Corn Project to Celebrate National Indigenous People Day

Pulling out a lesson from long ago. Here is my original post. This year I chose to use this lesson to celebrate the importance of corn to the American Indigenous People. Plus, Kindergarten continued to practice cutting, and learned 3 ways to glue... glue stick, liquid glue, and glue sponge. Fun and successful lesson for the kids! 

Scroll through the slide show above. I also created a Seesaw Lesson if you would like to use it in your Virtual Classroom. 

Virtual Potluck Using Google Slides

I am always up for Some Good News and that is why John Krasinski is my new favorite thing to watch every Monday Morning! He has started a News Show that is just my style! I wake up on Monday and think about it on my morning commute. Grant it, these days my commute is down two flights of stairs to a spare room that has been make shifted to my distance learning classroom... but I do think about it the whole way to work.  Then I sit down at my desk and fire up my Mac... I get my tissues ready and hit play. This man and the outreach of his contacts have given me so much joy. So... I thought I would try to pay it forward and bring a little joy to my staff as well.  

In the video below, John talks about a Potluck that he invited his viewers to take part in last week. I was inspired to do the same. 

I used this project as a training tool for how to create and manipulate Google Slides. I ended up making a couple of tutorials about the whole process. This is a quick overview of how to personalize a Google Slide Presentation. In the explanation I mention a Chrome Extension called Eye Dropper. Love it so very much.

I thought my staff could work on their skills of using google slides as well as add to the collection of recipes. Here are two ways to add an images in Google Slides. 

Here are some ways to add images and manipulate them for your Google Slide Show.

Here is a very quick video on how to make a Table of Content in a Google Slide Show.

If you are wanting to do this with your staff or just for yourself, or family, or class... yah, your class if you are teaching FACs or Home Ed.  That would be awesome... Here is the Google Template that I made and am happy to share. 

Click here to get a copy of this Virtual Potluck Template

5th Annual Artist Trading Card Swap Announcment

Here we are at year five of the MiniMatisse Global Artist Trading Card Swap. As promised, today I would like to announce the opportunity to join us in the swap with your class/student(s).

Who can participate? 

Students Preschool to 12th Grade. Home school, private and public schools, after school programs, and Arts Clubs are welcome.  If you don't fit into one of these categories, please email me for special requests. Nicholechahn@yahoo.com

You can have 10 Artist Trading Cards on up to 200 Artist Trading Cards included in a package. If you have more students than that, I would suggest working with only one grade to trade OR purchasing two or more packages for the number of cards you will be sending. 

How many cards can I send?

I would also suggest having students do extra cards maybe trading two, that way they can get two cards back or only 1 trade to the student but the teacher can save some examples. You can have students do extra to make your 10 cards per group quota... PLEASE DO NOT SEND IN FEWER NUMBERS. Also, in case someone misses this rule of 10 per pack and I miss it as I send it back, it would be good to have extra cards coming your way in the case of human error.  

What is the cut-off?

I do this trade by myself so I do have to limit who participates. My cap is at 100 schools, but sometimes a few more have participated in the past. See last years recap on the whole process to get a good idea of what that looks like. 

Here is what the timeline looks like this year.

Aug. 22nd, 2019: I will open my Teachers Pay Teacher store to allow the purchase of an ATC Swap 'lesson plan' at 8AM CST. This year the purchase will be $15.00 per 200 cards, a discount for the second purchase of the same lesson for up to another 200 cards. This money goes back into shipping to get the cards back to all the participants both nationally and internationally. I'm hoping by telling you the date and how I will be selling the lesson, you will be able to request the funds from your school.

January 31st, 2020: Cards need to be received by me. I would highly recommend that you send the cards to me before this date. There are many factors to be considered that might cause cards to be late (Snowdays, Illnesses, Taking longer than you thought...) You can send them to me anytime!!! (and perhaps be one of the first to get your trade back)... My plan is to start swapping after I have about 10 groups who have sent me cards, that way it might be a little more manageable for me. 

