More Quilling

I can't get enough quilling.  These are from last year.  We used spring colors.  How cheerful!

Spring Bloosoms

Second grade students painted this branch of spring bloosoms for Mother's Day.  Their classroom teacher adds poetry the children wrote.  The finished prouduct is rolled up and tied with a ribbon, just like an Asian scroll.
When students walk in to the room, the lights are low and bamboo flute music is playing.  In Asian culture painting is a form of meditation, so no one talks during work time.  We use a bamboo brush and water color paints for the branch.
During the second class students paint the blossoms.  I reuse styrofoam breakfast trays for the paints.  The kids use a q-tip for the blossoms, and their finger for the green leaves.  I find it helpful to remind them, they are not lining up the bloosms with the branches.  They are creating an interesting collection of blossoms (color).  Objects in nature are random not orderly.

Since I already had the paint trays, I reused them for an extra first grade class the same afternoon.  The first graders made a still life.  Students select a 9x12 background color, and a 9x3 table color to glue at the bottom.  They make a vase by folding the paper and cutting lengthwise.  After adding a pen outline and details, they sign their name and start painting.  They found lots of interesting ways to make flowers.  These were done in one class time!

Scrap Box Sculpture

Every teacher needs an easy one shot lesson kids will love.  Scrap box sculptures are inspired by the work of artist George Sugarman, whose large metal sculpures look a lot like paper cut-outs.  His work is bright and colorful.  While Sugarmans sculptures are mostly abstract, sometimes kids see realistic touches.  After viewing the Sugarman sculptures, I review the three dimensions of space that make a sculpture (height, width and depth).  Then the work begins.  We leave five minutes at the end of class to walk around and compliment our friends.

teacher prouduct

Gum Eyeball

My kindergarten students love making this gum ball machine.  It is an exercise in shapes and sharing.  The original idea came from Doug Vitarius. The picture goes with the Shell Silverstien poem "Gum Eyeball".  Originally, I used a white circle and a red trapezoid for the gum ball machine.  But like many others my schedule is so tight, I don't have time to cut all those shapes. 
So this year I am trying it with tracers.  I am using plastic lids (cool whip, etc) and scrap cardboard I cut into a trapezoid.  Students will trace a lid and the trapezoid with a pencil. Great for fine motor skills.  With permanent pen we will outline and add details, then color.  I drew the eyeball on this one.  I may surprise them, and glue a large wiggle eye instead if time allows.
Each table gets one box of paint markers to make the gumballs.  As I demonstrate how to use the paint dotters, I talk about how important sharing is.  If we don't share, no one can have all the gumball colors!  Sharing is a way to show caring and friendship.  Those are both good feelings to have in our class!
When they are finished, I will mount each 9x12 drawing on a 12x18 colred paper with a copy of the poem centered underneath. 

The Tiny Seed

I read my first grade students The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle.  It is a great way to tie into science and nature.  I also put the word texture on the board.  I point out the way Eric Carle uses texture in his pictures.  When students have their picture glued, I ask them to use a permanent marker to add texture in their picture (seeds inside the flower, roots, veins in the leaf, etc.)  I also point out how Eric Carle uses size relationships to make the flowers look small and BIG.  Students put one or two details in the picture that help show size relationships.  Another great way to have fun with size relationships is to cut and glue a photo of each student next to the flower.





Wayne Thiebaud Landscape

 I love the abstract landscapes of Wayne Thiebaud (Tee-Bo).  After viewing several to identify land forms and abstract colors, my 5th graders, painted these landscapes using the primary colors (magenta, turquoise and yellow) plus white.  I find if I don't give students white paint, their colors are too intense.  We also briefly reviewed the color wheel to keep colors bright not muddy.  I had fun making my own!

Mrs. P

Chloe

Aayesha

Katrina

Quilling

Each student filled a six inch box made from construction paper.  I cut 1x18 inch strips on the paper cutter.



I showed examples of quilling from the internet. 



I showed students how to make a tight roll.  And then a loose roll that can be folded into shapes.
Week two, I showed them how to make a heart.  They came up with many more createve ideas on how to combine color and shape.