Eric Carle Collage Very Inspiring Insects

Students will:

·      See examples of illustrations from The Very books, read the Very Quite Cricket aloud.

·      Watch a video clip of Eric Carle making his collage and study his style of art Great Video for seeing how he makes his collage (also youtube has great clips)

·      Create unique textured paper using various painting tools and techniques that will be used in collage

·      Study insect anatomy (3-part segmented body + wings, 6 legs, antenna)

·      Design and assemble textured paper into a fun insect

Materials:

·      Paint

·      Paint brushes, texture tools

·      Water bucket

·      2- 9x12 inch pieces of paper

·      Scissors

·      Glue

·      12x18 dense white paper to mount bug collage on

(Students explore inventing texture)

(One of my Examples, I will post students as they finish)

Easy printmaking :)

This lesson on self portraits is a really easy way to introduce drawing from life (students will observe themselves in mirror and draw what they see) as well as study facial proportions. This is a really fun and easy printmaking assignment and can be adapted to fit any lower or upper elementary classroom.
Materials:
Paper (the more dense the better)
Pencil
Tracing paper
Printing foam (Basically the same foam trays that you can get from a butcher or take out boxes)
http://www.enasco.com/product/9728499
ink pen's (three different thickness preferred) The pens are what you will use to trace onto the foam
Speedball water based printing ink
Brayer

Mandala

This is a lesson that could be easily adapted for any grade level. 
Mandalas are a historically spiritual representations from the mind that are translated into two-dimensional concentric geometric symbols.
Definitions of what a Mandala is can vary from culture to culture but historically it is defined as a circular design containing concentric geometric forms, images of deities, etc. and symbolizing the universe, totality, or wholeness in Hinduism and Buddhism.
For purpose of this lesson it is a geometric design that is unique to each student, therefore representing and celebrating each students individuality. Creating a Mandala in the classroom is a direct representation of each students mental design process and it is wonderful to see how different they all turn out even though the concept and "directions" are the same.
History of Mandalas

I have also used the Mandala project to aide in multi-cultural assignments. Over time and across cultures people have used this design to represent important ideas, it can be adapted in our culture to incorporate events or people unique to our countries history.
This was a Rosa Parks inspired Mandala created during Black History month.

Mock Stained Glass

This project was inspired by Frank Loyd Wright and his window designs.
I was able to participate in this lesson while i was a teachers aid at the Flint Institute of Art's, Art Camp.
Materials: Clear glue & liquid watercolor (mixed together) puffy paint & old overhead projection sheets or any transparency would work.

Fall Inspired Goldsworthy Lesson

This Fall semester i am finishing my 360 Pre-student teaching at the elementary level. I thought since the leaves were changing it would be the perfect time to introduce a lesson on environmental artist Andy Goldsworthy with a focus on color value.
The kids LOVE it!

I showed a powerpoint & clips from his film Rivers & Tides, the fact that he did not use any tools to create his art & it is impermanent was fascinating for them.VIDEO CLIP
Here it is :)

Share space

I have such a love for Art! In my own process of becoming an Art Educator, I am very often online searching for inspiration for lessons or just see what other teachers are doing with their students. I wanted to create a space to showcase some of the things I have done in my own schooling and with students in Art. So this is my space to share my journey in Art :)