March 10th, 2020: I will have all ATC's out of my classroom and heading your way. 

WARNINGS

Here are the warnings for the trade... I will send the Artwork out but almost every year someone's mail is intercepted. I'm not sure how. I will try to send an email to you this year if you include it on the outside of your package. I can not take responsibility for any lost packages. I'm sorry! Please prep your students that sometimes the mail doesn't make it but 99.9% of the time there is a success. 

The cards are coming from all ages and all level of Artist. You can not request a certain quality of age group. 

Sew a Softie 2019- Stuffed Fish

I look forward to our Annual Fiber Lesson Hop that Trixi Symonds puts on in July and in December as well. She creates a blog hop where the focus is on Sewing a Softie. This year I was happy to join again doing a fish. A couple of years ago I did a fish as well (previous post) but this year I brought it up a couple notches. I have also done an owl, and my daughter was a kid ambassador once creating a Winky Rat Finger Puppet.

As many of you are finding out, because of the Everyday Art Room Podcast or the Art Ed Now conference, Billy Kheel visited my classroom in the spring of 2019. Learn more about Billy and the project we did here... Crow River Project. After Billy left our school there was a HIGH interest in fibers and sewing. We also had leftover felt at our disposal. So... Each 5th grader made a Stuffed Fish that they could take home.

Students created a unique pattern and learned how to whip stitch around the fish. We simplified the process by using tacky glue for some of the details. I also had students in younger grades stuff PAPER Fish (see previous posts). This is a tiny step to helping students understand how to create a space to add stuffing, but using paper rather than fabric.

This year, the blog hop gave me a chance to highlight a lesson I created with my students at the end of the school year. A stuffed fish that I created with my 5th grade. Take a look at the video below and learn what this lesson looks like. It includes three student ready videos, tips and tricks on materials and management and lots of student samples. I have this lesson on my Teachers Pay Teachers Page.

If you are looking to sew something different than that 'Stuffed Fish' project, I hope that this post gives you lots of links to past fiber projects as well as the following links below to several other blogs who are participating this year. As always, Thanks so much to Trixi Symonds for hosting this incredible event, you have made our world a little smaller and 'stitched' us all together.

July 1: Trixi:https://www.colouredbuttons.com/2019/07/easy-hand-sewn-dachshund-softie.html

July 1 Alicia - Felt With Love Designs https://www.feltwithlovedesigns.com/2019/06/28/mini-monkey-softie-free-pattern-tutorial

July 2: Ana https://www.thelostapron.com

July 3: Ashley http://www.cinderellasews.com/2019/07/baby-deer-sew-softie-pattern.html

July 4:Emily: www.makingwithmommy.com video on itv

July 5: Kylee: www.teachingtotsthings.com

July 5: Choly: www.sewdesune.com

July 6: Tina https://missdaisypatterns.com/twilight-bear-sewing-pattern-story-time/

July 7 :Amy: www.startcreativestudui.com

July 8 : Maggy: https://www.redtedart.com/teddy-bear-softie-learn-to-sew-ted/

July 9:Heather: www.heathermakessewing.com

July 10: Elisa https://www.makefilmplay.com/kids-crafts/slug-sew-a-softie/

July 10: Jen @creativekidsco

July 11: Amie Plumley https://sewingschool.blogspot.com https://sewingschool.blogspot.com/2019/07/squidget-for-sew-softie-2019.html

July 12: MaryAnne https://www.mamasmiles.com/dragon-toy-sewing-pattern/

July 12: John www.theartdeam.com

July 13: Laura Humpage www.colourfulminds.com

July 14: Arielle www.artcampla.com

July 15 : Cara: www.raisingkinley.com

July 16 : Shannon https://ohcreativeday.com/very-hungry-caterpillar-craft-sew-a-softie-project/

July 17 : Lisa www.theartgardenblog.com

July 17 Eleanor www.minimadthings.com

July 18 : Deborah www.fishmuseumandcircus.com

July 18: Samara www.purpletwig.com

July 19 : Julie https://www.sumoftheirstories.com/blog/sew-a-softie-mini-sock-snake

