Mother's Day Beadmaking Craft

For this lesson, we cut out hearts as the background of our Mother's Day cards. We were to finish the sentence "I love my mom because...." and I added "she is my best friend." We then designed them with markers to add any detail we wanted to. Then, we used six inch strips of magazine paper to create varying "beads" for a bracelet. We had to use different kinds of beads, which were made by cutting different types of strips, rolling them up, and gluing the ends. These different beads were then arranged to create pattern, whether it be by color, size, or design. Lastly, they were strung on yarn, tied, and taped to the card made at the beginning of class. 

As an extension activity, I would have the students make necklaces using the same bead making technique. This would allow them to use more colors, patterns, and types of beads to create a necklace that they could use as name tags in the classroom. The construction paper could be used to write their name on and attached to the necklace. It could help the students and the teacher get to know each other's names at the beginning of the year and would be fun for them to make as well!

Picasso Faces

This particular lesson used clay to make Picasso faces that focused on Cubism and modern art. The class began by rolling out clay between two boards so everyone's slab was the same width. Then, we cut out a face shape using pottery tools and sectioned off our face into four sections, creating different designs in each. These designs were made using tools, pencils, hair brushes, and anything else we could think of. Then, we took the clay scraps from cutting out the face, rolled it out again, and created the eyes, nose and mouth. The face features were attacted by scoring the back of them and using water. We then painted the whole face with black paint. Once it was dry, we had to come back on our own time and paint each section and the face features with different colors.

As an extension activity, I would begin by skipping the whole step of painting the face black and just paint with colors right away. This would save a lot of time and would be more effective since elementary or middle school students could not come back after school hours to complete their project. This would also allow for the Picasso face to be a one day lesson. Other things that could be made using the same techniques are animals, objects, letters, etc.

Seasons - Our Lesson

The lesson Kelsey and I gave to the class was entitled "Seasons," where we focused on incorporating science into our art lesson by making trees of the colder seasons; fall and winter. We began by going over vocabulary words needed for the lesson, which of course were fall and winter. We asked the class what fall and winter feel and look like, what activities are done during those seasons, and showed pictures of each. Then we gave the actual definition of both. Next, we demonstrated how to make the tree trunk using your arm and hand, and crumpled it up to depict texture.

 

The remaining vocabulary words were discussed next, which included texture, emphasis, cool colors, and warm colors. Students were to be sure to use warm colors if they chose a fall picture and cool colors if they chose a winter picture. They also were to show emphasis by having their tree as the main focus and texture using cotton balls and/or tissue paper as well as the tree bark. Kelsey and I then showed how to create and apply the tissue paper and cotton balls, and finally how to add final details to the background. Lastly, students wrote down two characteristics they used in their picture that relate to the discussion we had at the beginning of class.

 

As an extension activity, we could have students create a tree for each season as we learn about them in a unit. This way, they could practice creating characteristics and using the color schemes of all seasons to ensure understanding of all four instead of just one. Students could then display all four of their trees and see how the different seasons look for each!

 

After our lesson was complete and all projects had been graded, Kelsey and I created a display board where many of the trees were hung. The board reads "Winter and Falls Seasons!" and also includes a description, the class name, and our names as the teachers.

A Box of Crayons

This lesson focused on the fact that we are all different and to embrace each other's varying characteristics. We started by trading places with other peers who had some similar traits as us (hair color, number of siblings, home state, etc.) to show that no one is exactly the same. Then we made monster drawings where three people drew the head, trunk, or legs to see a final monster that is different. The last activity was the picture on the left, where we were to draw ourselves in the middle of the crayon and colors or designs that we liked best. I drew myself wearing an NSU sweatshirt, which is my typical attire, and in sunshine with NO snow! The colors represent "warm" colors and "warm" weather as well, since I love summer. It also ties in with my background.

