Home Means Nevada Art Lesson

 On October 31st, Nevada became a state in 1864 and each year we Nevadans celebrate its inclusion to the union the last Friday of October. The upper grades had been studying Paleolithic Cave art at the time and Nevada is rich with beautiful rock art throughout the state. The kindergarten classes learned about the ancient peoples of Nevada by studying their art and creating their own inspired by authentic ancient designs. The designs were provided by the Nevada Rock Art Foundation, "a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization dedicated to documenting and preserving the rock art of Nevada through education and public outreach."

As a separate Nevada Day celebration, I took a class at the Nevada Museum of Art on pine needle basket weaving. There is a long history of native american basket weavers in our culture. I thought I would give it a try. This is my 1" x 1" basket that took me FOUR. Yes, FOUR! hours to complete. I have a much deeper appreciation for the amazing baskets on display at our state museum. 

Our Harvest Corn Field

Welcome to our Harvest Corn Field. The kinders and first graders celebrated Thanksgiving in art by creating a sculptural wall piece.

Close-up of harvest corn field - a study in shape, warm and cool colors, and mixed media

First, we studied the shape and colors of real miniature indian corn and decided which side of the color wheel they were going to use for their art pieces. Once they decided on warm or cool colors (Color Theory), they drew the corn shape, cut it out, and began to tear or cut kernels out of colored construction paper and glue onto their corn shape (Fine Motor Skills). To increase the challenge, some students were asked to place their kernels in a clear pattern (Math Connection).

To complete the corn, the students learned how to curl thin strips of paper around a pencil (Fine Motor Skills) and glued that or yarn as the corn husks.

Finally, the students found a partner and twisted up brown paper grocery bags to make the stalks for our hallway "corn field".
To add some literacy fun, here are some great corn themed picture books:


The Popcorn Book by Tomie de Paola



Corn is Maize- The Gift of the Indians by Aliki 

Pumpkins at Night

As a follow up to the color wheel lesson, we pulled out the paints for some primary color mixing for an autumn themed drawing and painting lesson (inspired by DeepSpaceSparkle's Sparkle Pumpkin blog) We started with a reading of The Littlest Pumpkin by R.A. Herman. Many of the children had read this story at home or in their regular classroom but we read it with a focus on the shapes of the pumpkins. We compared and contrasted the colors and shapes of some real pumpkins in class and began drawing after a quick lesson in creating a more life-like shape.

Time for Painting
The kids were given only yellow and red watercolors to learn to mix orange and its various shades and hues. We also discussed painting by following the direction of the shape to help with the realistic curvature of the subject. Some of the children were ready to move on so they were given a blue pod and encouraged to make green and add leaves to their pumpkin.

We completed the paintings by cutting them out and pasting onto black construction paper. Then we added the night with sparkling stars, moons, owls, etc. For students, who were wanting to discover another medium, I pulled out the fall colored fabrics for them to create fabric leaves for our pumpkins to rest upon.
I think the first graders did a wonderful job and this was their very first time painting in art class at school!!

Fall Birch Tree Art Lesson

One of the autumn art lessons is featured in the school's main entry. This collection was created by the third graders at Coral Academy of Science. Let me walk you through our lesson:

We started by exploring basic painting technique using coffee. Yes, coffee! Instant coffee to be more precise. This gave the students an opportunity to get aquainted with using the brush and how to apply paint for value--the lightness and darkness of a color. When in a pinch at home, a teaspoon of instant goes a long way. They can also experience the art element of texture with the grounds as well. Already brewed coffee grounds work too but harder to get the variety in tones.

Birch Tree Steps

Analyze birch tree photos as a class.

On white A4 (standard 8x11.5) paper the students used black tempera paint to brush the outline of a birch tree.

Using a small piece of card stock, the students created the lines of the birch bark by dabbing along the tree shape. The larger areas of black were created by pulling the card stock piece, dipped in tempera, across the tree like a squeegee. Use quick flick movements to create that pull across the tree.

Set aside to dry. The students will cut these out and glue to a painted background.

Background

Discuss the warm and cool colors of the color wheel.

Students picked either warm or cool colors for their backgrounds. Using watercolors, they could paint any scene or pattern they wished, knowing it would be the background for their trees. Students are only given the primary colors of red, blue, and yellow. All the secondary colors (orange, green, purple) must be made by mixing. Once completed the trees were glued on and "frames" (colored onstruction  paper) were selected. The students chose the color they felt would best compliment or enhance their paintings.

