2nd Grade Friendly Monsters

 The focus for this project was organic shape.  Students took a loop of string, and experimented with creating different organic shapes on a large piece of paper.  Once the perfect shape was created, students traced it, cut it out, and used it to create an imaginative monster.  The kids had great fun with this lesson, and the hallway display produced many smiles!

4th Grade Vases and Faces

  This is a new project that I discovered on Pinterest, a great site for ideas!  The kids LOVED it, and it is an excellent way to teach negative space- the space around or in between an object.  I traced everyone's silhouette while we were working on another project, and then we were ready to roll.  We explored the work of M. C. Escher, and also discussed how to use line and shape to make the vase look more 3D.  I will definitely be repeating this lesson next year!

Cute Cat Alert!

 First graders used geometric shapes to create these cute cats, and were very excited about the 3-D aspect of this project.  Although this is a Halloween type of activity, students will be able to apply what they have learned when they want to create a different 4 legged animal.  Meow!!

Coil Pots Fresh Out of the Kiln!

 There's nothing like opening up the kiln after a glaze firing - it's so exciting to see the results of such hard work on the part of 4th grade students.  These pieces are from Mrs. G,'s class, and Mrs. Kern's class, and reflect a great deal of creative coiling.  Glazing is a new experience for this grade level, and they were cooperative, responsible kids throughout the process.  3 more classes to fire - I can't wait!

Mondrian in 1st Grade

Students were introduced to the line family, which includes vertical Vicky, horizontal Harry, and diagonal Dan.  After looking at some of Mondrian's artwork, they created a line design, and added squares and rectangles in primary colors. Many exciting discoveries were made when shapes were glued in layers!

3rd Grade Lions

This is a perfect project for Tesago kids, since our mascot is the lion!  Students had great fun creating visual texture in the manes of their lions.  We used color very creatively, and consulted the color wheel to determine which  oil pastel colors would blend and mix most effectively.

5th Grade Landscapes

 The focus for this landscape project was to include foreground, middle ground, and background details.  Realistic landscapes can be tricky for elementary students, but using tooling foil, embossing and engraving, and bright color made it fun.  On his evaluation form, one boy wrote that landscapes are beautiful and cool.  Mission accomplished!

3rd Grade Watercolor Wonders

 The focus for the first few 3rd grade projects is on texture.  I teach this watercolor lesson every year, because students LOVE the discovery of salt as a texture technique - and because the resulting paintings are always beautiful.  I usually bring in an elephant ear leaf, to spark a discussion about leaf shape and structure, and to increase student awareness of the natural world. Fall is definitely my favorite season! 

2nd Graders love Gustav Klimt!

 This project has evolved through the years, from a realistic tree drawing with traditional fall colors, to a Klimt inspired tree with gold, silver, and a bit of sequin bling.  The highlight for students is printing with real leaves, which is accomplished at a station, and takes 2 classes to complete.  The kids also have fun using various hole punchers to create the leaves, although gluing them is a bit tricky (toothpicks and elmers glue).  All students were successful in drawing this type of spiral tree, whereas the former realistic tree was a struggle for some.  Success for all - that is my goal!   These trees are truly stunning!

First Graders are Pizza Chefs!

  1st graders have been working very hard to finish these pizzas!  There is a lot of cutting and gluing involved with this project, and the focus in on geometric shapes.  It is a very good first lesson, because it allows me to evaluate where my new students are at in terms of skill level.  It is also great fun for the kids, and there was a lot of discussion in the art room about favorite toppings.  Yum!

Massive Mosaics

 One of the biggest mosaics in the world is at Camana Bay, Grand Cayman Island.  The mosaic is 4 stories high and depicts an ocean scene, from the surface, to deep water, with every coral reef creature you can imagine.  It was an impressive sight,and must have been a massive undertaking!