Art students this month embarked on an interesting journey – a unit on dinosaurs! Third through fifth grades began by taking a virtual trip to a museum using our new Virtual Reality glasses. WOW! Students were very excited seeing dinosaur skeletons come alive and slowly move or swim around the room as a curator gave interesting facts about each dinosaur. First through fifth graders then created dinosaurs in their habitat while learning some art basics such as shading, how to create a landscape, and painting techniques. Lower el students watched Dazzle the Dinosaur by Marcus Pfister. Upper el watched Bill Nye the Science Guy. Then students followed a step-by-step lesson on how to draw and paint a landscape, followed by drawing their dinosaurs the following week. Third, fourth and fifth graders did research on chromebooks finding interesting information about fossils, what place their dinosaur had in the food chain, and a variety of interesting facts. We visited www.enchantedlearning.com for their research. Toward the end of the unit, teams of students were able to be paleontologists taking a bunch of wooden "bones" that they assembled into complete T-Rex and Stegosaurus skeletons. This took problem solving (no directions) and teamwork.
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To finish off the year our third through fifth graders learned about the intricate designs often called Zentangles. I showed them examples of Zentangled shoes and animals filled with designs to get them started. I always invite my students to chat quietly yet still focus on doing careful, quality work. As they worked, I played peaceful, soothing music to get them in the zone. This was an excellent way for them to slow down, relax, talk, and still do their best without any pressure - anyone can do Zentangles!
Painting by Joseph Paduchowski Third through fifth graders completed a unit on Impressionism focusing on the art of Vincent Van Gogh. We listened to Don McClean's Starry Starry Night on Youtube, which includes a wide variety of Van Gogh's amazing paintings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7tx1Un4shU. Students also learned about the importance of perseverance and how Van Gogh did not receive much recognition for his incredible paintings during his life. Next, I demonstrated how to re-create Van Gogh’s unusual painting style using dashes and small strokes, while blending different colors. Finally, students tried to put themselves into the scene, experiencing the sights and sounds of that night by writing a descriptive poem about it. My students put a great deal of effort into these beautiful paintings - please cherish them. If you get a chance, the movie "Loving Vincent" which is currently in theaters is an excellent adult movie about the life of Van Gogh totally done in painted frames.
Over the years I have done a variety of silhouette lessons. This year we blended pastels (chalk) to create the sunset. Next we reviewed what a silhouette is (it is a black shape of an object). I demonstrated how to create a silhouette by just drawing the outline of a tree or animal. Finally students added silhouettes to their backgrounds. They also learned that the moon does NOT become a silhouette since it is illuminated by the sun. Lower grades created spooky tree silhouettes with eyes and some added bats or ghosts for Halloween.
Oxbow students learned about the unique ecosystem of a coral reef. They were invited to investigate teacher Mr. Dobrin's saltwater coral reef. We also passed around my collection of real seahorses, starfish, coral and shells. Finally, Mrs. Paris brought in her two hermit crabs to show several classes which were truly a hit - very exciting! Weeks one and two students colored and painted their sea creatures, seaweed and coral. Week three they created a focal point with either a fish, seahorse or other creature. Kindergartners learned about Rainbow Fish and how he was a good friend to others, then created their own Rainbow Fish in rainbow colors. Upper el used tissue paper to create a layered effect using a thin mixture of Elmer's glue, hot water, and criss-crossed tissue paper to create a seahorse, dolphin or other creature. Nice job!
CCS 4.E.2.1 Understand the use of fossils and changes in the surface of the earth as evidence of the history of Earth and its changing life forms
First we reviewed what a fossil is. A fossil is the prehistoric remains of a plant or animal. Fossils are usually preserved when they are buried under many layers of sand and mud. Under great pressure the sand and mud become sedimentary rock. Minerals seep into the fossil replacing the organic matter and creating a replica in stone. Viola - a fossil is born. To make a fossil bowl/candy dish, my fourth and fifth graders at Oxbow wedged their clay to remove air pockets and rolled it out to pancake thickness. They placed a bowl on the clay, cut around it, then pressed in leaves, shells or other items to create "fossils". After they were fired, we then glazed them and then they were fired again. NOTE: Hunting for fossils is a wonderful pastime, especially if you get to an area of Michigan where you can find Petosky stones and other fossils. Fourth and fifth grade students enjoyed a chance to step inside the characters in the paintings of Norman Rockwell, John Curry and others. This week, I invited students to become a character in one of his paintings. Other students then questioned them about what they were thinking, feeling, or what they were going to do next, as they explored the action in prints of some of Rockwell's famous paintings. Students then worked with their table team to imagine what happened before the action in their painting and to predict what might happen next. As I sat back and watched them come alive with expression and creative thinking, I was reminded again how important it is to step inside the skin of another person. This was a great way to explore details, make predictions, use imagination and develop empathy for others.
Fourth and fifth grade students made animal bookmarks as part of our unit on classifying animals based on their habits and individual characteristics. Students learned about the differences between reptiles, amphibians, mammals, etc. and then examined how these differences affect where they live. How would having fur or layers of fat help the animal live in a cold climate? Why might a snake have scales and a body that bends and is flexible? Students wrote about their animal and included facts about its habits and habitat for their bookmark. Nicely done!
We have just started our unit on Egypt which has been especially exciting for my art students. All grades enjoyed a chance to learn about mummies, the mummification process, Egyptian tombs and artifacts and writing using hieroglyphics. I kicked off the unit by popping out of a full size sarcophagus (mummy coffin) as each class entered the room. Of course, this led to students taking turns for a quick visit for themselves inside the case. Lower elementary then made miniature mummies complete with hieroglyphics. Third through fifth graders worked with table teams to trace around a student who lay arms crossed on top of two huge sheets of butcher paper. Each team then eagerly drew and designed their pharaoh's mummy case including headdress, jewels, and intricate Egyptian designs on the front and back. They also wrote a secret message using Egyptian pictographs (hieroglyphics) on the front and back. We will then stuff them with newspaper and staple the mummies closed. I am enjoying watching the students encourage and support each other, sharing their ideas and working together with their teammates.
What a thrill it is to see my students investigate different science issues and topics in art. It is easy to dismiss art as merely a "special" whereas, in my opinion, art can be taken to a much deeper level. I make an effort each year to find a variety of ways to integrate technology and science, social studies and language arts with the art curriculum. Sometimes this means creating fun games such as Habits and Habitats picture cards the students use to try to match what creature goes with which habitat, or what eyes belong to what kind of animal? This encourages my students to use their investigative habits such as observing scales, feathers, hair or other characteristics that will give a hint to the animal's environment. Each year, we also use Webquests where students are guided to complete a variety of steps on different websites that then culminates in a final art activity and often a research report. What an excellent way to take science or social studies learning to a deeper level.
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March 2024
AuthorMy name is Mrs. Krupa and I'm an elementary art teacher at Oxbow Elementary. I'm a professional harpist turned art teacher of 20 years. I'll share art lessons and ideas on these pages, what works and doesn't. Enjoy! Categories
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