Native Designs at the Hoover Dam

Last week was spring break for me and one of my friends came into town. She doesn't like the strip and clubs, etc. so this was more of a nature trip. On our excursions we took the Hoover Dam tour and inside of the dam are native american designs based on southwestern pottery all over the floor. Check them out.

A Sense of Humor

Especially in sticky situations where emotions are running high, a sense of humor can help. Even a sense of acceptance. I have had to diffuse situations by making a joke or just "understanding." It can stop a fight from happening or someone's feelings from being hurt.

Bloom's Taxonomy for Art

I'm currently working on my second master's project for a course i'm taking in differentiated instruction. We are developing questioning strategies and I have found it really inspiring. I've started adding essential questions to all of my lessons and the kids are really intrigued! Here's a website that ties Bloom's Taxonomy into art criticism, check it out: http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/Files/blooms2.htm

Community Based Art Education

This fall I did a unit plan on arts in Las Vegas. With second grade we examined the petroglyphs in Red Rock Canyon. To create their work students wrote a story using 4-5 petroglyphs on white 11"x14" paper using black crayon. Afterwards we sponged watered-down brown paint all over our paper and crumpled it up before it dried. That created a rocky effect.

Matisse Red Rooms

Miss Liza Camhi

Art Lesson Plan~Matisse Red Rooms

Grade(s): 3rd# of sessions: 3

Art Resources:~ teacher product, Red Room (Interiors, Studio)paintings by Henri Matisse, Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists: Henri Matisse by Mike Venezia, and elements of art cube.

Art Materials: 1 sheet of 11”x14” white paper per student, red paint, masking tape, pencils, erasers, 8”x10” sketch paper, red tempera paint, large paintbrushes, smocks, and oil pastels.

Major Goals/N.V.~ State Standards addressed in this lesson:

1.0 Students know and apply visual arts media, techniques, and processes.

4.0 Students understand the visual arts in relation to history and cultures.

5.0 Students analyze and assess characteristics, merits, and meanings in their artwork and the work of others.

Essential Concepts, Skills, and Experiences- 3rd Grade1.2, 1.5, 2.3, 4.1,and 4.11

Objectives- Student will:

*critique the Red Room paintings using the elements of art.
* evaluate his work in relation to the influence of Matisse’s Red Room paintings, the elements of art, and craft.
*engage in historical inquiry to answer why Matisse used color so boldly and vibrantly (especially red).
*use his knowledge of how Henri Matisse used the elements of art to create his own artwork in the style of Matisse.
*use paint and oil pastel together to create an original work of art.

Relation to life/Why this lesson is important: Student will evaluate the use of the elements of art in a master artist’s work and use that knowledge to create an original work of art.

Interdisciplinary Connections: History

Vocabulary: Henri Matisse, elements of art (shape, line, color, space, and texture), composition, color scheme.

Procedure: Day 1: Student will participate in a game/discussion about the Red Room paintings by Henri Matisse. Student will toss the elements of art cube to a peer, whichever elements faces up the student must relate to the Red Room paintings. Student will listen to teacher read Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists: Henri Matisse by Mike Venezia pgs. 3-12. (Essential Question 1) Student will view teacher product and discuss project. Student will create a sketch of a room in pencil on 8”x10” white paper. The room must contain at least 4 elements (works of art, furniture, technology) Day 2: Student will review vocabulary and the previous weeks reading.~ Student will listen to teacher read Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists: Henri Matisse by Mike Venezia pgs 13-23. (Essential Questions 4-6) Student will review the teacher product. Student will view a demonstration on how to tape the edges of his work for painting. Student will tape the edges of his 11”x14” paper and paint red tempera inside the masked area. Day 3: Student will review vocabulary and the previous week’s reading.~ Student will listen to teacher finish reading Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists: Henri Matisse by Mike Venezia. Essential Questions (7-9). Student will review the teacher product and directions for the project. Student will watch a demonstration on how to use oil pastel to draw and color his picture in (add perspective). Student will draw and color his 4+ room elements in with oil pastel. Student will bring his picture to the teacher for critique and grade.

