The past two weeks we have been talking about the element of Line in all grades. I try to keep some continuity throughout the lessons just because it makes it easier for me. Helps me remember what we are doing, how we are doing it and saves time. I have absolutely NO spare minutes between classes. As one class is leaving the room, another is waiting outside the room to come in.
This lesson was a great success. It helped review Line for my 2nd-4th Graders and introduced the vocabulary of different lines for my 1st Graders. It also reminded my older grades how FAST Art Class really is!
I have 45 minutes to load the chairs, introduce the lesson, present the technique, pass out the paper (I don't put the paper on the table because I have some that can not resist getting started before they even know what is expected for the day!), give expectations, and our goals for the day. I let the kids go on their own and 10 minutes before class ends I have a bell that rings to warn they have 5 minutes left to work. A second bell rings 5 minutes after that and this is their signal to CLEAN UP!! This gives us 5 minutes to clean up and get the classroom ready for the next class, go over our expectations of the day (did you do our standard 6 expectations which I will post about later), and reveal our Secret Student. All before the teacher shows up to pick up his/her students.
This lesson really reminded the students that time FLIES in the art room!!
Thanks goes to Patty Palmer at Deep Space Sparkle for our lessons this week. You will see this a lot! I am an official Sparkler and LOVE the lessons offered to Members in the Members Club. As soon as she offered this club I joined right away and have enjoyed AMAZING art in my room ever since. She has so many more years experience than I and I learn something every time I do a lesson from DSS!
My First lesson was with 4th Grade. We watched a short Youtube video on St. Basil and Ivan the Terrible and the construction of St. Basil's Cathedral. We looked at the construction, discussed what Lines we see on the outside of the Cathedral.
Students sketch their Cathedrals on White paper, adding pattern to show contrast, and tracing with a sharpie.
On the second day, students chose 3 chalk pastels from the same color family and starting at the top of the paper with their darkest color we discussed cross hatching the chalk and "massaging" the color into the paper. The middle of the paper is for the medium color, and the bottom of the paper their lightest color. They blended with small circular motions with ONE finger. This was difficult for many students and I had lots of whole hand smearing going on! Next they cut out their Cathedral's and glued them to the new background. The end result is amazing!! They look so great hanging in the hallway, however I had a lot of students not finish. They spent too much time on intricate patterns and ran out of time.
3rd Grade looked at Line and Shape. We drew delivery trucks using our basic shapes......rectangles, squares, circles, and triangles. We discussed where we see delivery trucks, what are some of the things they deliver, and what would your delivery truck deliver to you. I got everything from Toxic Gas to a Giant Bowl of Spaghetti with a Huge Meatball! LOL!
Students followed the same process, sketching lightly and tracing with a Sharpie.
On Day 2 they finished coloring their trucks. It was difficult to get students to NOT add a background because it has been sung for years to FILL UP THE SPACE and do the background. Students then got another sheet of paper and drew a scene. Where is your delivery truck going? They then cut out their trucks and glued them to their background. I think they did an amazing job! Again, many did not finish.
2nd Grade read the book Elmer the Elephant by David McKee.
Students followed a Directed Line Drawing to draw their Elmer and then added whatever pattern they wanted. They sketched with a pencil and traced with a Sharpie, finally coloring with markers.
As you can see, it is VERY busy in the Art Room and I forgot to take pictures of the finished elephants. I will post the finished work soon. They really turned out great!
1st Grade learned what each line is called, how to draw them, and then took their favorite 4 for a walk across their paper. Clifford even came by for a visit and learn about LINE!
Students then used tempera cakes to paint LOTS and LOTS of color in the different spaces their lines made.
I strung a center wire to cut my slabs in half. I cut up a cheep dollar store plastic table cloth into rectangles to place between the clay slabs and put 20 into a bag. I did 8 bags for 12 bags to accommodate myself and about 200 students with a little extra just in case.
