Just a Friendly Reminder...

As art teachers from time to time we forget what inspired us to teach, so remember to create your own art too.

Winter Self-Portraits

4th and 5th grade students created self-portraits using pencil, mirrors, and 11"x17" white paper. They drew a hat and sweater to wear, colored themselves with oil pastel, and cut out their self-portrait. They glued it onto a blue sheet of paper and added snow flakes around themselves. I really like that this lesson teaches drawing skills and is a great holiday lesson without touching upon any holiday in particular.

Rut

I've been teaching at the same school for four years now and found myself desperately needing to change it up.

Some things I did to start getting out of my rut:

*purchased materials I've wanted to use, but never did.
*got some new lesson books
*redecorated the art room (the kids are real excited about that one)
*started blogging again

Winter Banners

For second grade this winter I thought to make a Chinese New Years themed winter banner. We learned about landscapes, decorative edges, architecture. Students drew along with me as I drew step-by-step on the board. They used markers and chalk to color their banners when they were finished.

Magazine Covers Lesson Plan

Art Lesson

Grade 5

Magazine Cover

Materials: one 12”x14” sheet of paper per student, scrap sketch paper, crayon, pencils, mirrors, erasers, and markers.

Resources: examples of magazine covers appropriate for this age group.

NV State Standards addressed in this lesson:
1.0 Students know and apply visual arts media, techniques, and processes.
3.0 Students choose, apply, and evaluate a range of subject matter, symbols, and
ideas.

CEF’s: 1.2, 1.5, 2.5, 3.1 c, 3.2 a, and 4.4

Cross-Curricular Connections: character education, library

Vocabulary: font, advertising, graphic design, autobiography, self portrait

Procedure:
Day 1: Student will be introduced to the lesson in which they will create a magazine cover for an autobiographical magazine entitled Me. Student will listen to the steps of the lesson and discuss the teacher exemplar. Student will sketch a self portrait of his/herself in pencil on scrap paper. Student will list catch phrases, interests, and practice writing in various font styles on the back of his/her scrap paper.
Day 2: Student will review the lesson steps and teacher exemplar. Student will view various examples of magazine covers to get ideas as to how best organize the layout of his magazine cover. Student will draw on white 12”x14” paper in pencil the layout including his self portrait and title.
Days 3-4: Student will review the lesson steps and teacher exemplar. Student will view various examples of magazine covers to get ideas as to how best organize the layout of his magazine cover. Student will finish drawing his magazine cover and color it in with marker. Students will color the background with crayon.
Day 5: Student will participate in a group discussion/critique of the finished works and turn his work in for a grade.

Assessment:
Student will be assessed on his finished work, participation in critique and class discussions through a rubric.
　
　
　

Eraser Keepers

I have a big problem with pink erasers disappearing in my art room. At first I tried art gum erasers that came in a box, but found after a while they became crumbly play toys. So now what I am doing is choosing one eraser keeper per table (there are four tables in my room) to be in charge of keeping watch and returning to me the pink erasers. So far, so good.

Magazine Covers

This is a new project I'm doing with my fifth graders. We are making magazine covers for autobiographical magazines. The title of the magaine is "ME" and they are required to do a self portrait using a mirror and write at least 4 ads on their cover for articles about subjects that interest them. I am not requiring my students to write the articles, but it would be a great interdisciplinary connection. The finished piece is colored with markers on 11"x14" white paper and the background is crayon.