Essential Questions:

1. How would you feel if you were Henri Matisse when his father would not support his decision to be an artist?

2. Do you like how Matisse made his rooms so brightly red? Why or why not?

3. Would you like your bedroom to be bright red? Why or why not?

4. Why was Matisse called a wild beast?

5. How do you think Matisse felt about being called a wild beast?

6. How would you feel if you were Matisse and because of the way you painted someone called you a wild beast?

7. In Harmony in Red what areas look 3-d and what areas look flat?

8. In the Red Studio what colors other than red did Matisse use?

9. Why do you think as he got older his paintings got brighter?

Animal Masks

While I was student teaching I learned a great way to make paper masks. The students color, cut and paste the features they want to add to their mask on an 11"x14" sheet of construction paper. Afterwards I fold the bottom corners in and staple. I do this project in 3 weeks: the first they sketch their idea, the second they draw and color on the construction paper, and on the third they cut and paste parts that stick out (ears, hair, whiskers, etc). I do this project with second grade and they love the final product!

Clay Cartouches

These are two of the finished clay cartouches made by my art clubbers. 5th and 4th grade could easily do it, 3rd struggled with carving the letters and creating the scroll at the bottom. I am really impressed with how they cam out, nevertheless. After the entire Egypt unit one of my students was asked where Egypt is and he pointed to the art room and said "There!" Ofcourse Africa would have been more appropriate, but it put a smile on my face!

Matroyshka Doll Lesson

This lesson plan was a huge success for my sub last month! I have attached the Russian Doll Templates.

Sub Lesson Plan

Russian Matroyshka Dolls
Materials: Crayons and scissors (in the red boxes at each table), 11”x14” construction paper, and glue sticks.

Resources: Matroyshka Doll handouts, teacher exemplar, A Look at Russia by Helen Frost, and Russia ABC’s by Ann Berge.

Procedures

*Show students the teacher exemplar and tell them these are Russian Matroyshka dolls. Explain them they are also called nesting dolls, because they fit inside each other.

*Read A Look at Russia by Helen Frost and pg 7. in Russia ABC’s.

*Pass out both Matroyshka Doll handouts and have students color in their dolls using crayons. They need to create a different pattern inside each doll.

*Students who finish coloring their dolls can cut them out and glue them onto and 11”x14” sheet of construction paper (they can pick the color). Make sure to go over with them to only use the glue around the edge of the doll, otherwise they will use too much and the glue sticks will go fast.

Arts4Nevada

This is an arts advocacy website that supporst arts in Nevada. There are many ways to take action and contact legislators to support arts programs. Check it out and sign up to take action!http://arts4nevada.org/index.html

Nevada Youth Art Month

These are decorations created by my students to celebrate Nevada Youth Art Month, enjoy!

An Excellent Resource

This is a great resource for art specialists. There are all sorts of links to other sites with art, art history, museums, architecture, photography, and lesson plans! http://www.nhptv.org/kn/vs/artlaba.htm

Dunkin Donuts Art Contest

Dunkin Donuts is hosting an art contest for kids. https://www.dunkindonuts.com/contests/heroes.aspx?cid=3215930&jid=4071356&mc=179&eid=889773&utm_source=PERKS_MAR5&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_campaign=PERKS_030508_ENROLLED#The winning artwork will be illustrustrated on a card and $500 dollars will be donated to the charity of the winner's choice.

Questioning

I'm currently taking a course in differentiated instruction at UNLV. Right now we are focusing on questioning skills as teachers. My next lesson plan project must include questions that relate to Bloom's Taxonomy, are divergent, and literal. Check out this link to provoke better questioning http://questioning.org/Q7/toolkit.html I will be sure to post the project on the blog as soon as it is finished.