Mixing Paint and Drawing Bugs!

  

This past week I had my kindergarten and first grade mixing the primary colors to create the secondary colors. We watched this fun video from the band Ok Go about the primary colors. By the end of the class, all of the students were singing along and able to name the secondary colors! Not only did the video help the students to name the primary colors, but actually mixing their primary colors on a paper plate to create the secondary colors really solidified their knowledge of color theory. Actual experiences are much richer for student learning and engagement then just talking about the subject.

The prekindergarten students also watched a video book last week, but it was not about the primary colors, it was about bugs! The video was a story book called Bugs, Bugs, Bugs by Bob Barner. It is super colorful and engaging for my young students. At the end of the video the students learn about each type of bug that was talked about in the story. Fun little facts about each one.

Next, I taught the young students how to use observational drawing to create bugs. I showed the students how to hold the bug in your hand while drawing it with your other hand. I was so impressed at how my three and four year olds grasped this wonderful skill so quickly. Their bugs were to interesting to look at and the students really caught all the small details of the plastic bugs! I have a lot of great future artists in my prekindergarten class!

 I also had an extra special kindergarten class this week that was able to experience warm and cool colors whoile painting in the hallway! We had a weird thing happen with the heat in the building and my art room was literally freezing. So, being flexible we moved art class into the hallway!

  

I introduced the students to warm and cool colors and how they can make us feel. Next, we taped large poster paper the wall with painters tape and created boxes and triangles. Inside these spaces we painted warm and cool colors. Pictured here is  partner group of two who experimented with the cool color green and the warm color yellow. The results are so fun and cheery!

A Bit About Me

I thought it might be nice to share a bit about myself. I have been living in Washington DC for two years now and I am going into my third year of teaching in DC. I also used to live in Pennsylvania, about an hour north of Philadelphia, where I taught for three years. Being an art teacher is the best job in the world and I really do love it. However, I do have many more interests in my life outside of school.

Since moving to DC, I have found myself at museums pretty often. There is no shortage of great things to see here! (art and non art related places!) Two of my favorite museums for art are the National Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery of Art's Modern Wing. Both places are an a great place to go on a rainy afternoon! Their programs are a lot of fun and teach you to really view and question the art. The Portrait Gallery also has a lovely atrium, which serves food and drinks, and is a nice quiet place to sit.

 

Another one of my most favorite things is my Boston Terrier, Bella! My students always know who Bella is because I talk about her a lot. She is a great dog, who loves to tug of war with her toys and snuggle on the sofa. Here she is in my parents back yard in Pennsylvania. I think she misses roaming outside as much as I do. Here in DC, however, I do ride my bike a lot. So that helps with missing the open green spaces of Pennsylvania. If you are in need of a bike, there is a great program called Phoenix Bikes in Virginia that helps kids earn a bike. I suggest checking them out! 

 

This past year I also started my own business called Crinkle. Crinkle brings pop up studio art classes to kids and adults in the DC area. Right now I am hosting my workshops in a small clothing boutique in Petworth. It has been a fun partnership with the owner! People can shop and make art all in one night. So far Crinkle has had painting and print making workshops. Here is a link to the website: Crinkle