Publishing Work

Between the 1st and 2nd grade students' recording reflections and wrapping up the 3rd and 4th grade students' unit on Art for Social issues, the week has been full of videos!!!

Below I've posted links to each of the 3rd/4th grade class work. While it's a fun way to represent everyone's work, it's also really important to me to have a way of publishing their art. We publish through the e-portfolio as well as class critiques, and now we've gone public with Vimeo! The students very much enjoyed our screening (the surprise snacks certainly added to the excitement) and especially loved the rolling credits at the end. It was a real treat to watch them react to their work on the "big screen" (a.k.a., the smartboard)!

Enjoy!

Ms. Byrne's Class: http://vimeo.com/41132106
Ms. Montes' Class: http://vimeo.com/41252909
Ms. Holzman's Class: http://vimeo.com/41253155
Ms. Sanders' Class: http://vimeo.com/41253752

Cartooning and Carving

1st/2nd Grades

This week students were anxious to see how the matte, dull-looking glaze transformed their sculptures. Many excitedly showed off their creations and were happy to see their friends' work. After our initial show and tell, students interviewed one another finding out what they created, why, and their greatest challenges in creating the sculpture. You will hear these interviews in just a few short weeks through e-portfolios.

Once interviews were recorded, students went back to work on creating comics. Each student initially made their own cartoon character. Students gave their character a name, described their likes and dislikes, and practiced how to draw them in a range of emotions. With everyone's character made, our comic story got a twist! Students had to work in pairs to make their characters interact. How might an eighth note and a soccer ball interact? Take a look below to find out!

3rd/4th Grades

After a long process of researching and designing a print about a social issue, the students have all completed their prints! Rather than write at length, take a look at just a few below.

After printing, students were also charged to think of something they could make with clay that performs a function. There are many vases, bowls, mugs, piggy-banks, and even some pet accessories in the works!

5th Grade

I'm so proud of our 5th graders! Not only did they all come prepared to class with their homework, but they have been working with great diligence and maturity! While the 3rd/4th grades created their socially-responsive prints by indenting styrofoam plates, I put the 5th grade to the task of working with Saftey-Cut, a material that replicates the experience of creating block prints with wood, but much easier to control. Before assigning the project, I questioned quite a few times if the students could handle the Saftey-Cut and the tools used to carve it. However, I truly have been stunned with what they were able to accomplish in just one art class. Photos of the artwork to come next week!

Completing and Starting Projects

The children must have had very relaxing and enjoyable breaks because all of them have truly impressed me with their diligent, focused work over the last two weeks! I keep saying that my first graders came back as second graders - and that applies to all the students. I have seen many of them approach the end of our projects with a new level of maturity. It has been exciting.

1st/2nd Grades
While the children were enjoying the movies, beach, and family vacations over break, their clay sculptures were baked in the kiln. The children were very excited to return to see how their work turned out. Once they were able to look at and show others their creations, the children chose if they would prefer to glaze (apply a special coating of clay, water, and sand to give a glassy finish) or if they wanted to mix special colors or use regular paint. Next week, all the sculptures will be done, and the students will be thinking back on why and how they chose to make their object.

The classes are also very excited to be starting a unit on cartooning. There have been some very funny characters invented, and I look forward to sharing some of them soon!

3/4th Grades
Our print-making process has had many steps - looking at and discussing art inspiration, brainstorming a topic for a socially responsive artwork, researching that topic, and drafting a design to communicate a message. We have finally arrived at the print-making part of the process! As students walked into the art cottage to see a rainbow of printing inks and rollers, there were audible "whoas."

Students were eager to trace their designs and then engrave the reverse image onto styrofoam plates. Once deeply engraved, students began to experiment with different combinations of ink color and paper, how to apply the ink, and what would happen if you applied too much ink. At the end of our print-making classes, which really felt like a factory, each student chose the print that best communicated their message by weighing how legible it was (if there were words) and how their colors related to their message.

5th Grade
Our 5th graders, much like the 1st/2nd grade classes, were very excited to see their kiln-fired ceramic tiles and free-choice sculptures. They also glazed their works and will see their final products next week.

The classes have begun to create socially-responsive prints. We recently had a very dynamic conversation after looking at artwork by Luba Lukova for inspiration. When asked if they could think of any social issues they know of, it was obvious that their level of thinking from their classes' inquiry on immigration, to conversations at home, and Scholastic News all resulted in rich ideas. Some offered high gas prices as an issue because it affects people's jobs and the cost of our food. Another student brought up how the economy and the relocation of American jobs may be a reason why we have so many people experiencing homelessness in our community. Others thought of issues that have directly affected them, like bullying or flooding.

Your children have homework this week. The instruction page can be found by clicking here: 5th grade hw.doc

They should research a topic that is important to them, making sure that they are using reliable resources. After research, they should design an image (in the 4"x6" square they were given). We spoke about how to create a bold image and how their design should make their message very clear. After the drawing, students then need to trace their image with pencil on their tracing paper. It is important that students have these steps done for our next art class (4/17) as I would like for them to begin carving into their Safety Cut blocks. Once their blocks are carved, they will create their prints.

If you, or your child, has any questions about the homework, please let me know via aschneider@midpac.edu.

Creating Art for a Purpose

We always create art for one reason or another, but for the past few weeks each of the classes has paid particular attention to their creations' purposes. While the 1st/2nd grades complete their Egyptian afterlife sculptures, the 3rd/4th grades are investigating how to use art to improve a social issue, and the 5th grade is planning how to leave their mark on the school.

1st/2nd Grades
The students recently put their finishing touches on sculptures that represent what they would bring to the Egyptian afterlife. The students' sculptures range from being heartfelt, like family and pets . . .

to the very practical food and air conditioner (naturally with a remote set to 74 degrees) . . .


. . . and even items inspired by Egypt.

We are crossing our fingers that the sculptures dry enough so that we can put them in the kiln before spring break. Help us by praying for more sun!!

3rd/4th Grade
Our 3rd/4th grade team is currently preparing for a project very close to my heart. I am passionate about using art as a means to help people connect with social issues in order to bring understanding to all sides of a problem. Students began their investigations by working with a partner to look at artworks and identify the problem the artist was depicting, as well as the message she was trying to send. I was impressed with their ability to dig into rich issues and their excitement in doing so. Here are just a few of their responses:

The students are currently choosing their social issue they would like to make an artwork about, thinking about what else they need to know about it, and ultimately choosing the message they want people to know about it. Here's just one example of a student's work thus far:

5th Grade
The students are very excited to begin their work in clay. Each year, the 5th grade students create a self-portrait ceramic tile, which is then installed in the courtyard between Ms. Hoddick's and Ms. Fields' classrooms. It has been fun to watch their faces take shape as they decide how they want others to see them in the future.