Resources & links for making art at home

Drawing:

My students' favorite drawing tutorials:

https://www.artforkidshub.com/

More drawing resources (thanks to Avery!)

https://seatup.com/blog/sit-down-and-draw/

And dice drawing games (roll the dice to see what to draw!):

https://deceptivelyeducational.blogspot.com/2011/12/build-bug.html

https://i0.wp.com/www.secondstorywindow.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/monsterdraw.jpg?ssl=1

http://holderbaum.educationextras.com/LegoActivities.html

For young comic book artists, this illustrator has blank comic book panels & activity sheets:

https://jarrettlerner.com/activities/

Fun zentangle/op art ideas:

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs023/1101168872594/archive/1103991260417.html

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/aa/c3/0a/aac30ab38fb59341ec353d83538e6725.jpg

Origami:

https://www.origami-fun.com/origami-for-kids.html

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/origami-for-kids-4162883

Clay:

Homemade play dough recipe:

https://domesticsuperhero.com/best-homemade-playdough-recipe/


Pottery app:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pl.idreams.potterylite&hl=en_US

Collage:

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/16/95/a4/1695a4d200f9d1bc401d96e6236f64fa.jpg

Painting:

https://www.smallhandsbigart.com/abstract-scraper-painting/

Sculpture & Design Challenges

https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/62002/kids-craft-paper-boxes

https://frugalfun4boys.com/engineering-challenges-clothespins-binder-clips-craft-sticks/

http://colorforeveryone.blogspot.com/2014/05/gesture-drawing-and-foil-figures.html?m=1

https://onelittleproject.com/beaded-pipe-cleaner-people/

https://artfulparent.com/3-d-art-sculpture-ideas-kids/

THE SHAPE OF MY HEART Valentine's Mobiles

Kinder and 1st grade students decorated these sweet streamers after reading THE SHAPE OF MY HEART. I copied heart templates on colored copy paper to make it an easy one day project. They were excited to use these to decorate their classrooms for Valentine's Day.

Older students, in 3rd-5th grade, learned to make a simple one string mobile using 6 x 6" construction paper squares and yarn. They folded two pieces of paper together and cut a heart on the fold. I also showed them how to cut "heart rings" and increasingly smaller hearts to use on their mobiles. They simply glued them "like a sandwich" on either side of the yarn. They made every variety of mobile, from large to small, and some student experimented with other symmetrical shapes.

THE RAINBOW BOOK & Rainbow Mosaic Collage

This was the second rainbow project I did with Kindergarten to reinforce the order of a rainbow. Reading THE RAINBOW BOOK also gave us chance to talk about the way colors can relate to feelings.

After a demonstration on the document camera students began by folding, drawing and cutting a heart for the center of their collage. I always ask students to check with me before cutting since hearts can be tricky! Then, students used strips of paper from orange to purple to cut into different shapes for their mosaic. We reviewed rainbow order and also talked a bit about symmetry. I love the way each student interpreted this differently, but all the variations were beautiful and successful. I'm publishing these on ARTSONIA as my Mother's Day fundraiser.

NOT A STICK

We did this project as part of our Kindergarten unit on line. The first day we read NOT A STICK, which they loved, and talked about using our imaginations. Students glued popsicle sticks to a plain black paper after creating a composition they were happy with.

The next day, after they had dried, they painted using flourescent tempera cakes.

TOO MUCH GLUE

I love reading this book the first time we use glue in Kindergarten since it's fun to see what NOT to do! Since we begin by studying line I give them an assortment of paper strips to make a collage. Rather than use scissors I encourage them to tear the paper to make it smaller. It's also a good way for them to develop fine motor strength. For glue I use spill-proof cups and cheap plastic brushes. These are SO much easier to refill, and they never get clogged the way glue bottles do. Plus using brushes prevents puddles and putting TOO MUCH GLUE on their paper ; )

FOLLOW THE LINE THROUGH THE HOUSE

To transition from our first trimester unit on line to our second trimester unit on shape we did this project incorporating both elements. I've been wanting to use the cute book by Linda Ljungkvist for awhile, and this lesson was perfect. 

After reading the story students chose geometric shapes to use for a house, planned their composition and glued them with a glue stick. I had different sizes of rectangles, triangles and squares pre-cut for them to choose from. Then they drew details using a sharpie marker. This kept them very engaged, and as always they all came up with interesting stories to go with their pictures!

Beginning of Kindergarten

EVERY year I forget how hard Kindergarten can be at the beginning. The very first day is magical, but as the spell wears off it can get a little crazy. Definitely like herding cats. I always start with reading a story on the rug- and lately this includes reminders on how to sit and listen. I copied this rhyme from another teacher:

Criss cross, apple sauce,

Hands in your lap.