July 20 :Cintia https://mypoppet.com.au/makes/sew-a-softie-zero-waste-gobble-monster-doll/

July 21 : Shonagh: www.threebusyboys.com

July 22 :Kristi: www.schnitzelandboo.com

July 23 : Kate: www.thecrafttrain.com

July 24: Shelly: www.creatingcreatives.com

July 25: Joanna; www.bluebarnliving.com

July 26: Nurdan: www.mbsactivityroom.com

July 27: Nic Hahn: http://minimatisse.blogspot.com/

July 28: Lauren Wright: www.mollyandmama.com.au

July 29: Lisa: www.cucicucicoo.com

Wisconsin Art Education Association Feature Speaker

I have been working hard the last couple of months to get ready for a big event coming up later in October. I have been invited to be a featured presenter at the Wisconsin Art Education Association Fall Conference. The theme this year is 'ART FOR ALL'. I love this theme because it really embraces all aspects of the Arts in Education. I can't wait to see the many ways this theme is interpreted by some of the other speakers! 

I will be joined by many other AMAZING Art Educators throughout Wisconsin as well as Bob Reeker and Jeanne Styczinski. I have had the opportunity to meet Bob Reeker several times in the last year and I'm can say he is fabulous! I have no dought that he will bring an excellence to this conference.  Ever since seeing Jeanne's name on the list of speakers I have been following her work too. She is quite the illustrator and her work is featured throughout Wisconsin on a regular basis. 

 

I will be presenting two, 1-hour sessions right away. I'll be talking about Artist Trading Cards at 8 AM and then Learning Through Play later at 10 AM on Thursday. I'm passionate about both of these subjects so I'll be pressed for time in the hour... but I'll try to share every bit of information that I can in the time allowed! 

 

Then I teach three sessions that are 2-hours long, and hands on! We will be sewing a recorder case (or at least getting started on this project. We will be creating family portraits with drawing and watercolor. And finally, learning about sketchnoteing and how to bring it into your classroom. All three of these sessions have been selected because they were successes in my classroom, so I can't wait to share them with the conference attendees. 

 

I have attended the Wisconsin conferences in the past and let me tell you, it's amazing. These hard-working educators put on one of the best Art Education events of the year. It's worth taking a few days off Oct. 25th and 26th to connect with your tribe! Check out their website to see how to register. 

Collaborative Paper Quilt

I'm a person who is often inventing my curriculum over and over. I love the creative part of lesson plans. This year, I was greatly inspired by Don Masse of Shine Brite Zamorano who does a collaborative paper quilt every year with his students. I have always been impressed and this tradition is a highlight for Mr. Masse's school.  This year, as I moved schools, I thought... keep it simple, let the kids play, create something beautiful together... This led me to Don's collaborative lesson.  

Here is the deal... I believe that we build off from each other's ideas.  You will often see me highlighting other educators and Artist who have inspired my lessons. I'm sure it's never taught the same, or with the same emphasis, or even materials... That is why we share our ideas, to see where the seed can grow. Don planted this seed and over the years so many people from all over the world have planted that little seed into their own communities and classrooms. LOOK HOW IT HAS GROWN!!

I also believe that if you are going to use someone's lesson, share your tips and tricks with others too. So, here it the slideshow that was presented to my students (K-5) to teach this lesson. When going through the slideshow, you will see our inspirational Artist, Libs Elliot, as well as Don Masse and the links to his students' work. My students would ask me, do you know Mr. Masse, after I had introduced him as one of my BFF's. "When do you see him?" "How can he be your friend, he lives so far away." This was a great opportunity to talk about how I learn from educators and Artist all over the world. They would also ask, "Will you take a picture and show your friend?" Will I? Heck yes! I'll also share it with the whole world if you don't mind. 

Here are a few additional tips and tricks. 

