Recycled Art

     This activity was all about reusing recycled material to make art.  For this project, we used crushed pop cans to create fish.  First, we painted our cans.  We were required to use at least three colors to make our fish.  I painted my can green, blue, and yellow with touches of black and white.  While our cans were drying, we all worked on an ocean mural reusing recycled bottle caps.  This mural would be in a display case along with our fish.  After the paint was dry, I added white and black dots all over my fish.  Another requirement for this project was to include at least two patterns.  My two patterns were the black dots and the lines on the fins.  Finally,  I glued on my googly eyes and my fins that I cut out of construction paper.
       An extension activity the students could do could be to find more recycled material either at home or around town and bring it to school.  With the recycled material the students brought, they could create their own work of art and write a story about their piece.  The students would be required to bring at least a bag full of recycled material.  While the students are writing, they could also include in their writing another way to recycle or reuse recycled material.        

Scratch Art Mitten

       For this project, we made our very own scratch art mitten.  To begin this project we used crayons to color on a sheet of thick paper about the size of our hand.  We were required to use at least two different colors and had to press really hard on the paper.  After coloring, we taped down our sheet of paper to some cardboard.  We used black tempera paint with a little bit of soap to paint over our colored sheet of paper.  While we were waiting for the paint to dry, we listened to the book "The Mitten" and learned about five different lines.  Then we drew a mitten and some lines on a another sheet of paper the same size as the thick paper.  Then we cut our mitten out.  After the paint was dry, we traced our mitten on the black surface to scratch off the black paint.  Then we scratch off the black paint to draw our lines on our mitten.  After we scratch off our design, we cut out our mitten.
       An extension activity for this project could be to first create two mittens and then attached a piece of yarn to connect them.  After doing that the students could write a story about where these mittens have traveled from, where they are going, and who has been wearing them.  This story could tie in with the lesson that the students are discussing in geography.  

Totem Poles

       Can you guess what animal my totem pole is?  It is a wolf!  For this activity we created our very own totem poles.  To begin the lesson, we first learned about what totem poles are and their history.  Then, we started making our own totem poles using an 8 1/2 x 12 sheet of construction paper that could be any color.  We were able to chose what animal we wanted our totem pole to be.  We then drew all the parts of the animal we chose on our construction paper.  We were required to include at least 2 3-D body parts to our animal.  I first drew on my eyes and then my eyebrows.  My 3-D body parts are my ears and my snout.  I also included arms each side of my totem pole.  Now, all of my body parts were drawn and added before I rolled up my construction paper.  Another requirement for this project was to use at least 3 different colors.  I chose the colors violet, blue, and green since I used red construction paper for my body.
       An extension activity for this project could be to have the students pair up with a partner that created a different animal totem pole and have them write a story about their totem poles.  Maybe they were friends or maybe they were enemies.  The story could whatever the students wanted but it would have to be at least a page long.

Decorative Tiles

       This decorative tile was made with air dry clay.  To begin the lesson, we first learned about the different building techniques used when working with clay such as wedging, scoring, additives and subtractives.  Some of these techniques would be used to make our decorative tiles.  The first step in making our tiles was to roll out a 4x4 piece of clay.  Then we could add whatever shapes, designs, or letters to our tiles.  I added a "splat" shape and wrote my nickname using a needle tool.  For this assignment we were required to use at least two techniques we learned about at the beginning of class.  After we made our designs on our tiles, we then got to paint them.  Another requirement was to include at least 2 colors.  I chose blue, green, and little bit of white.  Those are my favorite colors.
       An extension activity for this project could be for the students to create their own animal or plant using the leftover clay from their tile project.  This project would have to stand on its own to make it more 3-D.   Now, to incorporate this project into another subject, the students could create another tile with a number or a math sign such as a plus or equal sign.  Once the math tiles are made the students could practice their adding and subtracting skills using these tiles.

Woven Coaster

       Weaving coasters is a great project for your students to make as Christmas gifts for a family member.  It is a challenging project to do which is why this project is classified as a fifth grade level project.  To begin this project, each student will be given a loom that is made out of cardboard and two arms length of white yarn.  Each student is required to use at least two different colors of yarn not including the white that was given to them.  I chose blue and green.  If this project is going to be used as Christmas gifts, you might want to use the colors green, red, gold, and silver.  Next, the students will wrap the yarn around the top and bottom of the loom and go behind the tabs and back to the front of the loom. A majority of the yarn should be on the front side of the cardboard.  The only yarn that should be showing on the back side is the yarn that is wrapped around the tabs.  Now, the students will begin to weave their different colored yarn.  They will first tie one end of their first color to the top right corner of the loom.  Then, the students will weave their yarn through their loom by going over and under the white yarn.  After going across the loom each time, the students will need to push their yarn up to keep it tight together.  If the students pull too tight on each end, their coaster will look like an hour glass instead of a rectangle.  If the students want to change colors they would tie the end of the color they just used to the color they want next.  Once the coaster is finished, the students will tie the end to the white yarn and then finish the ends with some fringe with the white yarn and pull it off the cardboard loom.  While we were making our coasters, we listened to the book "Gathering Blue".  

