I made this Wacky Weaving Challenge at the end of Distance Learning last spring 2020, and just came across it. It's actually pretty useful and I couldn't find a place where I had posted it before, so wanted to share!
Weaving food was definitely their favorite, but there were a bunch of creative choices.
The handout is full of linked videos or websites, so this is a .pdf page that would have to be shared via Google Classroom or on the web somehow so the kids can just click on it.
I enjoy teaching about Wassily Kandinsky's art mostly because I like to play Flight of the Valkyries for the first graders and kind of scare them a little. I read that Wagner was a favorite composer of Kandinsky's, so I go with it.
I also like the kids to pretend like they have synesthesia to an extent. I want them to learn about lines, line qualities, shapes, and colors. I don't actually care if they "feel" the music in a classroom setting of 23 first graders, or I'd end up with 23 scribble scrabbled brown and green "masterpieces". Not my jam. Feel the music at home, kid.
I like to show the Mati and Dada Video about Kandinsky to start off the lesson. Most of these videos are pretty great because they show just enough information to keep the kids entertained and then end. Whoever decided 7 minutes was enough art history in cartoon form was a genius. If you watch these on YouTube, definitely bring the link over to ViewPure though. These videos are cluttered with pop ups!! Also, if you've watched nearly all of them like I have, there is a formula that they follow that the kids haven't picked up onto yet. Literally the same thing happens in every episode with a different artist, different media.... anyway.
This year I made my OWN little video demonstration of the entire lesson. I make goofy voices. It's how I teach. If you want to see the whole lesson in action:
When I do actually start to teach the lesson, as mentioned above, there are some limitations. Even so, no two projects look the same, and the kids are still learning what I'm trying to teach. There is also a direction sheet for this lesson. Direction sheets are great for students to see what they are supposed to be doing, and what is coming next. It is not a step-by-step-do-it-this-way-or-the-highway page, it is just additional guidance. Plus, when you get kids saying "what am I supposed to do now?" You can say, "Read the directions!"
This lesson ended up being spread out over several weeks for my class because of holidays and field trips. To review the information I showed the class a video of someone reading the book "The Noisy Paint Box." It is cute and gives some nice information about Kandinsky's life, work, and inspirations.
Here are some pictures from my friends painting on day one. I used Rubbermaid - Egg Keeper containers for the tempera. (I've tried others like stack & snap lids etc.... but the Rubbermaid - Egg Keeper is the best. My favorite tempera is Crayola Premier .
I was a little nervous on our last day when I passed out the black oil pastels for our super black-thick-black-outlines. I was suddenly seeing little black finger prints all over the place. However, I needn't worry. I started hearing music as I photographed the finished pieces!
This is my first year with my middle-schoolers, and I have had a rough time knowing what skills they have, and which they still really need to work on.
After our last value study project seemed like a real struggle, I thought I'd take it easy with a step-by-step guide on drawing and shading color values with Christmas ornaments. This project is not concerned so much with the reflections of the ornaments. We only concentrated on 3 parts: cast shadow, mid-tones, and highlight. We also practiced building layers with our oil pastels and mixing tints and shades. Also, I teach in a Catholic school - so Christmas ornaments are A-OKay.
I started with a handout full of stolen images from the Internet and a PowerPoint too. We discussed the parts of light and shade that create value and the difference between grayscale and monochromatic color schemes.
The handout coincides with the slides on the PowerPoint and discusses vocabulary.
Next, I take the students step-by-step through the process of drawing and coloring and rendering their Christmas ornament in 3D. They do actually have an ornament in front of them to look at and draw. The slides were up on the TV as the kids worked, so we mostly all stayed together, but some friends needed additional help.
Included in the handout is a rubric for this lesson. Overall I am pleased with the results! I only see my middle schoolers once a week for 45 minutes. It was a learning process at the beginning of the year, and I felt I was never going to get through any sort of curriculum. We've started working smaller and less independently, and that seems to work. Here are some student works:
For my middle-schoolers architecture unit, I decided to concentrate on the Victorian era. It's close to winter break so I've chosen our drawings to be gingerbread houses!
I've stolen some images from the Internet and put together a PowerPoint presentation to show the class.
The PowerPoint shows images of Victorian Style gingerbread houses, and real gingerbread houses. It also lists some of the architectural attributes of Victorian homes that I want the kids to learn.
I also made a handout with directions and key vocabulary. It includes the rubric for this lesson as well.
Here is the first video where I show how I drew the project. This demonstrates how they should start with simple shapes then add detail.
Here is the second video where I paint the gingerbread house with watercolor.
Handwritten Fonts is a perfect addition for any lesson the requires the students to handwrite something kind of fancy! Instead of their dull handwriting, or printing it out on a computer, students can reference this handy page. Handwritten Fonts shows students six different types of fancy handwriting that they could easily copy. There is also room to practice. The entire alphabet is shown in capital letters.
This handout is part of the complete lesson "Anyone Can Teach Art: The Name's the Thing" available in my store. That lesson is part of "The Art Teacher's Substitute Notebook" which is also available!
Here is another sample page from Ande Cook that was sent out with SchoolArts magazine several years ago. The page "Expressive Line" challenges students to imagine everything a line can do. I wrote up a brief sub lesson for this worksheet explaining everything the teacher should do to help students understand this exercise.
Here is Ande Cook's book Art Starters that a lot of these worksheets from SchoolArts are originally from.
I've said it before, I'll say it again: Don't teach the elements and principles of art. Do not make up exercises specifically to teach line, or texture, or space...etc. Use the elements and principles in your lessons, not as your lesson.
