Cave Art Comes Alive

The lesson that my partner, Brittany Kranz, and I created was called "Cave Art Comes Alive".  The purpose of our lesson was to introduce 2nd graders to storytelling through art.  They would be able to use pictures to represent memories from their past.  To prepare for this lesson, we collected dirt and natural elements (leaves, twigs, pine cones, etc.) and brought them into class.  We also collected brown grocery bags from one of the local grocery stores.  To create the "cave wall" canvases we cut out sections of the grocery bags and got them wet and crumpled them up.  We then let them dry out until the day of the presentation.  To create the mud paint, we added water and powder tempera paint to the dirt in for different colors; red, green, blue and yellow.

On the day of the presentation, we set out the students "cave wall" canvases and also premixed all of the paint for them.  We showed the students a PowerPoint, which taught them new vocabulary, history of cave painting, and also allowed them to reflect on past memories to use.  The students were told to think of their favorite childhood memory and that would be what they would do their cave painting of.  Next, we demonstrated how to finger paint on the brown bag with the mud paint.  Students seemed to understand the technique and so we let them start on the projects.  While walking around during work time, I realized that the students seemed to be enjoying their work.  They were thinking of good memories and doing art at the same time.  I also thought it was wonderful that I got to learn more about my students through the stories they told.  Once the students had completed their work, they were told to put them in the drying rack.  The students were also asked to fill out their rubrics for the project.  Once everyone was cleaned up, they were told to go with a partner and discuss the questions on the reflection sheet that they were given.  The following questions were asked:

1. How did you create your cave painting?
2. How did you feel while making your cave painting?  Did you feel happy, sad, excited,...?
3. What other element did you chose? Why?
4. Why did you choose to paint this?  What inspired your cave painting?

Once the students finished answering the questions, the lesson was complete.  After the students had turned in all of their projects and reflection sheets, we graded their work based on the rubric.  We then hung them up on our bulletin board.  The following pictures are of my example for this project and our finished bulletin board.

Ancient Europe and Stained Glass Window Art

Robert and Jonathan taught us how to create our own stained glass art.  First, the teachers showed us a PowerPoint that displayed the history of stained glass and showed many pictures of stained glass windows.  Next, they told us that in our project, we would have to use two different color schemes in our project.  Some examples of color schemes are cool colors and warm colors.  After we were taught about the color schemes, the teachers demonstrated how to create a stencil with one of the four Holiday pictures that we were given.  The students were then shown how to cut out the inside of their stencil, which is where they would glue tissue paper to resemble stained glass.  After that, students were told to glue pieces of tissue paper onto the back side of their stencil.  When they were done with that, they were told to cut out the outside of their stencil, which left them with their own piece of "stained glass".  As you can see, I created bells with holly for my stained glass.  On the left side, I used a warm color scheme while on the right side, I used a cool color scheme.

An extension activity to use with this project would be to create a historical timeline of stained glass.  Students would use their research skills along with tools from the teacher to create a timeline of the history of stained glass.

Nature Printmaking

This lesson, taught by Elissa and Tonya, allowed students to create their own "stamp" using foam boards, carving tools, and colored ink.  At the beginning of the lesson, the teachers showed students a PowerPoint which had examples of printmaking and a history of the technique.  Next, they instructed students how to create a sketch on the foam paper of a nature scene.  Once the students finished sketching out their nature scenes, the teacher told them to come over to the ink station and watch how the ink is rolled onto the "stamp" or foam sketch.  Next, the students were able to choose ink and a background which were complimentary colors.  Finally, the students rolled the ink onto their foam board and turned it over and stamped it onto the piece of construction paper.  The students were left with a stamp of their foam board on their construction paper.  Students created their own print as well as their own printmaking tools.

An extension activity that could be done with this project would be to have the students write a poem about their artwork.  They could write a haiku that focuses on their picture or nature in general.  The teacher could then display the prints along with the poems.

