mosaic names

I have done the SAME project with my Kindergartners and first graders for 10 years (before and after self portraits)...I was ready to do something new! Also, it is becoming harder for me to remember all my Kindergartner's names, so alas the idea for this project was born!

We started off reading the book "Lines That Wiggle" by Candace Whitman. LOVE this book. I also love using our bodies to make lines (it's almost like dancing in Art!) after we read. It's a GREAT first day lesson for those squirrel-y K kids!

I had pre-written all my student's names in white crayon on 6"x18" pieces of black paper. I had little containers of cut scrap paper (approximately 1/2" x 1" but you could do square tiles or dots too!) on each table and had them use glue stick to trace the letters of their names and glue the mosaic pieces on. 

Because I hadn't done this project before and didn't time it correctly (AAAACK! Teacher's worst nightmare!) I quickly gave each of them a silver (!!!!!!!!) crayon and had them draw different lines and doodles from the book in the background. Clearly, spiral lines were the favorite!

The project? Total success. My kids didn't feel afraid to draw (because we didn't! I've come to realize that my Kindergartners were SOOO afraid to draw on the first day, hence one of the reasons I wanted to switch up my lesson) and everyone came away with a successful, colorful art project.

And I'm starting to learn their names. WIN!

What do you do on the first day besides talk about rules and procedures?!