       An extension activity for this project could be to incorporate different math patterns into our weaving project using more than 3 colors or shapes.  Now, in junior high, the students could do a more advanced weaving project in FACS if the class is offered.

Printmaking Greeting Cards

       Printmaking Greeting Cards are the perfect project for your students to do during the Holiday season.  For this project, we were required to create a holiday landscape making sure to include objects that were in the foreground, middle ground, and background.  The lesson began with talking about Andy Warhol and his works that involve printmaking.  We started the project by drawing our design on a sheet of white paper that was handed out.  Then we transferred it onto a styrofoam sheet about the same size as the white paper that was handed out.  Then paint was rolled on the styrofoam and then pressed and rolled onto another sheet of white paper.  The paint takes about a day to dry so once the paint was dry we could cut our prints out and glue them on the outside of our cards as shown in the pictures.
       An extension activity for this lesson could be to write a story about the print the students created.  The story would take place in the landscape in their print.  The students would be able to come up with their own characters in their story.  This would be an activity in English class.

Paper Mosaic Creation

       Here's a project that could turn your classroom from a nice and clean room to a messy and colorful room with small pieces of construction paper everywhere.  To begin the lesson, we first learned about a mosaic and a silhouette.  A mosaic is a picture or pattern produced by arranging small colored pieces together.  A silhouette is a dark shape and outline of someone or something.  We were each required to include a silhouette in our mosaics.  Each table was assigned a different season so whatever season was at your table you were required to create your silhouette about that season.  My table was assigned spring so I included a cloud and some rain drops to symbolize April showers.  Now to begin this project, we were first required to draw and cut out our silhouettes and then set them aside. Then we created our mosaic using small pieces of colored construction paper.  I made my sky using light and dark blue pieces of construction paper.  I also used green and yellow pieces for my ground that symbolized grass.  After glueing all my construction paper pieces down, I then glued down my silhouette.  

       An extension activity for this project could be used in a science classroom where the students would create a habitat with the small construction pieces and then a silhouette with an animal that would live in the habitat they created.

Kandinsky Fall Creation

       This project is all about shapes both geometric and organic.  To begin the lesson, we first learned about Wassily Kandinsky.  He was an abstract artist who listened to classical music while painting.  After discussing Kandinsky's work, we were each handed a sheet of watercolor paper that was divided into four sections with tape.  In each section, we were required to trace either a geometic or organic shape that was placed on our table.  We had to have two geometric and two organic shapes total.  After tracing our shapes, we drew another line around each shape.  Then we could start painting.  Our geometric shapes were required to be painted in cool colors and our organic shapes painted in warm colors.  The backgrounds in each of the four sections could be painted any color we wanted.   After the paint dried, we removed the tape and displayed our projects on a bulletin board to create a huge mural.

       An extension activity for this project could be to create a huge mural with the fifty states of the United States.  Depending on the class size, each student would have to trace and paint at least two states.  They would have to include warm and cool colors in their painting as shown in my project above.  This extension activity would be used during Social Studies as the students are learning about the fifty states of the United States.

Navajo Cacti Drawing

       The above image is the example project I created for the drawing lesson I designed and implemented with Miss Farrand.  In our lesson, we discussed the Navajo culture before beginning our drawings of cacti.  We showed a powerpoint with examples of different patterns and cacti.  Then, we had the students create two different patterns on a sheet of paper that we gave.  We also had the students add texture to two different cacti on that same sheet of paper.  After discussing the Navajo culture and different cacti, we showed the steps to create our cacti drawings.  First, the students drew their pot in pencil on their piece of watercolor paper.  Their pots could be any shape or size they wanted.  Then, they drew their patterns on their pots.  Finally, they drew three different shaped cacti in their pots.  The students then traced their pencil lines with a black sharpie and added their texture on their cacti.  We then tapped the students' papers onto their desks so when they started painting the paper would not wrinkle.  The students then painted their background.  They used the color brown for their ground and warm colors as their sky.  Once the paint was dry, the students could color their pot and their cacti.  The students were required to use three different hues of the color green.  After their cacti drawings were complete the students removed the tape and added a frame to their artwork.  