Eyes on Mrs. Freeman

'Cause she likes it like that!

Then, we begin with line. Since our school year is divided into trimesters we focus the first one on line, the second on shape, and the third on color. Reading LINES THAT WIGGLE, by Candace Whitman is a great way to begin talking about and noticing lines. It leads into a search for lines around the art room, and then students create their own line designs on the folders we'll use for the first trimester to hold their art.

Another great book to use early on is the classic, HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON, by Crockett Johnson. It's such a strange but mesmerizing story! I followed this story up with time to draw on "magic" scratch art paper. Several students had already used it, but for the ones who hadn't it was very much like magic. Even the students who can still only scribble were engaged for most of our time. 

As students finish they learn to put their work in the designated "Finished Pile" and then choose from options in the Makerspace including clipboards and free draw paper, magnet boards and shapes, chalkboards, and art books to read.

Rainbow Windsocks

Kinder students have been learning about colors and the order they are in to make a rainbow. Later this will help them understand the color wheel and color mixing! 

Our first color project was to experiment with color mixing by having some free choice painting time, then we were ready to try creating a rainbow for these cute windsocks.

We read the magical book, WHAT MAKES A RAINBOW to learn the ingredients (rain, sun, and color!) Students painted their rainbows on paper I had already folded as a "hot dog" using standard watercolor trays (which are already in rainbow order).

Next class we read A RAINBOW OF MY OWN, by Don Freeman (author of CORDUROY). This is a cute story, although we talked about how the rainbow is a little mixed up. Then, students glued strips of tissue paper in rainbow order inside their folded paper to make a color "sandwich." Finally I stapled them into windsocks. They loved dancing around with their own rainbows!

Leprechaun Traps

This may be my students' favorite project of all time! I read them LOOKING FOR LEPRECHAUNS to inspire them to try trapping their very own Leprechaun to lead them to a pot of gold. Then I pulled out all the random items I had saved in my art closet- for example, the "ladders" are from my watercolor refills, the toilet paper tubes were saved by the custodians, and the "nets" are donated ribbons. Of course we needed shiny things to attract the Leprechauns. They had to make a plan and a "shopping list" before I gave them the okay to start building, and then the Leprechaun trap building began!

Each table got a roll of masking tape, and some students were able to build the entire thing with tape. I also hot glued for the students who needed some help. Students had the option to finish their work in one day or take a second day of art to complete the traps. They were all so excited to take these home and try trapping some Leprechauns this weekend- good luck kids!

Robot Collages

Students loved making these robot collages! They were inspired by the book, ROBOT ZOT! by Jon Scieszka,  illustrated by David Shannon.  They started by planning their shapes with the tissue paper- I had pieces pre-cut in squares and rectangles, and they cut smaller pieces out of those. They glued them on using glue brushes and liquid starch.

On Day 2 of this project we read another robot book, RABBIT AND ROBOT: THE SLEEPOVER, by Cece Bell. It was another book that had us all speaking in robot voices for the rest of class. They used black and metallic sharpie to add details to their robots, which really brought them to life!

NOT A BOX and cardboard sculptures

For the first day of this project I started by reading I SPY SHAPES IN ART, by Lucy Micklethwait.  This gives a good introduction to some 3D forms along with a review of 2D shapes in works of art. Each student then chose a large piece of cardboard or mat board as their base, and 2 or 3 geometric shapes I had pre-cut to start their sculpture. They used glue and glue brushes to attach the shapes- I reminded them to count to at least 20 to make sure they stuck. If their pieces wouldn't stick I hot glued them.

For the second day of the project we read NOT A BOX, by Antoinette Portis. My Kindergarten students LOVED this book and the follow up, NOT A STICK, which we read earlier this year. They also had time to add more shapes to their sculpture and paint their sculptures with tempera cakes. Some students added details with markers, string or construction paper too.

 

They were so creative- here are some of their masterpieces on display:

Valentine's Day & Book Giveaway

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays in the Art room! This simple project starts with my own book, LOVE YOU MORE THAN ANYTHING, and is perfect for 1st grade and Kindergarten. I'll be giving away a copy of my book on Monday, 2/11/19- just comment below to be entered!

Here's the lesson. I begin by reading to everyone on the classroom rug:

Then I demo how to use origami paper to create a heart. Each class gets a different color so that when finished I can create a rainbow display in the hallway. Color coding also makes it easier to pass back art to students later ; )

I draw a big example of how to draw a heart on the fold, and have students check with me before cutting to avoid wasting paper. When they have cut their heart they can create a design, drawing, or message for someone they love using black felt tip marker. If there's enough time I let them make a second one to bring home.

 Sweet and simple!

Here's the beautiful display my volunteer made: