Finishing Up the Year!

David Hockney, Portrait of the Artist

Well Friends, we're officially finishing our last art lesson of the year. Students are working on Modigliani-inspired portraits, making origami butterflies, drawing sheep and completing any unfinshed projects from the year. I have enjoyed teaching this year and can't wait to use my Summer break to re-fuel and come up with some wonderful lessons for next year! Have a wonderful Summer and we'll see ya back in the Fall.

Boom, Boom, POW!

This week my Second and Third graders did a fun Pop Art lesson inspired by Roy Lichtenstein. These amazing primary colored pieces definitely caught the eye of our passers by!

The students enjoyed writing a word that sounds like the noise it makes, and example of Onomonepeia... a big word used in English class.

Brandon, Grade 3

Jason, Grade 3

Even my Fourth and Fifth graders got into the "action" (ha ha...)

Making pop up Word Bubbles also inspired by Lichtenstein.

Darvin, Grade 5

Connor, Grade 5

Anna Kate, Grade 5

Caleb, Grade 5

BIG THANKS to Theresa Miller, for an awesome art lesson!

April Showers bring... PANOPLY!

It's that time of year again... I'm looking forward to Huntsville's biggest and brightest Arts Festival, Panoply!
All public and private schools in the Huntsville/Madison County area can partipate by sharing artwork in the Student Art Tent. I'm in the process now of chosing 10-12 great pieces from both Blossomwood and Highlands Elementary to show off on our frames.
The festival will be held April 27-29 in Big Spring Park. There will be tons of activities for children, music, dancing, drama, food and lots of ART!
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact The Arts Council. It is a wonderful opportunity to volunteer and have some fun.
I hope to see you there.

Who doesn't like a little bling?

Now THIS was a cool lesson.... using metallic gold wrapping paper, Fourth and Fifth Grade students created collages inspired by Gustav Klimt's gold-leafed paintings.

This lesson also learned listening skills, math (parallel lines, geometry, vertical vs. horizontal, and congruent vs. similar shapes) and of course, art history.

They're are ready to rock the Geometry portion of the ARMT+ test now.... Thanks Mr. Klimt!

Hanes, Grade 5



Lizzie, Grade 5 

"I'm Yertle the Turtle, oh marvelous me!"

Of course... every lesson I teach, I think the kids do a MARVELOUS job, but this one really takes the cake!

In honor of Dr. Seuss' Birthday week, we read "Yertle the Turtle" as an introduction to our lesson. If you haven't read the book, it is a wonderful story written in rhyme (like only Dr. Seuss can) about a power-hungry turtle king, who is not-so-nice to his subjects.

You check it out here, read by John Lithgow:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FFfbSWbLWw&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

After the story, we practiced drawing a turtle by breaking it into shapes (SYNTHESIS-a higher order thinking skill) on regular paper. When we were ready, we embossed our design in gold tooling foil by using dull pencils and magazine padding.

Aren't these fabulous?

Hippity Hoppity...

This week, Kindergarten and First Grade took a look at a five hundred year old piece of artwork by Albrecht Durer.

We "drew with our scissors" to create one of our own "Chocolate Bunnies!"

While the kids were concentrating on cutting and gluing, I snuck in LOTS of geometry... vertical and horizontal lines, symmetry, rectangles, circles, squares, octagons....

...isn't it awesome how you can teach ANY subject in art class and make it fun? I'm so sneaky...

ENJOY!

Enjoy Art, Culture, and M&M's this Sunday!

So the Weathermen call for rain this weekend... so instead of moping around your house waiting on the sun to come out, swing by the Huntsville Museum of Art and take a look at the Youth Art Month exhibition. Two students from each school in our area have artwork framed and hung in this wonderful, colorful, creative exhibit! The opening reception starts at 1:30 complete with punch and snacks.

Congratulations to Jasmine, (Highlands, Grade 1) Ulysses (Highlands, Grade K), Grace (Blossomwood, Grade 5) and Nancy Kate (Blossomwood, Grade K)! You make me proud.