PAUL KLEE LINES & PATTERNS

The past two weeks we have been rediscovering lines and all they can do for our drawings.  I am introducing them to the 1st graders and reintroducing them to the 2nd - 4th graders. It is always fun getting antiquated again with our favorites. 

1st grade drew a Paul Klee inspired cat.  I do not have pictures of this lesson.  They are currently in a bag waiting to be uploaded to Artsonia.  I have not had the upload lesson just yet with 1st graders.  I usually wait to introduce Artsonia until the 2nd semester. They are still just learning the basics of the art room and to add another thing is just too much for my Littles. 

I should say, these are all lessons from  Deep Space Sparkle Member's Club.  

Any of you who have followed me for a while know these are my absolute FAVORITE lessons to do.  They are tried, true, and pretend art teacher proof! LOL!  

2nd Grade had fun with line and pattern with this Paul Klee Man.  Some thought he was a robot, others thought an alien, but we all had fun with the lines, shapes, and pattern.  These were created with a black oil pastel directed drawing and painted the next week. 

3rd Grade used the new Crayola Oil Pastels to create these beautiful Castles and Suns.  We drew the castle with a white oil pastel the first day and the next they had to fill each shape created with the oil pastels. They turned out beautifully and I will always order Crayola oil pastels in the future.  The colors are so bright and beautiful! On the black construction paper they really pop!

4th Grade also did a Paul Klee inspired drawing.  I didn't tell them this but they did this exact lesson when they were in 2nd grade.  The improvement was amazing!  This is another reason I love having my students for 4 years in a row.  I get to see the progression of their talent.  We created this drawing with a black oil pastel on white paper  one week and painted it with temper cakes the next week. These turned out so great! 

The Art Room

A few pictures of my classroom for this year.  It took me quite a while to decide on my door.  I had finally decided on a design when my BFF the music teacher who is right next door to me totally stepped it up!  Wish I had pics of her door...I will get some and add them later, but she totally ROCKED the Deck your Door challenge!  I had to rethink my design totally and come up with something just as awesome! So....This is what I came up with.  Our theme is 

Growing Greatness....Whatever it Takes!

Not super excited about this board, but I will add to it as the year goes along.

The Gallery Board.  Last year I had frames on a black background and it took up the entire wall to the floor.  But this year I had to reduce the size to accommodate my drying racks.  So this is my compromise...Only students that get complemented by other students on their excellent work get on The Gallery Wall.  Makes them feel very special.  What they don't realize is I hang EVERYONE'S artwork in the hallway, all 800.  But there is something special in a child's mind about The Gallery Wall.

This brick wall and I have a love/hate relationship.  I love that I have an "accent" wall.  Something different to break up the boring white walls, but getting ANYTHING to stick to this wall is impossible.  It is weird brick,  it has this "grit" all over the wall.  Ticky Tack is no match for this monster wall!  BUT! I have discovered its Kryptonite...Hot Glue!  Shhhhhhhhh!  Don't tell Facility Services/Maintenance!  I also had to use 3M outdoor double sided tape to mount that white board to the wall.  

We use the C.H.A.M.P.S.  behavior management in our district so we have to have the Champs posted in the room.  You are supposed to move tabs up and down the board to let the students know what the expectation.  Instead of listing every expectation I do it all in one word...well two words...I use the Mona Lisa approach.  I say Mona and the students say Lisa.  We go over the first day of Art Class the expectation of Mona Lisa.  Mona sits with her 

1.  Noises off (Conversation - C)

2.  Body is still (Movement - M)

3.  Eyes are on the Speaker - (Activity - A)

4.  Hands are in their lap (Participation - P)

H and S are a given.  Students are listening to instruction and success is the end product in all Art Projects.