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!  

  

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!

Free Time

When I first started teaching, I had no clue what to do with students who finished early.  I started with simple drawing papers, and over the years have expanded to other activities.  This has been one of the more popular activities, esp. for boys.  I went to Wal-Mart and bought some magnetic white boards that came with double-sided tape to adhere them to the wall.  I also ordered magnetic shapes - some are foam and some are the fractiles, which are flat, and placed them on the boards.  They are hung under my white board, and I have the following rules for them:

   

           1. Only 2 students allowed per board

2. You may not use magnets from another board - even if they have more

3. No throwing magnets

 

 

 

 

 

 

I order one of these Foam Magnet sets and they last me all year.  They come apart easily, but once I tacky glue them back together they STAY.

 

I also order one of these per year or every other year, if I have the money.  The kids love the booklet they come with that shows design ideas. 

African Landscapes

 In 4th grade we have been doing some complex artwork.  Students made these African landscapes using basic atmospheric perspective and proportion concepts.  We first watched a video about the Wildebeest Migration (3 minutes) then looked at some proportions/sizes of the major animals compared to a 6-foot man and each other.  We studied images of African landscapes.  Then we drew our own landscapes, colored them, put them in a sheet protector and traced in sharpie, and finally made a border.  Our borders contain complex patterns, not simple ones, and we used Adinkra symbols in the corners.  Art is hard work!

Lines and Shapes make Patterns

2nd graders have been focusing on the Elements of Art - Line, shape, color, texture, value, space, and form.  We studied how we could combine lines and shapes to create patterns, and also the difference between a simple pattern and acomplex one.  Then we used these ideas to create these awesome patterned leaves - we got the idea from this Artsonia exhibit. 


First we looked at my Prezi on our smartboard about lines and patterns. 

 I also gave students this worksheet to inspire them to create more complex patterns.