The extension activity I would use would be to actually nix the crayon drawing all together and stay focused on the monster drawings. I think the students had more fun doing that over the crayon activity. However, I would change the monster drawing up by having students draw their own head, body, and legs on three separate sheets of paper, making sure they were each very different from each other. Then, the class could create combinations of monsters using different body parts on the board or within their pods/tables. This way, students aren't stuck with whatever body part their neighbor decided to make, and it would be beneficial for them to see the many combinations of monsters that could be made with other peers "different" body parts!

Mother's Day Scratch Art

This particular project was very fun and different from other projects I had ever done in elementary school. It was called "scratch art," and with this technique the class made Mother's Day cards. We began by coloring a half sheet of paper entirely using crayons, making sure to color as firmly and dark as possible so none of the paper was showing beneath the crayon. Then, we painted over the paper with black paint until it was completely smooth and dried. Next, we took our other half sheet of paper, folded it, and labeled the front and the back to avoid confusion. We drew pictures and/or words that relate to Mother's Day, as discussed at the beginning of the lesson, to create the front and back of our card. Then, we rubbed the lead from our pencils on the back side of the cards just drawn on. Lastly, the class traced their drawings onto the dry, painted black paper and used the wooden stick provided to scratch away the paint and reveal the crayon colors below until the card was completely decorated. This was to be done using cross-hatching, stippling, and other techniques learned at the beginning of the lesson. For a final touch, we glued a small piece of paper to the inside of the card and wrote a Mother's Day message.

 

For the extension activity in my own classroom, I would this technique as a fun game or instructional tool for studying, picking the order of students for various activities, or stations. I would do this by having a picture, word, name, etc. written below the paint, depending on what particular activity I would use it for. Let's say, for example, I was teaching students about the parts of a flower in science class. I could have a picture of a flower and next to it, the labels covered in the black paint. Students would have to scratch away the paint to reveal the names of the flower parts. It would be fun for them but still a useful study guide for future tests. I could also use this same technique for say, lining up at the door. Students could be given a small square and have to scratch off or write their name into it, revealing which color is below. Those with red could line up, then blue, etc. It would be much more fun and interesting for the students than a printed worksheet or calling off names.

 

Culture Masks

The culture masks lesson was started out with a brief introduction on culture and different masks for varying groups of people. The class received a paper plate and was to cut out eyes and then paint it any color they wanted, between orange, red, peach, or brown. Once they were painted and out to dry, we used pipe cleaners, construction paper, foam sheets, and yarn to create whatever wacky hair we wanted to. The hair was then applied to the dry paper plates and we could add glitter, a nose, stickers, foam pieces, beads, or any other materials we wanted to finish the mask.

 

 

As an extension activity, I would have my class create masks that relate and follow characteristics of an actual culture or group of people, such as Native American, Aztec, ancient Egypt, etc. This would help reiterate the different cultures and how they are integrated in their masks, rather than just making masks that look crazy and silly. It would also be fun to see how the students integrate what they have learned from each culture and apply it to their masks.

Holiday Printmaking

This group's project was based on printmaking. We began by brainstorming some of our favorite holidays and the drawings that could go along with them. Then, the class drew a scene or picture that represented a holiday of their choice onto the provided foam trays with a pencil. We were to draw large, simple pictures and shapes so they would show up once "printed" with ink. We then got to draw another design on another foam tray using geometric or organic shapes. I drew my holiday tray as the 4th of July with a lake and a large firework for emphasis. My second tray used organic shapes to make a design. Lastly, we rolled different colors of ink onto five copies of our drawings to dry, and wrote on a note card why we picked the holiday drawn.

 

As an extension activity, I would have the students draw one picture that they were able to spend more time on perfecting and getting just right; even if that meant starting over more than once. This way, students can focus on one picture and be able to pick their favorites out of five prints. When there are two pictures, there are only two to three tries to get a color and quality print made of one picture. I also found it time consuming to have to wash off two separate pictures to make more than one copy. This would allow for fewer rinses and more focus on one quality picture.