• If you'd like to receive emails every time a new post is added, enter your email below.

Patterned Still Life– 5/6s

By | | ,
Leave a comment
Abstract artwork featuring various geometric patterns in colors like pink, blue, green, yellow, and brown.

The 5/6s were developing their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination through observational drawing of a still-life.  Their goal for this unit was to use proportion, overlap and pattern to create a unified composition of a still-life.  They viewed a slide show presentation of a variety of still life artworks.   Step One: Arrange a still life set up.  Kids should work collaboratively at their table to do so.Step Two:  Draw your picture with pencil first.  The objects must touch at … Read more… →

It’s all good…

By | |
5 Comments
Fire trucks and firefighters are outside a residential house on a good, sunny day. Trees line the street.

It’s all good… Even though my car got totaled this week…. Yes, that’s totaled.  Even though it doesn’t look like that much damage, apparently the cost to fix it is more than the car is worth.  The other person did not have insurance.. or even registration for the car… or matching license plates… Monday I stayed home from school because our daycare provider called in sick. While I was at home with my daughter on Monday, 5 firetrucks zoomed down … Read more… →

Piet Mondrian– Kindergarten

By | | ,
2 Comments
Abstract artwork with colorful crayon scribbles and black paper cutouts, creating a geometric and fragmented design.

What are the Primary Colors?  Who was Piet Mondrian? The Nest will be looking at artwork by the artist named Piet Mondrian.  Some of his artwork was characterized by use of a very simple color scheme (usually the primary colors and black and white). His art had strong, straight lines and repeated use of squares and rectangles.  The students will be able to name the primary colors and recognize Mondrian’s artwork.  They created their own artwork using the primary colors … Read more… →

Nonobjective Line Drawing– 3/4s

By | | ,
2 Comments
Nonobjective pencil drawing with various shaded geometric shapes and lines.

Third/Fourth Grade:  The students learned how to identify realistic, abstract and non-objective art.  The 3/4s worked on a non-objective graphite drawing.  Using only shapes, lines, texture and value the students drew an interesting non-objective design.  Non-objective art is art that has no recognizable objects.  Value in art is the degree of lightness or darkness.  The students completed a value scale using pencil.  They learned how to create contrast by placing dark shades next to light shades, rough texture next to … Read more… →

Felt Monsters!

By | |
5 Comments
Two colorful, box-shaped felt monsters with faces, one orange with black hair and one pink with red and yellow hair.

We also made Felt Monsters in our after school Halloween Crafts Class.  I got the idea from this blog!  Thanks Amanda! Finished monster by 3rd grader Use a piece of wood block, glue a piece of felt to all sides. Gather the rest of the felt and tie with rubber band.  A rectangle of felt can be cut out and glued to the bottom.  Cut out more pieces for the face.  Monsters on parade Lots of monsters We’re coming to … Read more… →

Halloween Wreaths

By | | ,
2 Comments
Halloween wreath with orange, black, and purple decorations, featuring ghost figures and ribbons.

For my Halloween Crafts class, I had 34 kids sign up and I split it into two days.  We had the first session yesterday!  One of the crafts we made were wreaths.  I purchased all kind of Halloween fabric, garland and trinkets and we wrapped, wove and tied them on to the wreath forms.  We used hot glue to attach the little trinkets.  K-5th grade! A student’s finished wreath All of the kids started with a wreath base and then … Read more… →

Two New Books!

By | |
Leave a comment
A hand holds open two books to a page with an illustration of a boy and the titled chapter, "7 The Visit.

Our school librarian, who has a contagious love of books, showed me these two books by Brian Selznick.  I fell in love with them!  I ordered them last week and they came in the mail today, so I have not read them yet. The books are over 500 pages and are about half illustrations and half text.  The illustrations are gorgeous and I am going to incorporate them somehow into an art lesson when I teach shading, crosshatching, and contrast.  … Read more… →

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