Please Don't Eat the Art

See those right there?  See 'em? What do they look like to you? Popcorn? White cheese puffs?

Well they are all natural. They are made of cornstarch, but I wouldn't put one near my mouth. These splendid little objects are the new bio-degradable packing p-nuts found in all sorts of packages. I have been collecting them for about two years and finally reached a large enough quantity that we are ready to do some sculpture. (Teachers have donated the majority from many science packages shipped to the school)

I start off students with a paper base. We use a circle, however you can likely use any shape you want.

I used this specific size because I didn't want them to work too small.

Cut them out and don't forget to write your name on the back!

Now how do you make sculptures? We moisten each p-nut on a damp sponge. The material melts a wee bit and becomes sticky.

Then press the sticky end onto the base. Repeat this process and begin to stack p-nuts on top of each other. They can be stacked horizontally, vertically, and even diagonally.

I let students use about 20 of these p-nuts and build however they would like to. Some sculptures are tall, short, round, curly, etc. Each one is unique. I also have them choose their 20 before I show them how to stick them together so they don't later lose count.

After their construction, I encourage them to use vibrant color markers to eliminate as much white as possible.

I've seen materials like this in catalogs, but they can cost A LOT.  I was able to get all these free by simply asking people to keep an eye out for those particular packing materials.

I love these because you can make all sorts of connections: recycling, architecture, abstraction, etc. So many options. Clean up is minimal, assembly is easy for any age level, and if someone tries to toss one it isn't going very far.

This project takes about 1 forty minute class and can be loads of fun for that rather wild end of the year.

What To Do During Testing?

The tests may have changed, but that week comes along every year.
Every year in the spring we have testing. It used to be the SAT, but we are doing some state organized test now. It always changes my usual schedule so I came up with a simple project that can be done by all my children easily and always has a great response. Everyone uses the same supplies and it seems to be a great release after a stressful morning of testing.
(**In fact this year I actually had a fourth grade class that walked into the classroom and started cheering when they saw the outline for the project on the whiteboard)

We create the Artful Idiom as I've come to call it. I have selected various idioms that would appropriate for each grade level. I then write the list on the board along with the meaning behind each one. Students are given a 9 x 12" piece of paper, pencils, and colored pencils to create an illustration of one of the idioms.

I tell students that I would like for their illustrations to be funny if possible. Draw the literal meaning of the idiom. Also, I would like to see the text for the idiom somewhere on their drawing.

Cool as a Cucumber

Cute as a Button

Couch Potato, by the way the couch potato is eating potato chips... oh the scandal!

The most popular idiom used by my students is Tough Cookie. I can see Karate dressed cookies, construction worker cookies, Football playing cookies, etc. Hilarious!

Some examples of idioms I use are:

Its Raining Cats and Dogs

Couch Potato

Cool as Cucumber

Tough Cookie

Bats in Your Belfry

Early Bird Catches the Worm

When Pigs Fly

Wait til the Cows Come Home

Blind as a Bat

Cute as a Button

A Leopard Can't Change His Spots

Face the Music

Apple of My Eye

I do have examples of Idiom drawings on the board for students to get ideas from. Many are ones I've created, but also from past students. Brainstorming ideas together before starting to draw is also an excellent idea. 

Poppin' Fish!

We are officially on Spring Break! So I finally have some time to update on a few little things we have been up to.This is a nifty little project that I learned at a state conference several years ago. Alicia, a very talented art teacher in my state shared this project and it has become a staple for me quite regularly for 2nd - 5th grade level students.

First I have my younger students trace a simple fish template, however my older students usually feel more confident so I have them hand draw out a fish shape. Then they draw an eye and lips if they would like to. Also, students are to draw a "fin" in the corner using any kind of line they would like...straight, curving, wiggly, etc. 
Then the fun part... adding patterns. Students draw patterns using markers and/or crayons to fill their entire fish.

The next class we first finish our patterns and make sure we don't forget to color our fin in the corner too!  Students then cut out the fish and the fin. I help the younger ones with this next step.