Critique

Once a project is complete, the students have an art walk. They walk the room admiring the other students' work, no talking, like a real gallery or museum space. A numbered popcicle stick is chose, that student gets to select his/her two favorites and explain to the class why they were drawn to that particular piece. I do allow students to choose their own as I believe it is important to be proud of one's work and be able to speak about it to others.

Language Arts Extension

Many poets have been inspired by the beauty of birch trees including Robert Frost. For our class, we read the following poem:

BERYOZA (The Birch tree)Poet – Sergei Yesenin ( ?- I am having trouble validating if this poem is indeed a Yesenin or not. I found it online with no credit but a mention to Yesenin)

The white birch below
My window stays
Covered by snow,
As with a golden blaze.

Snowflakes are gliding,
In the grip of air held,
Sun on them is shining,
Sparkling as on gold.

A birch tree stays lazy
In the morning air,
Its snow cover blazing
Like golden fire.

Again comes the blizzard,
And moving around,
Like a hoary wizard
Drops gold on the ground. 1913.

The students added poetry to their  own art pieces:

By Laura

As the sunset is bright

     just before the night

I go out and make a wish

    as the sunset is bright

    just before the night

I go inside and get inside my bed

     As I go insdie and get inside my bed

     As I keep that wish inside my head

Blue Night Sky by Izabella

Beautiful as a singing bird.

Lovely like a lover bird.

Unusable birch trees stand here for us to live.

Every birch tree stands for a piece of

love.

Neat and so special, nothing is prettier than a birch tree.

In the night sk with a smile on my face, I stand at a nice birch.

Grateful for you birch trees for being here.

Happy living in a lovely forest.

These birch trees help us live without them.

We wouldn't be here now.

Birch Tree Study

3^rd Grade

Our exhibition  shares our art exploration of:

v     COLOR THEORY

·         Warm & cool colors

v  Media

·         Cutting

o   Scissors

·         Gluing

o   Glue sticks

o   Liquid Glue

·         painting

o   watercolors

o   tempera

o   brushes

o   card stock

v  Observation

·         Visually analyzing photographs of birch trees for Art Elements;

o   Shape

o    Color

o   Form

o    Texture

o   Lines

o   size

v  Discussion

·         Composition

·         abstract Art

·         realism

v  Art Criticism

·         students acted as critics and chose peer work for display

·         explained their aesthetic choice



Artist of the Month - Marc Chagall



Marc Chagall, I and the Village, 1911

It's time for the changing of the calendar as well as the Artist of the Month wall. During the month of November, we learned about Marc Chagall, a jewish, russian expressionist painter who lived to be 98 years of age. He happens to be one of my favorites; not a secret if you've seen me sipping tea from my "I and the Village" cup or the wall lined with Chagall wonders in the classroom studio. Grades 2 through 4 have been using Chagall's works as inspiration to create their own expressionist paintings.

What elements help us identify an expressionist work of art?

• Expressing emotion
• Bold colors
• Distortion
• Lack of perspective

Are these paintings Expressionism?
Have your child analyze and discuss the following images with you:


Vincent Van Gogh, Starry Night          Edvard Munch, The Scream           Henri Matisse, The Dessert Harmony in Red

Our literacy extension included a reading of I am Marc Chagall by Bimba Landmann and thanks to Willow in 3rd who shared her Dreamer from the Village: The Story of Marc Chagall by Michelle Markell with her class.

Enjoy the students'  I and the Village  inspired works in progress... scroll below to see some of the completed pieces.

CRITERIA - 25 point lesson

• Expresses Emotion
• Two Profiles (either human or animal)
• An X compotion or thoughtfully composed
• Tell a story with the other spaces; a dream, a meaningful place (imaginary or real), a special object
• Effort

Some completed masterpieces exploring:

• rough sketching to final craftsmanship
• composition
• oil pastels and watercolors
• visual storytelling

4th grade students

Some more finished masterpieces:

Samantha - 4th grade

Chloe - 4th grade

Tyler - 2nd grade

Jammie - 4th Grade

Sophia - 2nd Grade 

Lina - 4th Grade

Eli - 3rd grade

Alonzo - 3rd Grade

Sean - 4th Grade

Brianna  - 4th Grade

Grace - 4th Grade

Madison H - 2nd Grade

Sierra - 4th Grade

Mary - 4th Grade

Caleb - 4th grade