It's the Night Before...

...school officially starts!! I am excited to share some instagram photos from my classroom set up this week. Here is a view of one side of the classroom, the cabinet doors are ready for the daily objective displays and the colored paper lanterns are hanging! 

 

 I think of should have had Behr paints sponsor my classroom this year! I used so many of their paint chips to decorate the door for the year. I also used their samples inside a clear frame for the students to know which table is which and how to check off that their art room jobs are complete. A wonderful way to foster engagement and classroom management!

 

 These paint samples are from Martha Stewart and they created an inspiring back splash for my side counter. I hope the kids love it!

Donate to the Art Room!

I want to give my little artists so much more than school budgets allow. One way to perfectly get supplies that we need is through the website Donors Choose. Please feel free to give to our classroom page at any time of the year! Whether is is $5 or $50 it will being joy to the children of Langley! You can click the picture above or use the link to the right that has a little desk on it.

Donors Choose is also not the only way you can donate supplies to the art room, but you can also drop off old magazines, newspapers, empty cups and containers, and egg cartons. Pretty much if it is trash, we can use it in a creative and new way!

Andy Goldsworthy Lesson

I love to introduce my students to new artists and Andy Goldsworthy is one of the most exciting. He is British and works entirely with natural objects out in nature. I begin with this video called Rivers and Tides, it shows how Andy makes his sculptures. They are striking and so visual. The students will also do a following activity, such as write down three words that describe Andy's work, or write Andy a question. You can also observe some of his work on his website. 

 

While on vacation in New Hampshire this summer, I thought about Andy Goldsworthy and how to incorporate a lesson with natural objects like he does. I thought about how his work is not permanent. This is something that traditional schools never really do. I wanted my students to create something but just have it be for "in the moment" and then its gone. 

So, I came up with this group activity / lesson. The teacher gathers natural materials to bring into the class. The teacher then lays these materials out on the tables and has a group of students work together to make an artistic creation. This lesson can be extended with a gallery walk and talk about other team's work as well as a written reflection about their created piece. 

 

 

I would start by showing the students the video of Andy Goldsworthy and his work as well as some of these visuals that I took images of in New Hampshire. Talk with the students about textures and symmetry. View many kinds of plants, rocks, leaves, etc. Then let the students touch the items and together as a team build something beautiful!