What would you do?

So today is the last time I see my kiddos for the quarter.
We are having a work day followed by "THE GREAT FLAKE CHALLENGE" for those who are done.
I have told all my classes...Your work HAS to be turned in by Friday!  No Exceptions!  No credit for 1st semester work will be given during 2nd semester!  
I told them they could take their work home and finish... just make sure I have it by Friday!

3 different times today I had students leave unfinished projects in their folders.
1 student took his to finish... he claimed he didn't understand that he had to have his done Friday also?
1 student turned it in unfinished... he said he would just take whatever grade he got on it.
1 student refused to do anything.  I reminded him that turning in something was better than nothing.  Nope. He wasn't turning any of it in.

I don't get it.

What would you have done?

Illuminated Letters... sort of anyway.

one of my students just happened to spell his name while putting them away... :)

My 6th graders are finishing up their "illuminated" clay letters.  They are using illuminated letters as the foundation for their next two assignments. (clay and printmaking).  For this assignment they were to create their first or last initial in a clay slab.  They had to have a minimum of 3 layers.  We finished them by painting them with tempera cakes and Dick Blick Varnish.

They are really beautiful and I love the way the varnish makes them shine.

Check out more at ARTSONIA

Use your Brain

Last year a student gave me this picture

after my "use your Right brain in art class" talk.

Little did he know that it would be the foundation for an assignment he would have to do in 6th grade.  Here is his project from 6th grade.

The project required the student to take a personality assessment that helped the learn if they were a stronger left brain or a stronger right brain.  They then researched the characteristics of each type of learning.  They listed the things the most related to them.  We also looked at some of the hundred's of graphic images comparing left brain vs. right brain. (just google left brain vs. right brain and hit image) Then they got to going. 

Their image had to show how their brain worked (more left, more right, in the middle).  2 days worth of kids used their photos.  

While 2 days worth of kids used a photo of a brain.

You can check out more of them at artsonia.com

Forgery?

I loved this project by another couple of teachers and had to share.

I was walking down the hall and saw all these turkeys.

I was enjoying them until I realized a few had copied their neighbors.

And then I looked closer.

They all were copies!  How could the teachers ever allow them to do that, let alone display these copies.

WEEEELLLLLLL, it seems I shouldn't jump to conclusions.

Each student colored and turkey and then wrote a descriptive paragraph about their image.  The other team of students received the written paragraph and were to recreate the image.  The two images side by side were the original and the copy.

How awesome is that.  I was thinking this could be an awesome listening, drawing skill practice.  Without the writing one student could look at the image and explain it to another.  They could each do a twenty minute drawing during one class period.

I think this might just have to go into "gonna do" pile for those odd days when the schedule is changed or kids come out of order or you have seen one group 3 times and the other groups once.... you know the kind.

p.s. Haylee's test results game out great.  Some changes to her diet will make the most difference.  Thank you all for your prayers.  I know they helped!

Stationery Card

Stationery Card

View the entire collection of cards.

Stationery Card

Stationery Card

View the entire collection of cards.

Prayers please...

As a mom it is tough to not have answers about your kiddo's.  My daughter Haylee has been feeling less than great lately.  

She is an awesome, spunky loving little kindergartner.  We have a doctor apt. this week.  I am asking for prayers that the doctor has the knowledge and ability to help us know what is going on. 

 Thank you!

A working mom's contribution

My daughter's kindergarten class is having a Thanksgiving party today.  They needed someone to lead the craft project and NO ONE came forward.  Well I couldn't do it as I had to be at school today (some legal rule about not being gone the day before or after a school break).  I felt bad... so I solved the problem in my own way...

I made a video of me teaching the lesson.  

So I am leading the craft project...but I am just not actually there to do it! 

I hope it works out!  

Enjoy it...

I saw this posted on facebook last night.  

It was the greatest!

I hope you enjoy it.

(due to language it is not good for schools.... just for art teacher's souls!)

EPIC RAP BATTLE 

Bob Ross vs. Pablo Picasso

Update...

A while back I posted about Alex and all the great things he has been up to.

I just had to show you his finished windmill:

Elements of Art Organizer

This is a direct steal that is toooooo awesome not to share.

Mrs. Impey over at Art Room 104 posted this great post about an elements of art graphic organizer and I knew it was exactly what I was looking for.  

My 6th graders started the year (yeah this is another catch up post) creating these graphic organizers.  I gave them detailed typed out notes and they could create their own definition or copy mine.  I loved how they reviewed the elements of Art and provide my students with an easy reference for the rest of the year. 

and a close up of some notes

I will be putting this in my "use again" file.  Thank you for sharing Mrs. Impey!

Finally...

I was feeling a little (okay... completely) overwhelmed at school.
So.... 14 hours later, life is better!  The room is cleaned up, the stuff is put away, the markers are sorted, the next projects are ready to go.  Now I can breath!

So to update you on something I mentioned a LONG time ago... Collage Bugs!

My 6th graders first assignment was to create a watercolor and collage bug image that reflected the knowledge of the elements of art.  In my previous post I talked about my frustrations with the assignment but in the end there were some really AWESOME solutions.

Some of my favorite parts are:

a giant locust

a human bug

3-D Butterfly

See through wasp wings

this bee is amazing!

I love the tree's texture!

check out more at Artsonia.com

My "Real" Room

The blog "Teaching with Grace" challenged us to show off our REAL classroom.  "This Old Art Room" shared the challenge so I am passing on my real room:

Have a great weekend!  

I am taking an art class and can't wait!

One of my favorite things...

Awhile back I posted about clay.

Today we started finishing our clay projects.  I have to say that I love this part.  I especially love "staining" our clay projects.  The magic of it all is awesome. Read here to know more about it.

Today they started with getting their projects back, oil pastel'n the details and then staining them.  It was magical fun!

Here are some pinwheels from the first two classes:

Here are some trivets:

Check out Artsonia to see them all.