredible work!

  First graders used images from iPads to observe and capture their creatures in pencil.

1st graders then used fluorescent stickers to bring their sea creatures to life!

2nd Grade: Centrifugal Force

2nd graders explored this concept through the magic of spin art - and the LOVED it!

They explored how centrifugal force works by examining amusement park rides, cooking techniques, and a spin on an experiment I saw on Mr. Wizard's World.

We then used these examples to make predictions on what would happen if 

we put paint in the center of a salad spinner..... 

2nd grade artists learned that the paint will be forced away from the center of the spinner.  

Put that together with glow in the dark paint and you get an amazing splatter of art!

These Fuller Meadow Artists' had so much fun this week. 

It will definitely be an annual event!

What to do with Early Finishers?!

This year I have been working to grow as an art teacher and communicate what I do with parents, staff at my school, and (my ultimate goal) other art teachers!  I've taken to twitter (@catnasser), facebook groups, and most recently I have joined the Art Ed Bloggers Network!!

The Art Ed Bloggers Network is a partnership of art teachers from across the country.  On the second Tuesday of each month, all these amazing teachers blog and post on the same topic.  I am so thrilled to join them! This month we are talking about early finishers, so here we go....

I think this is the age old art teacher dilemma.  On one hand you want to give students something meaningful to work on.  On the other you don't want them to rush through the "real" work 

just so they can get to the "fun" activity.  

And then of course there is the matter of free draw...should you allow it? When do you allow it? Sheesh!

I've broken down my early finisher activities into 3 categories: 

Extensions, Previews, and Open Exploration.

Extensions 

I often try to plan for a follow up lesson as an extension of what we have just finished.

This fall my 4th grade Artovators created Geometric String Art Designs.  Check out my post on this lesson here.   As a fun extension I had students use Spirograph to create designs and then add extra details and colors to them.

 They loved it!

The Preview

The other end of the extensions is the preview.  These tasks can help set the stage for upcoming projects.  A preview can be an art task or a research task.  

3rd grade artists created clay owls this year.  Right before this lesson, I put out pictures of owls and had 3rd grade early finishers focus on creating implied owl textures using drawing materials.

I also used Padlet this year as a preview.  As a lead up to our Rube Goldberg lesson, my 6th grade Artovation classes researched and posted facts, videos, and pictures about simple machines.

Check out our  Rube Goldberg Padlet here!

Open Exploration

Finally, I'm always trying to find meaning opportunities for open exploration in the art room.  I've been experimenting with choice boards for a few years.  I have a giant grid set up on the wall.  The grid acts like a menu.  Students can choose from different items to try if they are done early.  Items vary from independent reading from my "student art library", artist trading cards, helping in the artroom, and other exercises to help students work on various art skills.  

I think students enjoy having options and choice, but it definitely took some getting used to in the beginning.  "Wait, can't I just free draw?"

I am also in the process of setting up a small makerspace in my K-2 school that I'm calling The Tinker Lab!  It is going to have a lego center, a cardboard attachments center, and bins of ideas of tasks and open discovery.  Here's a little preview:

Thanks for learning about early finishers with me - make sure to check back for next month's post!

This post is a part of The Art Ed Blogger's Network: Monthly Tips and Inspiration from Art Teacher Blogs. On the first Tuesday each month, each of these art teacher blogs will post their best ideas on the same topic.

Participating Art Teacher Blogs:

• Art Class Curator
• Art Ed Guru
• Art is Basic
• Art Room Blog
• Art Teacher Tales
• Art with Mr. E
• Arte a Scuola
• Artful Artsy Amy
• Capitol of Creativity
• Create Art with ME
• MiniMatisse
• Mona Lisa Lives Here
• Mr. Calvert's Art Room Happenings
• Mrs. Boudreaux's Amazing Art Room
• Mrs. T's Art Room
• Ms. Nasser’s Art Studio
• Party in the Art Room
• shine brite zamorano
• Tales from the Traveling Art Teacher
• There's a Dragon in my Art Room

Fuller Meadow Secret Artist vol. 20

This week of Secret Artists (week of 4/2) were determined to wow me with their effort this week.  

They were helpers and well rounded young artists!

Good Job!

Picture Group: Alison G. (KN), Jackson P. (1KH), Ella M. (2M), Ben Y. (1T), Tyler M.(KH), 

Kallie Q. (1K), Caden M. (2K)

Not Pictured (Sticker Group): Ryan L. (1S), Ryan M.(2L), Payton L. (KL)

Fuller Meadow Secret Artist vol. 19

Check out the latest group of Secret Artists from the week of March 26th!  

I've been so thrilled to see so many young artists rising to the occasion and 

proving they have what it takes to be Secret Artist! 

Picture Group: Jameson D. (KH), Ria K (2B), Owen D.(1K), Ariel S.(2K), Brady B.(2M), Jenna S.(1EH)

Sticker Group: Andrew H. (KN), Bridget G. (1KH), Markos S. (KO), Genarro R. (1S)