Kinder Hot Air Balloons

After teaching for 9 years, this is the first year I've been at one school.  This is also the first year I've had Kindergartners in art.  Wow!  What an eye-opener!  After the first day, I actually e-mailed my friend, who's had Kinder students for as many years as I haven't, and asked "What do I do?!"  Here are the steps to enjoying art with Kindergarten:

1.  Relax.  They're in kindergarten.  

2. Keep it simple.  The simplest way to complete a project

is often the best way.

3. Plan 2 activities, not just 1.  This fills their time, and keeps them 

focused.  For example, read a book, then do an activity.

Here is our first big Kindergarten project!  We created hot air balloons based on the book, Up, Up, Up by Susan Reed.  We are studying how to be better artists, and our focus is using lines and shapes to make amazing art.  Do you think we accomplished this?  I sure do!

Elements of Art

Last year, I decided to try something new.  I always organize my units by one common theme throughout the year.  For example, 1st grade does Elements of Art, 4th grade focuses on Cultures, 3rd grade artists, etc.  Sometimes, especially the littles, they don't really connect our in-class work to our theme.  Back to last year.  I decided to start my first graders off with a 2-day, formal lesson about each element.  Typically I find formal lessons tedious, but I made a worksheet and a Prezi to go with it, including fun videos about color, shapes, etc.  And it worked!  This is one of the best discoveries I have made as a teacher.  When I FORMALLY taught all the elements at once, I had students raising their hands talking about Paul Klee's Castle and Sun, as art that didn't have deep space.  Or they could tell me they saw the primary colors in the art.  Or that nothing looked like it had form, or was round.  Seriously, first graders! Before trying it this way, our conversation would center around the shapes used in Klee's painting, like triangles and squares.  Vast improvement! So I thought I would share my worksheets.  Below are the blank versions (front and back) and a finished example.  I also start the year off this way with 2nd grade, as a review.  

Repeat Pattern Stacks

I like to start the year off with short, fun, and creative projects.  Something to get our feet wet without diving into the deep end.  Repeat pattern stacks are a great way to do this!  I stumbled across these at www.rainbowelephant.com.  She has a video that shows students the step-by-step process, as well as printable handouts.  I also have a pattern handout I use to inspire more complex patterns.  We discussed unity and variety, and how pattern creates movement in art while making these.  I got some VERY creative designs this year!  

  

Howard Perrin Art Show

 

Last night was the Howard Perrin Art Show.  We had a GREAT turnout - and I had some wonderful volunteers help set up, work, and take it all down.

 

Kids who attended also had a chance to make some crafts (for free).   Their choices this year were:

 

Printmaking/Stamping

Paper Weaving

Pebble Magnet

Group Project

 

Thanks to the BHS Art Club for working my tables!  It was fun to see so many of my FORMER students, all grown up and still creating and enjoying art.  These pictures are all the "before's".

 

 

Legacy Wall

 

Earlier this year my principal approached me about doing something SPECIAL in the cafeteria.  After discussing a few options, we chose to do a legacy wall project with the Art to Remember company.  The PTO paid for this - the students did not purchase their own tiles.  Also, there was no fundraising for it.  Every student in the whole school created a self-portrait with a red background (our school colors are red).  I created the center design.  Then a wonderful dad at our school put them all together and mounted them on the cafeteria wall.  We ended up with two separate murals.  Love it!

 

Dancing Sock Monkeys

I found this image while on Pinterest one day - and was instantly "pinspired" to have my students create their own "dancing" sock monkeys.

I gave them a paper with very basic instructions, and they drew their own creative version.  

We colored ours with Crayola Construction Paper Crayons.  I just love the colors and the texture they gave these - more like a cloth sock monkey than marker or paint.

I really wanted ours to look like our inspiration, so I bought some bright copy paper and printed an argyle pattern for our background.  We will add dots to our borders next week.  The kids loved making these.  And, since I was only doing this project with second grade, I got a sub plan out of it, too!

Here are some more, after we finished decorating our borders.  Love these!

Kinder Owls

I have to say a special thank you to Deep Space Sparkle for the inspiration for these Kindergarten owls.  So cute!  I loved them all.