Welcome Back!

Welcome Back!  It's going to be a great school year.  I can't wait to see what my students create this year.  I am also very excited about the new "choice center" in my classroom.  I will post more about it later; but basically it is an area in the classroom filled with art activites that students can help themselves to if they finish their artwork early.  Some of the activities include: free draw with drawing boards, word bubble art critique, art books, free-sculpt with play-doh, puzzles, art word bingo, and one of my favorites, magnetic mosaics.

Here is a picture of the magnetic mosiacs.  In this activity, students can create a mosaic using various colored magnets.



If you have any questions, comments, or ideas for our art program...leave me a comment!

Stay tuned for more exciting news throughout the school year about what is going on in the art room and in the arts community of our area!

Also, look for art newsletters throughout the year in your child's agenda/backpack!

Behavior Color Palette

In my classroom, I have a behavior color palette for each class that comes to art.  Each palette has their classroom teacher's name at the top with an empty palette and 8 color splats at the bottom.  Each time they come to art, a class has an opportunity to earn a color splat on their palette (the goal is to fill their palette with color by earning all 8 color splats)!  I used velcro to attach the splats.  When a class fills their palette with all 8 splats, they earn a free art day.  That means that we might go outside and do earth art, we might watch an art movie, or play an art game.  Some of the games we have played in the pass include art hangman and pin the ear on Van Gogh.

Art Wall

I have an "art wall" in my classroom that decorates a large board that hangs behind my desk.  It is filled with student art from lessons I have taught over the years as well as various art students have given me as a gift!  I love this wall, because I think it helps inspire both me and the students.  It is nice for us to look at past accomplishments and proof of our talented group!

Underwater Mural

My first year teacing in the public schools, one of my principals jokingly told me, "Ok, this is your chance to outdo the last art teacher and prove you are a better artist!"  What she meant and what she explained to me, was that she wanted me to create a mural on one of our school walls.  Not ever having done such a thing, I was a little nervous, but in the end it turned out really cute.  I love the ocean and all of the whimsical creatures that are associated.  Also, i admittedly have a bit of an obsession with coral.  It's just so neat, intricate, and beautiful.  So, naturally, I decided to do an underwater scene for the mural.  I started by sketching things out with my all time favorite art supply, a black Sharpe marker.  Then, I painted everything in with acrylic paint.  This was my very first mural, so I was pretty pleased!

Starry Night Mural

Last year I painted my classroom a bright blue color (the actual color was called "Bay City Blue").  My favorite colors are any combinations of blues and greens, so I accented with lime green.  I have a huge blank wall in the back of my classroom, so I thought, "Why don't I paint a mural there?"  So, I did!  I sketched my humble verison of famous Dutch artist, Vincent van Gogh's Starry Night and commenced painting.