"This is Me" - A 4th Grade Bookmaking Lesson

This lesson combined Language Arts, Illustration, Oragami, and Bookmaking! We discussed autobiographies and students began using markers, card-stock, and their yearbook photos to create a front and back cover. They then filled out worksheets all about them to give them some ideas for their books.  


I then showed them what our pages were going to look like, and they then took a planning worksheet to complete as a rough draft before drawing and writing on their final pages. 


I demonstrated the paper folding for the pages at the demonstration table, and again at the front of the room with a much larger piece of paper, while students followed along step by step. They also had a step by step handout in front of them for even more reinforcement. Onces all of their colorful pages were folded and properly glue together, I showed a few examples of in-progress and completed books so they could get some inspiration for their illustrations and embellishments. 


They really had a great time with this lesson and put a lot of thought and effort into them. They turned out to be a great keepsake!

IL.25.A.3e - Visual Arts: Analyze how the elements and principles can be organized to convey meaning through a variety of media and technology.

IL.26.B.3d - Visual Arts: Demonstrate knowledge and skills to create 2- and 3-dimensional works and time arts (e.g., film, animation, video) that are realistic, abstract, functional and decorative.

IL.28.D.3c - Present a simple, original poem or story based on a model.

Kindergarten goes Mondrian!

My Kindergarten classes were introduced to the works of Piet Mondrian. They saw everything from city streets to windows to mazes! We learned that work like this is called Abstract art. We also talked about primary colors, and horizontal & vertical lines during an interactive discussion. 


Over two 30 minute class periods, students created their own artwork in the style of Mondrian. They pasted black strips on a 12x18" piece of white paper on Day 1, and then used tempera paints in the primary colors (Red, Yellow, & Blue) to fill in whichever squares they'd like that they created with their strips on Day 1. Here are some results!

IL.25 - GOAL: Know the language of the arts.

IL.26 - GOAL: Through creating and performing, understand how works of art are produced.

IL.26.A.1e - Visual Arts: Identify media and tools and how to use them in a safe and responsible manner when painting, drawing and constructing.

Papier Mache People! - 2nd Grade

In this lesson, we discuss movement and the human form. Students had fun sculpting a basic human figure out of tin foil, wrapping it in masking tape (like a mummy!), and then covering their mummified figure in papier mache. Some students weren't very fond of getting messy with the glue/water mixture, but they warmed up to it soon enough. I demonstrated the process and showed that getting messy (when it's appropriate) can be a lot of fun!

This is also a great time to show the burlap work of Magdalena Abakanowicz!

Dancing Figures - Magdalena Abakanowicz

After their figures dried and were glued to a chipboard base (hot glued by my cooperating teacher and I), students used tempera paints to add color and patterns. They also had the opportunity to accessories and embellish their sculptures with yarn and fabric scraps! They had a lot of fun with this lesson and learned a lot about movement and balance :)