Secondary Colors Monster Trucks

Kindergarten students explored secondary colors along with line, shape and painting by creating these awesome monster trucks.  Students began by listening to the story, I Stink by, Kate and Jim McMullen to draw inspiration for making a monster truck.  Students worked on their trucks by  painting a rather large rectangle in the center of their paper followed by adding circles for wheels and more rectangles, squares and triangles for their trucks design. 

The next class, students used a secondary color, (green, purple or orange) to fill in their trucks and experimented with color value by switching to a new shade of color inside each shape of their truck.  While half the class was painting their trucks, the other half was experimenting with mixing primary colors to get their secondary color by using toy trucks to paint with.  It was so much fun!

Look at those wheel go!  Red + Blue = Purple!

Vroom vroom!  Yellow + Red = Orange

The last day was to put all the pieces together.  Students made a frame of black paper and yellow dotted lines to represent roads going around their art work.  Student then glued down tissue paper  to add some texture to their composition.  Lastly, students cut our their trucks and glued them onto the paper.

Three Primary Colors

Kindergarten students began the year with an introduction to the primary colors.  We watched the above video to gain some background knowledge with this very catchy tune!  We then set off to use the primary colors by painting in sections of their paper yellow, red, and blue.

   

 In this lesson we focused on how to use a paintbrush properly, and how to clean our brushes before switching colors.

 
The next week, we talked about lines and patterns.  Students used a white oil pastel to add line details to their artwork.  This was then followed by some stamping exploration using various size circles from yogurt cups to marker caps.  Students made circle designs across their paper trying to make their mark in each of the primary color sections.
 
Bravo to a job well done!

   

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

The kindergarten students in Mrs. Brandi's class made these awesome Chicka Chicka Boom Boom pictures.  After I read aloud the book by Bill MartinJr. and John Archambault, the class identified key elements to the illustrations: an orange background, a coconut tree and lots of letters.  From there, we got right to work and began color mixing.  We talked about primary colors and how mixing yellow with red will result in orange.  We put this to the test and used great BIG brush strokes to cover the background of their artwork.

On day two, we had a gluing lesson and began to stick down all the parts of our coconut tree.  We began with the bright purple boarder around the paper which really framed the composition.  Then we  practiced our cutting skills but cutting a brown rectangle into two equal parts to stretch the coconut tree up the paper.  Then we made zig-zag lines along green paper to make the design of the palm leaves.  We also added the coconuts and sun to the picture,  Last, we stamped our letters going up the coconut tree.  What fun!

Texture Apples

Kindergarten students are creating texture apples to decorate the art room.  As a class, we discussed the word texture and touched a variety of different materials to deepen our understanding of the word.  We gathered a sampling of different red papers, fabrics, and odd recycled goods to fill out collage apples with.

After our texture discussion, students went back to their groups and used an apple template to trace an apple shape on their paper.  Teamwork was emphasized so that one peer held the template down while the other student was tracing.  Once all students traced an apple on their paper, I demonstrated how to operate a glue stick.  Too much turning of the dial leads to a stick mess, fast.  We learned that you only need a small amount of glue and to only turn the dial when necessary.

Love these textures: rough, smooth, rubbery

Glue sticks in action!

Day two was all about embellishing these texture collage apples.  Students began by adding more texture to their apples and review gluing techniques.  Next, students used crayons to color in the empty white spaces inside their apples to add another layer of color to the stems and leaves.  Students used markers to trace and outline their apples using red for the fruit, brown for the stem, and green for the leaves.  The final step was practicing cutting skills by reviewing how to properly hold and operate scissors.  These kindergarten students did a WONDERFUL job!!!

Just look at how beautiful this texture tree came out!!

Getting Started

This year I'm excited to be joining the Glover Elementary school as a part-time visual art teacher. I've inherited this amazing art room and plan on documenting the year through this blog.  The pictures below represent the expectations of the room.  

Students are expected to be A.R.T stars while in class.  It is their responsibility to come into class with a great Attitude, be Respectful to peers, materials and the classroom, and to always Try Your Best!

Students are expected to take an active part in the art room.  It is important for students to understand that the key to a successful art room is keeping materials tidy and sharing the responsibility of the distribution and clean-up process. This system has six essential jobs for students to participate in. Tables are assigned a job for the week and each week the jobs will rotate so that all students share in these procedures.  The jobs are as follows:

Supply Distributor

Supply Collector

Table Inspector

Floor Inspector

Artwork Collector

Critique

Students will be able to see what project they are working on by observing the Today's Focus board.  On this yellow and purple grid, classes are divided into grade level and examples of each project will be on display.  Standards and key vocabulary will be posted as well.  In addition, the purple Artistic Word Wall will post a culmination of art vocabulary learned throughout the year.  

Upon exiting the room, classes will have an opportunity to reflect on their A.R.T behaviors and assess whether or not the class earned a sticker for their efforts.  The above check list is a tangible way for students to see if the group followed the room's expectations.  If the class fulfills at least 5 out of the 7 expectations then they earn a sticker.  After the class earns 10 stickers, they can earn an incentive such as free time, music, or even choice of seating.

This is going to be such an exciting year of art making at the Glover School.  Come back often to see all the amazing art that will be created in Room 12!!!