May 12th - Computer Art

My schedule works out pretty nice, for teaching over 600 students every week.  I have a "regular" schedule on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday where I see 3 5th grade classes and 3 6th grade classes each day.  On Wednesdays I get to have a different schedule as we have a 2:00 district wide dismissal for PLC time.  Since my plan time is very limited the other 4 days, I get to have 3 classes of plan time and 3 "bonus" classes for my 6th graders.  Each quarter is a different days classes; this quarter I see my Monday 6th graders.  

We use this time to create technology based artwork.  (plus it works better for me to use the computer lab every Wednesday all year long rather than filling it up for a week or two at a time) We have really spent the year focusing on using the basic paint program.  We start simple and work our way up.  

Project #1 requires them to fill a "page" with shapes and a few lines.  They will then use the paint bucket feature to fill in the shapes with no more than 3 colors. 

Project #2 is a color wheel.  They again us the shape drawing feature but this time they add the skill of creating custom colors.  

Project #3 is the silhouette value scale.  Students learn how to paste an image from an outside source and then add colors to the background.  

Project #4 is a complimentary color scheme op art image.  These require the students to review what they have learned and practice recreating a similar shape multiple times by redrawing them.

Project #5 is to create a computer bug.  This requires the students to create one image, select it, copy it and paste it to fill the page.  

Project #6 is one of my favorite... the Kaleidoscope project.  Students create a small image in a square. They then copy, paste and rotate the square to create a kaleidoscope image.  

The best part of working in the computer lab is how awesome "turn in" has been this year.  Artsonia's new Artsonia Classroom has made having the students turn in their digital work a snap. They go to Artsonia.com, enter a code, upload their image to their correct exhibit and write an artist statement.  It is AWESOME!  Go check it out at our school museum.