Simply Your Best Lesson Multiplied!

We got two feet of snow which bought me some peace and quiet to make substitute lesson plans.
I am almost finished with 8 weeks worth of lesson plans, handouts, examples, etc etc etc. for my maternity leave.

All this lesson planning gave me an idea.

A BEST LESSON CHAIN:
Send me ONE of your best and simplest lesson plans (via e-mail) and I will copy it into a common format and e-mailed everyone back a huge packet of lesson plans! They can be used for your classroom or for substitutes.

COST: Nothing! One plan gets you many more (as many as people participate) all formatted by moi into neat PDF's ready to print.

CRITERIA:

• Simple! A lesson anyone can follow.  
• Materials: Uses only paper (color or white), pencils, crayons, markers, scissors, glue (NO PAINT OR CLAY ALLOWED sorry)
• Include:
•  TITLE
• Procedure
• Materials
• Objectives 
• Vocabulary
• A picture of the finished product  (We're visual people.)

Here's a sample of the format I created that you will get.

If you choose to participate you will get a packet of lesson plans as soon as I finish making them probably 2 weeks depending on interest. The latest date will be June 30 (if there is a flood of interest). Imagine starting off 2011 school year with your substitute plans ready to go!

Everyday Super Heroes!

This post going out to Mrs. Hahn at Mini Matisse.

Here are our Artist Trading Cards in progress!  The theme is "Super Heroes." My students and I decided to take a person from their life that is their hero and draw them as a "Super Hero." We talked about why this person is their hero and what would make our person "look" like a super hero. We got a lot of ideas from Mrs. Hahn's students (you can see their art trading cards spread out on the tables.) They added capes to their cousins, masks to their moms, and SD emblems for their super dads!

These are the awesome cards Mrs. Hahn's classes sent us.

"Super Cousin!"

Super Hero Brother.

Helping with homework makes this Dad super.

"Daddy look. Thank you for helping me!" 

More cards from Mrs. Hahn's talented kids.

Sub Plan: Chinese New Year Lantern

February 3rd is CHINESE NEW YEAR! This plan is successful with a substitute if you are looking for an alternative to the regular marker and paper plans. Limited mess and about 10 minutes of prep.

We have a Chinese program (yes. . .  we are the bilingual school of our district, mostly Spanish, and we are also teaching Chinese). We have a young woman from China who teaches Chinese to some of our classes. I usually try to fit in a few art projects to celebrate China around this time of year. 

This project introduces students to Chinese characters and opens the discussion of Chinese New Year. *Students choose a message for the new year and then write it in Chinese characters.
*Give students handouts with messages like peace, prosperity written in Chinese characters. Students write message in on their paper (horizontally).
*Make paper lanterns by folding these papers in 1/2 and cutting on the fold.
* Finally, with a glue stick, add top and bottom and a handle.

You will need:
Chinese Character Handout
Paper
Black Markers
Pencils
Scissors
Long Cut Paper *see handles and top and bottom of lanterns
Stapler and/or glue sticks

Here are some step by step pictures you can share with a substitute.

MORE TO COME:

I will post more about our China unit. I'm really interested in Deep Space Sparkles' idea for creating blue and white style Chinese Vases. I already purchased a bowl from ebay that depicts the Blue Willow Pattern. I am really interested in the story behind the pattern and excited to talk about it with my students.

Make Your Own Drawing Boards

I have been longing for enough drawing boards or clipboards for an entire class. After a little thought, I came up with this FREE solution (I already had all the supplies in my cabinets and you might too!)

They sit next to our easel. 

We will use them for various things, like practicing while I demonstrate techniques on the easel, taking notes, or drawing outside (I can't wait for that one!)

You'll need 3 things:

$6.99 for 60 at STAPLES

FREE from your local framer
 (they will usually save the inserts that they cut out of the matte board to make the frames.)

Paper!


You probably already have your own solution to drawing boards.  Please share with me if you do!

Crazy Quilts by Painted Paper

Check out how Laura over at Painted Paper interpreted CRAZY QUILTS with her classes.

I am so inspired that I am going to keep crazy quilting at school for another few weeks but this time with paint (and older students)!

Aren't her colors gorgeous. Laura if you're reading this what type of paint do you use?

Thanks Laura!

Painted Paper's Crazy Quilts

A Present to Myself!

After studying quilts for all these weeks with my students, I really got interested in crazy quilts. 

