1st Grade - Eric Carle Flower Gardens

I LOVE this lesson... so much fun in the Spring! 

The first class, we make several pieces of painted paper, Eric Carle style, using scrapers and sponges. Each table or class makes a batch of a color for everyone to share. (red/oranges. yellow/oranges, blue/violets. yellow/greens, magenta/violets)

The next class, I have it prepped for everyone! 2x9 strips for cutting grass and stems. 3x3 squares for cutting flowers and a 2x9 strip for cutting suns and rays. Once finished, we use Crayola Twistables to draw some flying "friends". They LOVE to draw the flight path for each. 😀

These are 8x8 for Square 1 Art. Even small, they are super cute!

Kindergarten - Eric Carle Very Hungry Caterpillar Collages

Who doesn't LOVE a kindergarten Hungry Caterpillar??? I have done this a couple different ways in the past, but this is my favorite. I like it on YELLOW. I am not sure why, but it makes it so happy! 

Students get to paint a 9x12 yellow piece of paper with green and yellow paint, creating texture with scrapers and sponges. Next time, I give them a 2x9 inch strip, they cut it up into "french fries". Not too thin... then I walk by and put a long line of glue down, they glue it all down. 

Next, they cut out the circles for the caterpillar. Before class, I prep a bunch... I cut all their painted paper up into 3x3's. Their paper becomes community paper, each student gets 5 green and a red, (from other classes who have made painted paper). I hand draw circles on the back for them to cut out. We get the caterpillar glued together and then make a sun in the sky with some yellow orange papers from other classes. If they want clouds, they can cut some blue papers or use markers. 

I love giving them markers to add "friends". I demonstrate how to draw some bugs with dots behind them suggesting movement. They love it! They all like to draw a rainbow. This one is always so sweet when hanging in the hallway, a crowd pleaser for sure! 

5th Grade - Aminah Robinson Self - Portraits

Formally known as, Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson, Aminah Robinson has become one of my top 10 favorite artists I teach.  Her artwork is no narrative, students love to see it, hear the story and are ready to create after the incredible visual stimulation of a slideshow of her work.

Here are a few fun facts about Aminah Robinson along with some of my favorite original pieces of hers:

• Aminah lived her entire life in Columbus, Ohio
• Aminah decided one day, she was sick and tired of doing her hair, so she cut it all off.  She lived many years bald by choice.
• The elder women in her family had a huge impact on her art. They shared many stories of how their ancestors came from Africa as slaves, and then the road to freedom.  Aminah’s art is filled with these stories and stories of others she found in hundreds of hours of research in the library, one of her favorite places.
• Aminah’s dad also impacted her art, he taught her to see with deep concentration.  She would look at something until she could turn away and sketch it from memory in her sketchbook. He taught her how to sculpt out of “Hogmawg” – a made up clay, made from mud, sticks, glue and pigment.
• Aminah is most known for her “RagGonNon’s” – A work of art that took years to create and research. They reference the past, present and future.

After becoming completely motivated, my students jumped in with two feet to create these super fun Mixed Media Self - Portraits!  First, we drew the portraits with pencil on a 12x16 piece of watercolor paper. 

Next step, we outlined with fine tip Sharpie markers and used watercolors to paint them.  I encouraged realistic coloring or abstract. Up to them!

Next, we glued them to a piece of 20x16 foam core. Basically, what I had a on hand. Then, we used oil pastels, marker, and fabric pieces to embellish the board. Students were given the challenge to add something that was important to them. Many used words like Dance, Art, Music, Create, a specific sport... anything they are into.

5th Grade - One Point Perspective

Here are TWO ways to complete this One Point Perspective lesson. I have seen this lesson in Instagram a couple different ways. I am not the originator of this lesson, but LOVE both methods of finishing! 

I prefer creating the 3D shapes and coloring with oil pastel on white or oak tagboard. It makes it much easier to cut and glue onto a background. 

This lesson is not just a 3D drawing lesson, but a color and value blending lesson. I asked students to practice each at least once. 

When we chose to do the black paper and splatters, I had students rotate around the room from table to table to use different colors. 

Always an impressive finish! Either way!