So, here is another one! I copied this from Ande Cook's Art Starters. A mini colorful one page handout quizzing your class on what they know about the elements and principles. I think they will hate it and your intermediate kids might not even understand it. However, if you really want to pound in those vocab words - here is some great practice!
Here is Ande Cook's book Art Starters that a lot of these worksheets from SchoolArts are originally from.
Second grade is when I teach students how to draw people in action. We start with robots and gingerbread men and study Keith Haring's art. I use this worksheet to show the kids that when you draw a person, it is all just basic shapes. It only makes a difference how you pose them. I did not make this, but got it from a co-worker a million years ago!
I just realized the crazy amount of free resources and lessons I have compiled on my Pinterest boards. If you are interested in pinning and saving some of these much loved resources, check out my pin board.
My most popular pin is Ande Cook's "Drawing Masks" and really... anything else with the word "handout" in it!
I recently published "The Art Teacher's Substitute Notebook: K-2 Lessons." It is a compilation of 12 complete lessons for the art teacher to leave on her desk in case a sub is necessary. Maybe you aren't interested in 12 complete lessons right now... don't worry, you can pick and choose one at a time! Click the links to learn more about each lesson and see a preview of the pages.
Available now, The Name's the Thing! This lesson combines, color schemes, design principles and fancy handwriting. Includes a handout on how to write fancy letters.
It's a Zoo! This lesson concentrates on basic shape drawing and composition skills. Comes with an easy "how to draw" page and very detailed directions.
Also available, Big Butterflies. This lessons concentrates on balance and pattern.
Available for free is Candy House. This lesson combines fairy tales and architecture and has great illustrations and a brainstorming page.
I recently published "The Art Teacher's Substitute Notebook: K-2 Lessons." It is a compilation of 12 complete lessons for the art teacher to leave on her desk in case a sub is necessary. Maybe you aren't interested in 12 complete lessons right now... don't worry, you can pick and choose one at a time! Click the links to learn more about each lesson.
Now available, It's a Zoo! This lesson concentrates on basic shape drawing and composition skills. Comes with an easy "how to draw" page and very detailed directions.
Also available, Big Butterflies. This lessons concentrates on balance and pattern.
Available for free is Candy House. This lesson combines fairy tales and architecture and has great illustrations and a brainstorming page.
This notebook provides 12 complete curriculum appropriate lessons designed to be taught by anyone without an art education background.
Each lesson:
•has an introduction to the lesson basics and theme
•shows several student examples and graphics to inspire the students and teacher
•includes all the necessary worksheets and brainstorming pages
•can be taught with minimal supplies (paper, pencils, markers, scissors, glue! That's it!)
The Art Teacher’s Substitute Notebook: K-2 Lessons includes lessons based on the themes of identity, and architecture. The elements of line, shape, and color. The principles of balance, emphasis, and pattern, basic shape drawing, the parts of composition, AND MORE!
The lessons in The Art Teacher's Substitute Notebook: K-2 Lessons would also be great for home schools and classroom teachers who need to add art to their curriculum!
Twelve complete lessons include eight ready to pass out worksheets, two ready to pass out handouts, and peace of mind!
We’ve all had terrible substitutes enter our elementary art room and destroy it. Not following plans, using special supplies, or letting kids run wild. Even substitute teachers with good intentions can often wreak havoc on an art room, or be scared to teach the prepared lesson. The Art Teacher’s Substitute Notebook: K-2 Lessons, combined with The Art Teacher’s Substitute Notebook: The Basicswill benefit your sub, your students, and you.
I’ve been developing this notebook for over six years. I’ve left these lessons for subs, and even taught them myself. They have been proven to be simple to teach and educational. Substitutes will not be afraid to teach art anymore!
I know people usually do not read my blah blah blah stuff under the download, so in a way this makes it more embarrassing. The Artistic Styles assignment page might be printed off or saved and used as a legitimate assignment sheet!
It's embarrassing because it was written for my high school students my first or second year of teaching. Which means a lot of unnecessary bold and underlining, vague and misleading descriptions, and crazy specific objectives. A plus is that it was before the embrace of Visual Culture - which means I was simply ahead of my time as an art educator.
The lesson itself is a cool idea. My HS teaching days were before Artsonia, so I do not have any photos of the completed project - but also, I have no recollection of this project ever being completed! You'd think I'd remember kids sitting around drawing McDonald's Mulan toys, or WWF Superstars. Weird.
Basically, the best part of this assignment sheet are the illustrations of Darth Vader which provides more fodder for my Star Wars obsession.
Fourth and Fifth graders can have some difficulty understanding how to draw shadows and how to see things in 3D. I like to set up still life objects and shine a harsh light to really get them to see the difference between light and dark. This two-page handout could lend itself to some nice practice, but in my experience has proven to be confusing and not really necessary for the elementary set. It would be a useful take-home, sketchbook page, or substitute assignment for older students.
The Animal Stamps Handout gives nice instructions. This one is geared for older students though. It involves cutting a gum eraser with an x-acto blade - which is awesome - but not really practical for the little guys!
The Ande Cook handouts were part of a SchoolArts subscription, or you can get her book: Art Starters
The Construct a Diamond Polyhedron handout by Ande Cook came in a packet I received a million years ago when I subscribed to SchoolArts. They are dated 1996 - but I wasn't teaching back then, so I am not sure when they originally came out. I will be posting the rest of the packet as well!
Each handout is simple for most intermediate and secondary students to understand. They would also be handy to leave for a sub!
Here is Ande Cook's book Art Starters that a lot of these worksheets from SchoolArts are originally from.
The Hieroglyphics Handout is a pretty extensive breakdown of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics. Unfortunately, I do not know where it came from and this copy is not the best. But it is so detailed! I wanted to include it on the blog.
