So many things, so little time...

The past three weeks have been a whirlwind at school and at home.  I just ended my second nine weeks which included finalizing projects before their due dates, exams, grades, preparing for the third nine weeks projects (ceramics), all high school students received iPads (try to include these in my projects), beginning the elementary fundraiser for frames for our art show, beginning 96 square foot bottle cap mural with all K - 5 students.  All of this while my husband and I are going through the adoption process filling out mounds of paperwork.  One of my high school students told me today that I need to stop doing so many things and relax.  Ha!  There's no time for that now!

Christmas Bulbs

My 7th grade finished a project with just a few days left before Christmas break so we squeezed a little holiday project before school let out.  

First, we drew the bulbs on white paper.  There were so many smears and smudges happening.  So we drew pine branches on a black piece of paper and cut out the bulbs.  We used glue and 3D dots to put the bulbs back together on the black paper.  The kids were super excited with their results.   

Trees, trees, and more trees...

My first year of teaching I made the mistake of creating a "Santa" themed project.  I had one kindergartener that shouted out "He aint weel!"  I was shocked and responded right back, "He is too weel."  After this project was over I promised myself, no matter how awesome the project, I will never do a "Santa" themed project again.  Instead I try to have each grade do some sort of a Christmas tree.    

4th graders completed this patterned tree.

 3rd graders completed this Christmas music project.

5th grade complete this Picasso inspired tree.

Mooseltoe

I introduced this project to my second grade by reading the book "Mooseltoe".  We used 18x24 white paper (when making something as large as a moose you go big or go home! :) ), tempera paint,  watercolor paint, oil pastels, glitter, and permanent markers.  The kids were so excited about the the size and loved how they turned out.   

Abnormal Colored Portraits

Here is another Advanced Art project students were able to choose from this nine weeks.  They chose a portrait of a person, drew it, and colored it with oil pastels.  I required the students to use unusual colors.  It was difficult for many of them to think out side of the "normal" box.  

Here are a few of the results...

Candy Canes & Christmas Lights

My 5th graders loved this quick holiday project.  We used oil pastels and it only took us two class periods!  They looked great framed in the display cases and elementary office. 

Most successful Art 1 project yet...

When I introduced this projects my Art 1 students couldn't quite grasp what I wanted them to do.  FInd a picture (of almost anything), draw it, paint it with watercolors, trace every "puddle" with a thin black sharpie marker.  This project really showed what students payed close attention to detail.  I framed a few of them and hung them in the library and high school office.  Here are some of the results....