I used the best paper cutter EVER. Every time I put this out there I have people ask... Where?? How?? I need one.  I get it.  I had to cut the white paper with my own 'traditional' paper cutter and it took me, no joke, 4 times longer.  So, yeah... get your self one. They ROCK! (click here)

When I was creating this lesson, I wanted to check off the list that I had reviewed with all my 3rd-5th graders how to glue with a glue stick and white glue. With my 2nd graders, it was an introduction to white glue... and with my K's and 1st graders... we used glue stick only for this lesson.  The 4th and 5th grade would laugh when they heard how I presented the instruction of the glue stick in my YouTube video... I would joke and say, "I know, Right? Well, this is how I teach my littles. You can teach little people in your life in the same way." They would all laugh and think that this was a good idea. But really, many of my 4th and 5th graders are still working on this skill of gluing and all the little tips and tricks really help. 

I had placed a tray at every table with the extra paper. They would put their scraps in there and I would add some little papers here and there. It allowed for the rainbow effect that you see on the wall. I would only divvy up certain colors at a time. The trays also had the scissors and glue in it so it was easy to pick up.  At the end of the day, I would go through all the trays and clean up the paper sheets and get it ready to go for day 2... then 3 and all the way through the 6th day of my digital day rotation. 

For my littles, I had them practice cutting a triangle together. It was many of these kids first day EVER in school (or in my art room) so we really broke it down... "Here is a square, everyone turn it and show me a diamond. Great, now pur the top corner and the bottom corner together.  Now press it down on your table. Now, what shape do you have??" They would call out together, "A triangle!" I love the wonder and enthusiasm of K's. 

I never said, "You're Wrong". See this is the first day in Art Class for these buddies... If a student didn't 'follow the rules', I would let it go. This was not a formal assessment, they will all look amazing on the wall, and if the kid is proud of their work, so am I! 

I would ask students to arrange their 'mini' quilt on a table when completed. This would give the work a little dry time and allow me time to arrange it on the large format after the students have left. This way we both got to practice our composition. As you can see below, I measured out the paper before attaching the individual sheet. I also numbered and marked it for the connecting points so it would be placed upon the wall correctly

I took some training on a practice called ENVoY this summer and I started implementing it right away. One of the practices of this is to have the directions posted on the board.  I'm sure there will be a LOT more writing on some of the ENVoY tips and tricks but in the meanwhile, check out their website. 

Because kids in the Art Studio have different times that they finished up (Art is an hour long at my school), I was sure to have some 'play' available. I had blocks, toys, cleaning tools, books, and free draw. Only some opportunities were 'opened' depending on the time left in class for the students. 

I had the quilt slowly growing over the last two weeks... this allowed for everyone to see the progress of the Art Project. 

I shared my lesson plan slideshow with my staff. This allowed them to understand what we were doing in class and what to expect.  It gave credit to the Artist, Libs Elliot, and the inspiring teacher, Don Masse. Plus, it gives others the opportunity to collaborate with you... as you see here, a coworker and friend of mine brought in a quilt that her grandma made and she shared it with her students and myself.  It was awesome and filled my heart. 

I labled the work and tried to educate more people with some little tidbits on Libs Elliot and pictures of her work. EVERYONE that uses the school (sports, scouts, and so on...) is in this area of the school at some point.

And yes... I took a picture with the Artwork. I was so proud of getting this done, up, and displayed! It was a big job but yep, I celebrate my students work too... That called for a picture upon completion. 

Illinois Art Education Association FREE Webinar

Have you registered for this FREE event? Illinois Art Education Association has opened this webinar up to anyone who would like to participate... Non Members as well!!  They host several webinars over the year with truly amazing Art Educators highlighting the 'GREAT' in their classrooms.  

I will be sharing the many ways that I'm creating a Connect Effect in the many communities that I belong to.   My students, my homeroom teachers, my school, the families of my school, my local community, my online tribe, and my global world. No matter what your goals are this year, creating a Connect Effect in your classroom will not only enhance your students experience but help support and fill your soul! 