Students cut a curving line into the fish body to create a "gill". We need it to curve away from the mouth.

Then take the front half of the cut body and slide it over the back to overlap. This "pops" out the body. I will staple for the younger kids, however older ones can glue with a dot. Then the fin receives a dot of glue and is slid into this Popped gill to dry.

Lastly students glue the fish onto a piece of 9 x 12" construction paper in whatever color they would like. We just put a dot of glue on the dorsal fin, mouth, and tail. No need for it anywhere else. They can use crayons and markers to create an environment around their fish. As you can see my students can come up with some really awesome patterns. These examples are created by 3rd grade students.

I love this project. Simple 3-d and my students are always so proud of their works. Because of storage space, students nearly always take this project home on the second week after completion. This was a fun way to begin our break.

This project took 2 forty minute classes to complete. Our materials were the following:
1. 9 x 12" white drawing paper
2. 9 x 12" color construction paper
3. Markers
4. Crayons
5. Scissors
6. Glue
7. Pencils and erasers
8. Templates (if you so choose to)

Something Fishy Going on Around Here

The past two weeks my primary kids have been working on Ocean themed projects. There's a PTO program coming up and the halls are taking on a very nautical theme.

Last week kindergartners created Jellyfish sculptures. These were a huge hit! I know some people regard paper plates as a poor means of sculpture, but when I have zero dollars to spend on supplies and over 100 kids sometimes the paper plate is my best option. I try to do the most with what I have to work with. Besides, isn't this the prettiest little paper plate you have ever seen?

Students were asked to draw patterns with crayons onto the plate.

Next students glued long strings of tissue paper (purples, pinks, and whites) onto the straight edge of the plate. Students could even draw patterns onto the tissue paper tentacles. K students LOVE these! Especially the sound they make when we swam them back to the classroom.

This project took 1 forty minute class.

1 half paper plate, tissue paper in various colors cut into strips, crayons, and school glue.

One point I want to mention in regards to this project is the fact ALL my kindergarteners wanted to "Buzz" their jellyfish. I've discovered SpongeBob has lead our students astray into thinking jellyfish do in fact buzz. <insert a huge sigh here>

Then this week we have made Watercolor Resist seascapes!

We first drew the sand and seaweed together. But the rest was up to them. I had several posters of fish, whales, dophins, etc displayed on the board for reference. Students were allowed to draw any real sea creature or people who could also visit the ocean. Sunken ships and treasure were also options.

Look at the mer-couple! Even the crabs are holding hands. This is so cute!  When this child asked me "Can I draw a mermaid?" I asked her if that was a 'real' sea animal. She responded with "I believe in them." So I agreed to it. So glad I did!

Very alert crab!

(Love the Bermuda pink sand!)

Love when the page is filled!

Also the book fair is here this week, yay! These fantastic books made their way into my arms. I'm so excited about them.

Pete the Cat by Eric Litwin

You are My Work of Art by Sue DiCicco

Baby Bear Saw Blue by Ashley Wolff

Leap Back Home to Me by Lauren Thompson

Spring break is next week... finally.

Hello Fruit Face!

The past few weeks my 4th graders have been very busy working on fruit and vegetable portraits. These are very popular every year, although starting off can be difficult. I collect pictures from magazines of all sorts of fruits and veggies to help them get some inspiration. 

We also take a look at examples of these types of portraits by Guiseppe Arcimboldo at: www.giuseppe-arcimboldo.org

My project rules are:

1. The entire portrait must be created from fruits and vegetables. No pizza, no meat, no dessert. But I do allow seeds and nuts on this project.

2. Students may use parts of the fruit or veg (slices) or change the proportion of things. For example large strawberry head, but small watermelon slice mouth.

3. Lastly, students are to create a frame around their portrait using fruit and veg. It could be only one item, it could be a pattern, or completely random.

We began with pencil and 9 x 12" paper. Students then traced or outlined their fruits and veggies with color markers. We then colored the inside of their shapes with crayons.