I just had to have one of my own! I purchased this beautiful vintage quilt from ebay. Thought it would be so cool for the kids to see a real one. They were so excited when I brought this in to show them! Now my bilingual kids no longer think a quilt is a "rug" and totally understand the concept. 

We all sat around it and talked about how and why the crazy quilt was made and who made it. Now this quilt will come home with me because I want to use it as a piece of wall art in our guest room! 

First Grade Crazy Quilt

Detail of "stitching"

Students created a color scheme using recycled wallpaper and crayons.

Easy Project You Can Do Tomorrow: Drawing with Pipe Cleaners

Here's the challenge: Draw the object using line. . . the line you will be using is made from pipe cleaners.

1. Twist three pipe cleaners together to make a straight line.

2. Bend and twist pipe cleaners to "draw" the object you are observing (we used scissors)

3. Draw your object using a pencil and paper. 

Some questions for students. . . 

Which was more difficult, using pipe cleaners or pencil to replicate the scissors?

Which was more fun to work with? Why?

This is harder to do then it looks.

Success!

Drawing our scissors.

How Can ART Build Test Taking Skills?

FACT: To "succeed"in a lot of things you have to be able to take a test.
FACT: I am a horrible test taker! I had to take the SAT three times to get a college worthy score. Each time was more grueling then the last but my scores did get better.
Unfortunately, taking tests is a fact of life. Being a good test taker is a skill that can be learned and a skill we can develop even in the creative space of the art room.

 A little background info: 

The test scores in our district are really low. . . I mean failing low. Our elementary school has been making the biggest strides in the district to bring up our scores. Teachers have noticed something really interesting. Some of our students know the answers to the questions on the mastery test but yet they get it wrong on the test. So why can't they answer the questions when it test time comes? They are too tired! They give up. We can't make the tests any shorter, so what can we do? Build their focus and stamina!  

So I am experimenting in the art room with building stamina. . . observational stamina.

Here is my first experiment.

For a 1/2 hour a week for 5 weeks one third grade class (one of the average performing classes) has been practicing blind drawing and observational drawing. The kids have been working so hard. . . what used to be 30 second blind drawings have now grown to 1 1/2 minute drawings. That is over a 100% increase in stamina.

Here are our rules for blind drawing
1. Keep your eyes GLUED on the object. No looking at your paper.
2. Keep your pencil on your paper (no lifting your pencil).
3. Silent Work.

Once they break one of these rules (their concentration breaks) I write in my book the time next to their name. I have been charting their growth. Some students are even practicing at home!

I hope being able to build focus and stamina will translate into other areas of their lives like test taking. Collecting data is also a small way I can build a case for a strong art program.

Are there any ways you build test taking skills in your classroom?
Or do you keep your classroom a "test free" zone?

Blind Drawing in Progress!

BLIND DRAWING 1minute 30seconds

Drawing (with looking) 5 minutes 

"Kids"

There is a reason for two posts in one day. . . this is too funny not to share!

In all earnestness one of my first graders asked me,
"Mrs. Stinz do you need a water break?"

It took me a second to figure out that this little one didn't think I was dehydrated.

"Where did you hear that?"

"My mom told me she needed a water break when she had my brother."

Jim Dine Will You Be My Valentine?

I heart Jim Dine.


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Today, a student in fourth grade reminded me of this project that we did last year so I thought I'd share. Must have been a hit because he said "Remember the heart guy Jim Dine. I think I'll make some Valentines like him." Wow, he even remembered "that heart guy's" name!

Love the earth hearts and positive negative hearts. 

After months of grumbling to myself when a student "ruins" a beautiful piece with a scribble of heart and stars, finally these students get to make hearts to their hearts delight!

The criteria is simple.
1. Fold your paper 3 times.
2. In each rectangle make a heart using line, shape, color and pattern (elements of art).
3. Each heart composition must be original. No duplicates.

I'm sure you can up the anti by teaching analogus, complementary, warm or cool colors, positive/negative shape, implied and real texture, pop art, shading etc. I am going to try to add some rigor to this project by teaching one of these concepts with this project.

Last year we briefly studied pop art and then I let the kids loose to create their hearts.
You'd be surprised how hard it was for students to think of 8 different designs and I did not allow myself to "give" any ideas.

One of these hearts reminds me of playing cards
 . . . hmmm playing cards. . . giving me an art lesson idea for self portraits.

This young artist created this cool texture with oil pastel and watercolors.

The black and green stripes really steals the show!

Jim Dine's Hearts

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