Using Videos in the Art Room
So many of you may wonder why I use so many videos during my lessons. My room is extremely small and I have absolutely NO demo room. For all 25-36 students to see what I am doing I have found it is easier to project a demo video that I can pause, rewind, or fast forward as needed and not have to draw the same lesson 8 times in a week. I created my YouTube channel, Mrs. Paintbrush - Misti Scaggs, strictly as a platform to better control the videos with. It is easier to pause a YouTube video than it is to pause the Window's Movie Maker I use to create the videos with. Also, surprisingly, the kids listen better to virtual me than real me!
Asian Unit
The next 3 weeks will be devoted to the customs and culture of the Chinese. Being from Northeast Texas, we do not have a large Mandarin population, but the artistry and beauty of the country and its artwork are undeniable to any student. This is always a huge hit and I do these lessons every year.
My 3rd graders are studying the legend of the Chinese Dragon and we drew and painted a dragon on large paper. We used a 17" x 12" (I have to cut an inch off so the artwork will fit into the copier paper portfolio boxes I have to keep artwork for art show in.)
Week 1 we discuss the different geographical regions of china using the video vlog form Mr. Zoller's Geography Vlog. I created a worksheet to accompany the video and we worked through it together. This took the whole 45 minute class period.
The map I found on the web and saved it for later use with this lesson. It was found on WorksheetWorks.com
Week 2 we watched a read aloud called The Legend of the Chinese Dragon. Written by Marie Seller, this book discusses the different regions of China and the folk lore of each region. It was a great resource to accompany this lesson. This day, we just drew our dragon.
Week 3 we will paint our dragon and Upload it to Artsonia before turning it into the drying rack marked 3rd grade.
Week 1 - 4th Grade did the same geography lesson with the same worksheet as 3rd Grade.
We watched this amazing video produced by Christie's about a talented Japanese artist Takuji Hamanaka takes us inside his Brooklyn studio to explain why he adopted a centuries-old technique to create contemporary woodblock prints. The student's were just blown away with the composition of the artwork he displayed for the clip.
Week 2 - we reviewed the previous lesson and watched a clip to better understand The Great Wave, Better Know the Great Wave | The Art Assignment | PBS Digital Studios. This video gave modern references as well as historical references pertaining to the Great Wave.
We drew our wave with dark blue oil pastel.
Week 3 - Students will be able to choose what medium they want to add color to their drawings with. They will get a choice of 3: Tempera Cakes, Chalk pastels, and my favorite oil pastels. They will add color and upload to their Artsonia accounts before turning them into the drying racks or their Teacher Portfolio Boxes.
Week 1 of 1st Grade: Koi Fish Facts Worksheet we used to accompany the video we used to learn about the Koi Fish by Animal Fact Files.
On the opposite side of the worksheet I put a coloring page I found online for free of Koi Fish and the students colored their fish using the 7 colors we discussed during the video.
Week 2 - 1st Grade is explored the Legend of the Koi Fish. I found this great video for a read aloud about the legend of the Dragon Gate and the Koi Fish, A Koi Story, directed and animated by Emma Louise Brelt and Phare. The illustrations in this video are truly stunning. I loved it!
Students drew their fish with a guided drawing lesson from my channel.
Week 3 - students will paint their fish and background, upload to Artsonia and turn them into the drying rack.
2nd Grade - Chinese Vases
Week 1 - students watched an advertisement by Viking Cruise Lines on a brief history of Chinese Porcelain. I showed a few pieces of my own wedding China (although I did NOT pass it around.)
We answered a few questions regarding porcelain then I gave the students a blank coloring sheet with the silhouette of a vase on it to design their own with.
Week 2 - we drew our vase talking about symmetry, line, and pattern.
Week 3 - students will cut out their vase, paint a background on a separate piece of paper, and glue their vase to the background. I will have them use oil pastels to draw flowers in their vase before painting the background.
When their composition is complete they will upload it to Artsonia and turn it into the drying rack.
