Hey all! This week will be our third week in the new trimester. All the students have completed their student contracts and first art exercise. We started the trimester by doing a observational drawing exercise with grades 1st through 5th. Observational drawing is a great way to increase observational skills, as well as improve hand and eye coordination. It's a pretty simple exercise that you can do anywhere at anytime. You just grab an object and draw what you see. Here is a link to a few websites that explain the benefits of observational drawing for little kids and they also explain a little bit more about what it is....
https://artfulparent.com/2016/05/observational-drawing-for-kids.html
http://www.mustardseedschool.org/2014/11/observational-drawing-as-a-science-tool-in-the-early-childhood-classroom/
Kindergarten has already made their clay pinch pots and textured hands. They now know where clay comes from and what a kiln is. Last week they were pretty thrilled because they got to look inside the kiln. They just recently started studying line and the artist Kandinsky while their clay projects are drying out.
1st grade has started to make their clay pinch pot monsters.
2nd grade is preparing to make their clay self-portraits.
3rd grade is preparing to make their clay soul shakers.
4th grade just started making their favorite places out of clay.
5th grade is beginning to make their clay whistles.
We always start the trimester with clay because their projects need a few weeks to dry out before they can be fired. After they are fired, they need to be glazed. Glazing usually takes a couple of class periods. Finally, they have to be fired again. It's a long process, and to make sure we have enough time in the trimester that is why we always start with clay.
https://artfulparent.com/2016/05/observational-drawing-for-kids.html
http://www.mustardseedschool.org/2014/11/observational-drawing-as-a-science-tool-in-the-early-childhood-classroom/
Kindergarten has already made their clay pinch pots and textured hands. They now know where clay comes from and what a kiln is. Last week they were pretty thrilled because they got to look inside the kiln. They just recently started studying line and the artist Kandinsky while their clay projects are drying out.
1st grade has started to make their clay pinch pot monsters.
2nd grade is preparing to make their clay self-portraits.
3rd grade is preparing to make their clay soul shakers.
4th grade just started making their favorite places out of clay.
5th grade is beginning to make their clay whistles.
We always start the trimester with clay because their projects need a few weeks to dry out before they can be fired. After they are fired, they need to be glazed. Glazing usually takes a couple of class periods. Finally, they have to be fired again. It's a long process, and to make sure we have enough time in the trimester that is why we always start with clay.