       An extension activity for this project could be to actually plant and grow cacti.  Each student would have their own cactus and pot that they designed.  Each day they would check up on their cactus plant and water it if they need to.  This activity could be incorporated during a science class after talking about cacti or even during a social studies class after discussing the Navajo culture.

Van Gogh Inspired Collage

     Do you have all this extra tissue paper and do not know what to do with all of it?  This Van Gogh Inspired Collage is the perfect solution.  First, start with a dark colored sheet of construction paper to represent the sky.  Then, cover the whole sheet with different colored tissue paper.  Make sure to overlap the tissue paper to create some color variation.  The tissue paper is then glued down with some glossy acrylic paint.  Make sure to paint over the tissue paper as well as the rest of the construction paper to create a glossy feel.  Once the glue has dried completely, using oil pastels cover your new tissue paper filled sky with different lines showing movement.  To complete this project use a sheet of black construction paper and create a landscape over your tissue papered sky.  I chose a sailboat and water as my landscape to fit with my cool colored sky.  Below my artwork is a yellow sheet of paper with three facts about Vincent Van Gogh to complete the project.
     An extension activity for this project could be creating a habitat for an animal your students pick that live in a certain biome learned in science.  If a student picks a prairie dog, they would have to create a habitat for that prairie dog.  They might include some grass, a few trees, and of course the prairie dog.  Below their artwork, the students can include three facts about the biome that goes along with the animal they chose.

Dot

Coffee filters on top of the paper

Paper without coffee filters

      This dot project can be created using many different mediums such as watercolor paint, crayons, and markers.  The book Dot by Peter Reynolds is a great story to begin the class period with before starting the project.  After the story, the students will need a coffee filter and a white sheet of paper to put their coffee filter on as they paint and color it.  Then the students will create their dot using many different designs and colors.  They can color it with markers then use a wet paint brush and blend it in or write a message using their white crayon before painting it.  An extension activity for this project could be creating a solar system for science class.  Each student would be assigned a planet to create and then put all the planets together to make the solar system. 

Coffee filters by themselves

Hidden Safari

          In this art activity, it is not just about drawing patterns and designs.  It is about what message is hidden behind those patterns and designs.  But the only way to see the hidden message is to look through your very own "Superhero Goggles"!  All you have to do is draw your hidden message using cool colors.  Then add all sorts of patterns on top using warm colors.  When you finish adding the patterns use your "Superhero Goggles" to see your hidden message!  This activity can be used for other subjects such as Reading.  After the students finish a book, each of the them could draw their favorite scene and the other students could use their "Superhero Goggles" to see what scene they drew.  

5 Examples of Elements and Principles of Design

Fall Trees at Richmond Lake by Aberdeen, SD

This photo represents the element of color.

Hexagons on a classroom wall in the Rotunda at SDSU in Brooking, SD

This photo represents the element shape.  These shapes are geometric.

Delicate Arch at Arches National Park in Utah.

This photo represents the element space.

Richmond Lake by Aberdeen, SD

This photo represents the principle balance.

Display on SDSU's campus in Brookings, SD

This photo represents the element value.

        For this project, I used pictures to show the elements and principles of design and displayed them in a powerpoint.  These are my five best photos from the powerpoint.  An activity for your students to do after presenting the powerpoint could be having them look around the classroom and even the school for examples that show the elements and principles of design.  If you are teaching these in upper classes the students could go out into the town and take pictures of each of elements and principles they see around them for a project.  They could create a display board or a book that displays all their pictures showing each of the elements and principles of design.

Footprint Introduction

        If you are looking for a way to break the ice on your first day of school, I have a project that will introduce your students to you and you to your students.  This project is a Footprint introduction.  To begin this project first, trace your foot or shoe on construction paper and cut it out. Next, add different objects or symbols that describe yourself.  Encourage your students to think outside the box and be creative in representing themselves.  For example, the pictures of arches represents my love for traveling and camping.  I also included the logo Disney because I love watching Disney movie.  I used different medias in this project such as paint, construction paper, sharpie, and pictures.  Once all your symbols and objects are laid out how you would like them and your name is included somewhere, glue on your symbols and objects and let it dry.  Finally, introduce yourself by showing them your footprint.
       After the students introduce themselves with their finished footprint, you could incorporate another activity that could go along with this lesson.  Your students could write a story about where their feet took them this summer.  The story does not even have to relate to what is on the footprint.  It could be a story about what they did this summer that they enjoyed.