Can't wait to 'see you' all on Sept. 10th at 7:00 CST.  Sign up by clicking here. 

Bringing Community Experts into your Classroom.

I'm so excited to share in Seattle about 'Bringing Visiting Artist into the Classroom' in a carousel-style presentation, more on that later in this post.  I'm writing this post to support one of my points I will be making in my presentation... Visiting Artist do not have to be 'Artist'. 

I have had a dream of doing this project for years.  I have wanted to have the students create a case for the recorders (an instrument) that students play in Music class starting in 3rd grade in my district. I have resisted because of my fear of teaching fibers. How do you manage teaching fibers? Are these artist going to be able to do this? How will I keep the calm and get them past the frustrating parts of learning? Despite all these 'roadblocks' (and about a million more), this was going to be the year to take on the recorded cases. 

About a month before I was going to start this project, I decided to reach out to community experts. Experts might be a stretch... I actually emphasized that there was no experience needed... but I was going to call them experts, and really, they lived up to their name. 

I reached out to two groups.  First I sent an email home with my request and plan. From that inquiry, I got a handful of Moms and I a few more Grandma's that were willing to donate an hour or two. Then I requested our local retired adult volunteer group called RSVP's to see if anyone in that community would be willing to help out.  Again, a handful of ladies signed up.  I was hoping and even specifically asked for men to join the ranks of volunteers... maybe next time. 

I had the recorder cases scheduled for 4 to 5 weeks, so I asked my helpers to come in for the first two times for each section. Day one lesson was threading a needle and stitching a line. Day two, students had reviewed and started sewing one felt shape onto their case. 

I started this project with one group before the volunteers... There was tears, frustration, anger even. These kids could hardly handle the task of threading a needle (and that might be a conversation for another post... but not today). The next class I had the community experts. These lovely ladies kept the calm and cheered the kids on.  They walked them through the steps and helped the kids feel confident. My request of having the helpers in the classroom for two classes was by design.  Once the kids felt comfortable (or at least majority of them did) I was able to take away the assistance and allow the students to blossom as sewing Artist. 

I will do this lesson again without a doubt! The kids are SOOOOO proud of their recorder cases. I will share more about the specifics of the recorded cases in a future post. I really wanted to focus on bringing community experts into your classroom to help you keep the calm with your students and give the skills you feel is important to your classes.

If you want to learn more about this, or other ways to bring Visiting Artist into your classroom, I would suggest visiting our session. Actually, I would suggest any Carousel style presentation... they are always my favorite! Come early, they fill up fast! 

Thursday

1:30PM-2:20PM

Center/Meeting Room 619 & 620/Level 6

Elementary Carousel of Learning: Working with Visiting Artists in the Classroom! 

Paper Sculpture

I'm excited to introduce you to another Guest Blogger on MiniMatisse.  Matt Cockrell is an active participant in the Art Education Twitter community. I have been impressed with his conversation during #k12ArtChat on Thursday night as well as his shares on social media. Matt Cockrell, or Mr. C`s Art Class (@MattCockrellArt) as he is known on Twitter is an Art Teacher at Martha Layne Collins High School, in Shelbyville, Kentucky.

Paper Sculpture

When I was in high school, many many moons ago (in the 90`s, shhhhh…. ha!), in my Art Classes, we didn`t do a whole lot of `upper advanced` high school projects. We did the same things, from Art 1 all the way thru Art 4. Our `projects` consisted mostly of watercolor sunsets, writing in old English with a marker, tracing, drawing the `rubber band man` to make the human figure, and making clay coil pots. Our high school art teacher didn`t allow us to `think outside the box` either. We basically did the basic `run of the mill` art, so basic that our creativity wasn`t challenged to the extent that it could have been. I mean, just how creative and engaged can someone in high school be by tracing?!