This has taken us three forty-minute sessions including a lengthy discussion and introduction on the first meeting. Students who finish early are assigned what I'm calling Vegetable Cars!  Although, I actually gave them the option of choosing any mode of transportation they wanted...planes, trains, helicoptors, monster trucks, etc

They start off the same way as the portraits.. trace with marker... color in with crayon.

My boys especially enjoyed this and I even saw a few fruit and veggie UFOs.

My example

Love these every year. Hopefully I will have a few to hang in the cafeteria soon!

Springy Insects

This week my 2nd and 1st graders have been working on spring insect pictures. With my 2nd graders we created Butterfly Prints! This turned out to be a learning experience for me in getting them to follow the procedures I had planned... even then... a large percentage of them had a tough time letting loose on their art work not being perfect.

We began with pencils, 9 x 12" white construction paper, water container, and yellow-orange-and black paint in a container. (This is a tv dinner tray)  I also like to use old ugly construction paper under their art work to protect the tables.

Then I had students fold their paper in half (hamburger style) like a card or book. We wrote our names with pencil on the back. Then they opened their paper and drew a large number 3 next to the right side so that the top and bottom of the 3 touched the fold.

We painted the number 3 with yellow paint, then folded the paper to print. We repeated this a few times with shapes inside the wings then went on to use orange and lastly black paint.

Fold printing isn't new, but I did get inspired for this idea from www.artprojectgirl.blogspot.com


Then with my 1st graders we created Ladybug Landscapes. This project took 2 weeks. We first read the book The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle. Little kids love this book!

Then we created the landscape by drawing a horizon line at the bottom of a piece of white paper and coloring below with brown crayon. We drew white clouds with white crayon then did a watercolor wash with blue for the sky.

The second day we created the grass and the ladybugs. We first cut long blades of grass from a piece of 4 1/2 x 6"  piece of green construction paper. I emphasized that making one end pointed like a triangle could appear more like real grass. Also they could vary the lengths and widths of each blade.

Then we created the ladybugs on a small piece of red construction paper. Initially I let students draw free hand their circles, but I found they drew entirely too small. So for many I gave them lids to trace to help with the sizing. They drew black dots on the body with black sharpie (although you could subtitute black crayon as well). Cut them out, glued them onto the grass on various heights. Then they used the sharpie to add a curved line head, six legs, and antenna.

I love these! So cute!

Between the frogs, ladybugs, and butterflies my art wall display is set up for spring!

Hoppameleon/Frogs for Kinders

This past week my kindergarten students were learning about amphibians in their classrooms. I try to be interdiscplinary when I can, so we did a project to correspond with it.  I cannot recall where on the internet I found this idea, but credit is due to someone out there! We created Frogs on a Log. I first read them the story "The Hoppameleon" by Paul Geraghty.

Then I showed students how to put lines and shapes together on their paper to create their own "Hoppameleon Frogs".

These are the steps from my lesson plan.

We drew in black crayon. Students then colored their frog's body green, the log brown, the sun yellow, and the eyes red or yellow. They could also leave them white if they chose to.  Lastly, we did a blue watercolor wash over the sky.

I had several compliments on these this past week and today. I'm not sure why since I find this to be a rather simple project, but its been a bit hit. This took 1 forty minute class to complete.

On another note, I have a piece of equipment in my classroom that my co-worker purchased for us. I... just don't think I am a fan. This machinery just isn't working for me.

Believe me... the idea is awesome. The execution... not so much at least on my part. If I have even a smidgen of paper on the crayon I'm sharpening in this machine the whole thing jams. Then getting in to clean it out is a messy and difficult process (especially with black crayons). Don't get me started on the stubby crayons and the ones that break while sharpening...

Until the day the crayons are made longer and less brittle, this is a piece of equipment that collect dust in my classroom. Perhaps I'm the only one who has issues with it, but this is one thing I won't buy for the other classroom I teach in at an intermediate school. Too much grief.