The Little Leaves

Miss Huback and Miss Horkey introduced a project called The Little Leaves, which was based on a book called "The Little Yellow Leaf".  The students used scissors, glue, construction paper, crayons, oil pastels, white paper, 11x11 wax paper, shaving tools and leaves to create this project.  Students were also given the following vocabulary words; warm colors, cool colors, collage, texture, and pattern.  First, the students were read "The Little Yellow Leaf", which started a discussion on colors that were seen.  Students were also shown the texture on leaves and what a collage is.  Next, students were shown how to shave warm colored crayons onto a sheet of folded wax paper.  After they had enough shavings, the students had the teacher iron their folded wax paper sheets so that the crayon inside melted together.  The students then cut different shaped leaves from their wax paper and glued them onto the white sheet of paper in order to create a collage.  Finally, the students were told to add more leaves, in cool colors, to their collage.  Students were also told to add texture to their leaves using the oil pastels.

As an extension activity for this project, students could write a poem about their favorite fall memories.  The teacher could introduce them to different types of poems, and then have the students write a short poem that tells about they memories of fall and leaves.  The poems could be displayed along with the artwork in the classroom.  This extension activity would integrate language arts and art class.

Under Water World Scratch Art

The Under Water Scratch Art project was introduced by Miss Long and Mrs. Stadtler.  The scratch art project was intended for 3rd and 4th grade art students.  To create this project, students needed a half sheet of white paper with an under water animal on it, black scratch paper, and a wood tool.  First, students got to practice on a small sheet of scratch paper in order to understand that they must scratch away the black to see the color underneath.  Next, the students got to choose an underwater animal that they wanted to draw.  I chose an octopus.  I then drew the octopus on a half sheet of white paper.  Once I had exactly what I wanted drawn on my white sheet, I traced that onto the black scratch paper.  Next, I scratched out the octopus and it's background onto the scratch paper.  The teachers stressed adding texture to the scratch art by changing the types of lines used.  When the artwork was completed, the octopus showed up in the background color, red, while the foreground stayed black because it had never been scratched.

An extension activity that could go with this art project would be to introduce different places where animals can live.  Student could learn that specific animals live in climates and places that fit their species.  This lesson on the animal kingdom would integrate art and science.

Birds of a Feather: A Lesson about the Beauty of Diversity

Miss Jerde and Miss Olson taught a lesson intended for sixth-eighth grade students in which paper birds were created.  Before the project began, students watched a video called "For the Birds" which started a conversation on diversity and cliques.  Next, the teachers reviewed the terms 3D Design, Texture and Pattern.  The students were told that they would be using these terms in their artwork.  The class was given the following materials: bird outline on tagboard, yarn, hole punch, pencils, markers, crayons, scissors, glue stick and construction paper.  The students began the project, which was completed following these steps: (1) brainstorm a character for their bird, (2) cut out the shapes from the template, (3) glue the bodies together, (4) punch holes in the bodies and the wings, (5) design the birds body and wings using texture and pattern, (6) glue the wings to the bird's body, (7) insert the tail feather, (8) loop yarn through the punched holes and tie in a knot, and (9) tie all three strings in a knot at the top center, so the bird is able to be hung.  Students were then able to hang their bird as though it were flying in the sky.

An extension activity that could be done is a lesson on diversity between cultures.  Students would learn about different cultures in our area and country and find out that although everyone is different, we are all from the same place.  Students would come to understand diversity better by writing a paper in which they describe diversity in their own way.  They can discuss what diversity they have faced in their lives if any.  This extension activity would combine art, social studies and language arts.

Clay Necklaces

Miss Binger and Mr. Desai introduced an art project in which the class created clay necklaces.  The lesson, which was intended for first grade students, would be used to introduce students to using clay.  The lesson began with the teachers showing the students a PowerPoint that shows different necklaces made out of clay.  The teachers also showed the class the necklaces that they made.  Next, the teachers went through the terms students needed to know in order to work with clay.  Before beginning the project, students will need air dry clay, a dowel, yarn and tempera paint.  The students were shown how to knead their clay and were able to practice that for a short time.  Finally the students made beads from the clay by rolling small pieces of clay into balls or ovals.  Once they had made as many beads as they wanted, the students would then poke a hole through each clay bead with the dowel.  Finally, the students painted the beads with paintbrushes.  Once the beads were dry, the teacher instructed the students to string the beads onto a piece of yarn to make a necklace.

An extension activity that could be done with this project is to find out if any other cultures make beads out of clay.  The teacher could show the students jewelry from ancient and modern cultures and find out if the technique they used to create their  necklaces was the same as any in the past.  Students will be interested in finding out whether or not people have actually done this before.  This project with integrate social studies and art.