So when I became an Art Teacher, in my mid-twenties (another time for another story, and my 1st career), I vowed to myself that I wouldn`t be like my high school art teacher, that I`d not only `step outside of the box` but that I`d `create another box and another and another`. Creativity to create a lesson/ project that pushed my thinking was what I was going to strive for each and every day. By pushing myself to create `real world relevant` and `just plain cool` projects, I would, in turn, test the limits of my students thinking, and their creative process, all at the same time.

Anyway, I better get up and going with this `project/ lesson` because I could go on and on, Trust me, my students know!

Scouring both google images and youtube, for a unique sculpture opportunity, with a unique everyday, ordinary material, I came across sculpture made out of paper, by Dutch artist Peter Callesen. Mr. Callesen creates his sculpture using a single sheet of paper. I put the `youtube` video on, which is a Euromaxx Art production. (For those of you that do not know, Euromaxx Art has 40+ videos about various working artists, all around Europe) At the end of this 5-minute video, I have a short discussion about process, about how Mr. Callesen uses his materials, to sculpt.

Students then look up Mr. Callesen`s website, and scroll thru his endless supply of paper sculpture, getting inspired. Students then must choose one of his paper sculptures and blend it together with their own ideas, kinda like a half/ half creation. Half his, half theirs. They must employ the same methods that Mr. Callesen does, experimenting with the process and materials until they have it. Experimentation is the key.

Students have to do two (2) paper sculptures & have Three (3) weeks to create their projects.

While this is a choice-based project, students still have to make their paper sculpture in the same ways as Mr. Callesen.

Students also MUST only use ONE SHEET OF PAPER! This is what gets their creativity flowing! Now, they can have a backing with construction paper and even use colored construction paper within their sculpture, but, their ONE MAIN PIECE OF PAPER must be over 90% of their sculpture. There are exceptions, but, they are discussed with me, Mr. C, beforehand. Any built object, such as a hummingbird or birdhouse, MUST be built by using ONLY the Cut-out Sections of their main white drawing paper.

With over (3) Three Weeks to create these sculptures, my students will go thru the `ups and downs` of creativity. They will be productive most days, but then there are `those days`. That`s when having that positive relationship with them comes in handy.

I also play music, fairly loud, to help students focus and to inspire them while they are creating. Music helps students to zone everything else out and concentrate on the task at hand

Materials:

1. You can use any type of paper, but I find that Jack Richeson, 90 lb. drawing paper works the best for me.(While ordering from school specialty (sax arts) might be challenging at times, especially with some product not showing up when it`s clearly listed on the packing list, or, it gets back-ordered, it IS a cheaper alternative ordering source to go through)
2. Scissors
3. Blending Stumps
4. Dental Sculpting Tools (paper clips work fine too)
5. Elmers Glue (not washable, as it will not have the `hold` that is needed)
6. Non-latex gloves (for those students who do not want glue on their fingers)
7. Colored construction paper
8. Photo-copy box lids
9. A portable fan (for drying)
10. Drawing pencils
11. A shelf dedicated solely to the placement of projects/ materials while student work on these.
12. Finally, having plenty of Patience! This will take time

This project (I don`t use the term `unit` in my classroom because that's a word my students hear all the time in their regular classes. In the Art Studio, we do projects!), is a mix between learn-by-watching, learn-by-experimenting/ doing and choice based.

Students use these Elements of Art within their sculptures: Line, Shape, and Form.

The cut-out sections also allow students to play around with `positive and negative space` which also turns those cut-out sections into the `shadow`, creating an interesting, created look of `shadow and light`!

Students learn that anybody can make art if they put forth their creative effort. Students also learn how a professional artist, from northern Europe, makes a living by sculpting with paper. In our school, we use Standards Based Grading. When students near the end of their project (and I only collect them on the due date not before), I not only push their creative limits by giving them advice on how to make their projects better but the student and I discuss ways for them to go `above and beyond` any expectations.

Matt has so many great ideas and he is totally open to answering questions via Twitter. Be sure to find and follow Matt on Twitter Mr. C's Art Class, @MattCockrellArt.