Reduction Drawing

MiniMatisse.blogspot.com

This quarter for our drawing unit, the 8th grade did a reduction drawing with charcoal.  They had  a blast getting really messy.  I didn't have any idea HOW mess this was going to be.  The second day we went outside on drawing boards and had a better time for all... the class, the teacher, and especially the custodian:)  It was a big challenge for the kids to think backwards.  Bringing out the lights, rather then the adding the darks was hard, but worth it.  this project was limited to two days and more about the experience of the medium then anything else.  Below you will see many other resources that I used to explain this project.  All are good sites to visit and fun blogs to join.  for more images of what my middle schooler did, check out my flickr site.

If you have suggestions of how to use messy mediums such as chalk and/or charcoal, please comment!

Class: Drawing and Painting I Charcoal Tool Drawing

Image above by Katherine Norrie from Northfeild Public 

Jason Botkin: Images above and below, helped me explain the process for a reduction drawing.

Another inspiration was Artisun

Vinegar Can Repare Clay!

A coworker once told me about the miracle of vinegar with clay.  She said that if there is a break in clay at the bone dry stage, that you can use vinegar to heal the break.  I had couple banks break before being fired and thought to give it a try.  I placed the smaller section in the vinegar and it starte fizzling.  I didn't expect that.  I quickly and carefully placed the piece on the desired spot and held it for a second or two.  Wah-lah!  It worked!!!  I am so stink'n happy about this that I had to share it with 300 of my closest friends... my blogging friends:)

Negative Spacetangles

Zentangle's again:)  I love offering Zentangle's as a beginning drawing project for my 8th grade.  Most artist feel successful with these repeating doodles.  I have tried a couple of things with the doodles (Book Covers, and Zentangle Me ).  This one really focuses on negative space.  I like this one.  Again, it was a good beginning because i had the students trace the outline of an image.  I want to let them know that can be successful right away, and let go of the 'I can't' attitude.  Zentangles are perfect repetitive patters that are simple and relaxing for most students.  I was happy with the results.

More examples can be found on our Flickr account.  (click here)

Still have'n fun in Homeroom...

I have had such a GREAT time having a homeroom.  We have doen so many great 'team building' activities in our half hour we have together every day.  We recently picked up trash around the school as an entire school.  We are also celebrating spring my classroom by growing our home made 'chia pets'.  The kids had fun watching the 'cat grass' grow at such a rapid speed.  I collected eggs for a long time to have enough for my homeroom but it was worth it!  The kids especially loved to give their eggs a 'hair cut'.  See more homeroom activities at my flickr site (click here)

District Art Show...

District 728 requested 2 artworks from each school as they do every year.  Images were printed and are displayed for a year in the District office.  Again, I have to brad about the wonderful educators that I get to call coworkers.  Please take the time to view a handful of amazing, K-12th grade artworks!  (Click here).

From Rogers Middle School we are proud to have both Abby Conn, 7th Grader and Rachel Hinz, 8th Grader represent us at the district level. The two will be awarded a certificate from the School District at the School Board meeting on May 14th. 

Abby Conn, 7th Grade, Rogers Middle School

Annica Carr, 5th Grade, Twin Lakes Elementary School

Tolu Odunusi, 12th Grade, Rogers High School

Oreo Face

DSC06236.JPG, originally uploaded by nch1979.

I am trying to create a family in my homeroom. I really think this is going to take a couple of years but I keep trying all the time. We took on another homeroom class last week for a game we called, Oreo Face! The object is to place an Oreo on your forehead and move it to your mouth without using your hands. You can only use you face muscles. So stink'n fun! The kids had a blast and I'm happy to report we won:)

Doing a little test...

Please ignore this post for the time being.  I'm working on a collaboration with http://www.rockthoughts.com/

Here is an idea for posting the rocks.

Couple of questions,

1.  Can we embed google forms and spreadsheets into WordPress?
2.  Can I post change the times of a post on WordPress?

Face Cards Again

The classic Face Card... So many teachers are doing this lesson the last couple of years.  I wanted to experiment where this lesson could take my class.  I tried several ways of addressing this lesson last quarter.

I have done the lesson before with 5th grade but I printed, rather then a drawing (see past post).  I liked the print because it was less tracing the same image over and over.  You will see that my printing template was a bit off, but overall for a foam print, it was good.

This year I wanted to try to see if students could address an art style, and or a feeling with their cards.

The cards below are feeling cards.  Each card was to have 5 hints of what feeling they were trying to express.  Cute cards...

         

Here I asked students to try a 'style' of art.  The card below was Op Art.  I think she did a great job expressing that style.

Again, another style.  This card was inspired by Anime. 

Overall, I think the lesson is a fun one.  The kids seem to like how the final project turns out. 

Shrinky Dink Bracelet

How cute are these.  I used Shrinky Dinks to create the plastic middle on these little gems.  Here is how I worked the lesson.

Day One:

Students received a worksheet that had for spaces on it.  The spaces were the same size as the plastic shrinky dink before shrinking.  In this case, 2 inches by 5 inches.  They were to draw three ideas and present me with their #1.  I would make suggestions or approve the design and present them with a plastic sheet (shrinky dink).  They drew the design on with permanent marker.  

Day Two:

When finished up with the plastic design, the students were instructed to get the 'practice string' to try out the knots of the friendship bracelets.  As they were practicing, I was shrinking plastic in the back with a toaster oven.  I would assist in placing a hole punch BEFORE shrinking the materials.

I decided to double (actually triple) myself by recording myself making the friendship bracelet knots (two videos, one for the basic and one for the more advanced).  I explained them knots verbally once at the beginning of class and then looped the video on my Smartboard with out words.  The kids could refer to the video when they needed assistance.

Knot 1 Above

Knot 2 Above

Above is an example of what I had playing on the board for the kids.  It was very helpful!

Day 3 and 4:  It took the average student a bit over an hour to complete the two bracelets off each end of the plastic.  I would allow early finishers to make other friendship bracelets.  I also graded the bracelets before letting them take them home so I was grading those two days too.

Things I learned... I learned that the plastic part should be shorter.  I found that the length or the curve of the plastic made it week and when middle school kids took these home, many of them broke.  I would make the plastic shorter and perhaps with out the curve next time.