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Category Archives: Uncategorized

Art History Sketchbook Prompts: Set #2

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Art History Sketchbook Prompts: Set #2

My first set of Art History Sketchbook Prompts have been popular and I recently made a second set with all different artists and prompts. This new set has 16 NEW art history prompts!   16 DIFFERENT artists. These art history cards feature a selection of inspiring artworks with a prompt that can be used to spark drawing and writing. Print off the cards on cardstock, cut in half and laminate to protect them. You can print off as many copies … Read more… →

Digital Portfolio vs. Paper Portfolio

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Digital Portfolio vs. Paper Portfolio

In response to the blog post Art Teacher Portfolio Ideas, Abby Rappel asked, “Can I use my website portfolio instead of a paper portfolio on interviews or do schools still want to see paper form portfolios?” That is a great question!  When I was in college (12 years ago), we were required to make a paper portfolio in a binder.  Digital portfolios were not as big as they are now.  I believe the college now requires the students to make … Read more… →

Postage Stamp Art Project

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Postage Stamp Art Project

Here are two templates to use for postage stamps:  one full stamp or a sheet of nine. You could also just draw them in boxes and then cut them out with those craft scissors that have the funky edges. My 4th/5th grade class designed their own postage stamps.  I brought in a box of stamps for them to look through and see up close.  I also showed them a short Powerpoint about stamps throughout history. There is information on the … Read more… →

Line Windsocks for Kindergarten

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Line Windsocks for Kindergarten

Last week, I posted about line drawings that my kindergarten students made with oil pastels and watercolor paints. To finish these off, my students glued paper strip lines (folded to make zig zags, curled and pleated) to the bottom of the page.  The students reinforced their learning of types of lines and were introduced to paper manipulation techniques. Then, we rolled and stapled them at the top and bottom to create a hanging windsock.  A little bit of double stick … Read more… →

Self-Pinning and Other Pinterest Talk

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Self-Pinning and Other Pinterest Talk

I enjoy using Pinterest.  It is a great tool for getting ideas for lesson plans and for random fun ideas for my own personal life.  Do you use Pinterest?  What are the pitfalls of Pinterest?  In this blog post, first I will talk about where I got this idea for a blog post (self-pinning) and then I will talk about some of the reasons I like Pinterest and then some pitfalls of Pinterest. Self-Pinning:  the act of pinning something you … Read more… →

Back to School Bulletin Board

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Back to School Bulletin Board

Well, another school year has begun! We’ve had one week of classes and I have been pleased with my student’s behavior, effort and creativity thus far. What I was not pleased with was catching strep throat the first week of school!  I had to stay home the second day.  🙁  My daughter got sick the week before, so I that is where I got my illness from.  I am mostly back to normal now, so let’s hope the rest of … Read more… →

Favorite Art Projects for Kids: Roundup of Kindergarten Lessons

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Collage of four kindergarten art projects with text "10 Favorite Art Projects for Kids" on the top left.

Perhaps you are new to my blog or you would like to see some of my favorite kindergarten art projects from the past.  Look no further!  Here is a round-up of my 10 favorites. 1.  Cool Hands, Warm Heart 2.  Map of My Heart 3.  Paper Mache Rattles 4.  Texture Teddy Bears 5. Line Sculpture with Wire and Pipe Cleaners 6.  The Dot 7.  Clay Leaf Dishes 8.  Paper Weavings 9.  Line Paintings 10.  Sunflower Observational Paintings Also, I updated … Read more… →

Summer Art Making!

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Colorful collages featuring a mix of shapes, patterns, and text with cheerful designs and inspirational phrases evoke the joy of summer.

We went to Saugatuck, Michigan last week (bet you didn’t know that, because I pre-scheduled blog posts for that time.  You really should be careful what information you give out when you are leaving town. You don’t want to come back to a ransacked house!)  Anyways, we were gone for about 5 days and went to the Indiana Dunes and stayed in a cabin in Saugatuck.  We went with my brothers, nieces/nephews and my parents. We had a blast riding … Read more… →

Art Centers at the Children’s Museum

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We took a trip this week to our local children’s museum in Madison.  I was busy chasing around my daughter, but I managed to snap a few pictures of the awesomeness in this place.  The museum is amazing.  The lower level has a lot of things geared for dramatic play, such as a pretend garden, a water room, dress-up, puppets, etc.  There is also an amazing “bone” bridge to climb.  The upper level has building materials, like Tinker toys, Legos, … Read more… →

Amazing Back to School Giveaway!

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Amazing Back to School Giveaway!

***** Giveaway is now closed! ***   Hi, friends!  Back to school is almost here and because I love giveaways (and have been very lucky winning things from other blogs) I put together a “back to school kit” for one lucky teacher or parent.  To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post and tell me what you like best about going back to school. Roaring Spring Paper sent me a box of different notebooks as a free sample.  … Read more… →

Watercolor Bird Paintings by First Graders

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Watercolor Bird Paintings by First Graders

I love these charming birds by the 1st graders!  So colorful and a beautiful experience with watercolors. We read the lovely book The Boy Who Drew Birds, which is about the naturalist/artist John James Audubon.  It is a great book that tells the story of how he loved to study birds and spent his free time as a child drawing and observing nature.  Audubon banded birds to see if the same birds returned each year.  It is a great book … Read more… →

Starry Night Kindergarten Art Project

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Starry Night Kindergarten Art Project

Here is an easy Starry Night inspired project that I like to teach to my kindergarten art classes. There is a great Van Gogh book for kids called “Getting to Know the Greatest Artists”, by Mike Venezia (my favorite series of art books for kids.) After viewing the swirling lines, dots and dashes that Van Gogh used, the students create a wild and swirly night sky scene with markers.  A silhouettte landscape or city scene is added on the bottom … Read more… →

Art Teacher Portfolio Ideas for an Interview

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Collage of an art teacher's portfolio with project examples, a binder, and informative documents displayed.

I got the idea to write this post based on a recent discussion about teaching portfolios in the Facebook Art Teachers group.  I thought sharing parts of mine might be helpful to a prospective teacher who is building their portfolio.  These are all my opinions and you might have a better way to show your teaching experience.  Another teacher suggested bringing an iPad to the interview with digital pictures.  I think that would be a fantastic way to show your … Read more… →

How I’m Spending My Summer Vacation

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Three young girls in white dresses dance on a grassy lawn in front of a large white tent with cars parked nearby.

I decided to take the summer off from teaching any classes or workshops.  This is the first summer in about 9 years that I haven’t worked or taught any workshops at all.  Daria will only be little once!  We’ve been having a blast with many activities. Swim Lessons Daria has really loved taking swim lessons.  While she is at her lesson, I’m not really supposed to “hover”, so I’ve been either working out in exercise center (there’s a window so … Read more… →

  • Banner with colorful artwork promoting an art shop featuring kindness coloring pages, artist activities, and resources for teachers.