identity grids

I love having the kids do personalized work at the beginning of each school year-- and typically I start out with some sort of self-portrait. Well, 10 years of doing that for seven classes each day for a week is really mundane, so I decided to switch it up this year. With my third graders I am doing these "identity grids" and they love them!

We start out with a 12"x12" sheet of paper and fold it into 16 squares. We talk about identities. The most obvious part of your identity is your name--so we write our names in "bubble letters" jumbled about through the paper. One letter per square. We then talk about other things that make us unique, that make us individuals--and brainstorm those ideas on the board (favorite holidays, foods, artists, hobbies, etc). They then draw a different symbol in each of the remaining squares.

The above example is mine, but I can't wait for the kids to finish their so I can show you! They are all so colorful and unique...and I'm learning a little something new about each child! So fun!

september 11 tribute artwork! - a call for art plans!

HELLLP! I'm looking for some fabulous patriotic art projects to do with my kiddos right out of the gate this year. I'd love to be able to have a whole unit on symbolism and patriotic artwork to correspond with the 10-year anniversary of September 11.

Do you have a wonderful patriotic art lesson (any level) that you'd like to share? Please link your lesson in the comment section and I will link your lesson to the bottom of this post!

Check out these wonderful patriotic works of art:
Pointillism USA Maps and Collage Flags
www.rainbowswithinreach.blogspot.com - an inspirational story on how she created her 9/11 tribute book!

www.sunnydaysinsecondgrade.blogspot.com - a link-up for classroom projects to celebrate 9/11

Stationery card

Striped For Fun Birth Announcement

Shutterfly has custom baby invitations and birth announcements.

View the entire collection of cards.

posting pause

I apologize for the lack of posting on my part for the past few weeks! I really thought I would use the summer time to catch up on my blog, to dream up new lesson plans, to inspire myself for the year ahead.

In reality, I've been focusing on this little babe, my newest arrival, Chase born on June 22nd. He's my newest treasure, and my photographic muse this summer. Hoping to get back in action soon!

DAD photo collage

This is a really different type of post for me, but it's what I absolutely love doing in my "free time". I'd love to call myself an "amateur photographer"...or maybe it's just called a "mommy photographer"...either way, I love taking pictures of my kid(s) **(My son is 2 and I have another little boy due ANY day)**.

Usually to process photos I like, or for clients, using Lightroom. I've also used Picnik for other things, but I just realized you can make photo collages using Picnik! I love this feature, especially for blogging purposes! Hoping to enhance my blog for next year, you'll definitely be seeing more collages on here!

This is also a super-cute idea for Father's Day...which I'm taking to have processed today so I can have it ready for Sunday (can you say LAST MINUTE LARRY?!)

Happy digital collage-ing!

7 supplies I love...

Katie over at Adventures of an Art Teacher blogged today about 8 things she was glad she ordered this year. I LOVE this idea! I could only come up with 7, but the gist of the post is the same. I also love getting ideas and recommendations from other people about what works in THEIR classroom(s)! At the FAEA supplier convention I am often overwhelmed with products they are throwing at you and never really get a chance to test anything out...these are my favorites, tested and APPROVED!

#1. This book, "Art" by Patrick McDonnell is a wonderfully inspiring book about what exactly "art" is. I like to read this book at the beginning of the year to inspire kids and make them think about what they will learn in Art class. I'm always on the lookout for new books to read to my Kindergartners, especially, and this one does not disappoint.

#2. Crayola Multicultural crayons and markers. They're a little pricey, but will get you through the "my skin is tan, mine is brown, mine is white" awkward moments. The markers are great, too, and I keep them hidden until we actually do a project that requires them. Like I said, a little pricey, but worth every penny!

#3. Large Crayola oil pastels. I used to use smaller oil pastels, but they would disappear literally in front of my kids' eyes. These are also ribbed on the sides, to prevent rolling off the tables and being crushed and ground into the floor (can you say MESS of EPIC proportions?!) I also like how they (start off) with a pointed tip.

#4. Sax Liquid Concentrated Watercolor paints. Oh liquid watercolors, where have you been all my life?! In the past, doing a crayon resist project has been a nightmareishly loooooong process. With these, I put a bit of the concentrate in a shallow dish, add some water, and there you have it. No more refilling the watercolor pallette over and over and over. They do seem to stain the tables a bit, but nothing some 409 won't get off!

#5. Miracle Sponges Compressed Sponges. Oh Nelly. Be still my beating heart. These start out about the thickness of cardboard when dry. You can cut out your sponge-stamping shape, put them under some running water, and then they puff up into a regular sponge. Yes, they're just like those things that magically grew out of capsules when you were a kid....I love these and used them a few times to make different shaped stamps for (especially) my Kindergartners.

#6. Scrapbook paper pads. On clearance. I scope out the local craft shops for holiday versions of these paper blocks, or use coupons from Michael's to buy them. They're great for cutting up to use for collaged borders or backgrounds, etc.

#7. Amaco Velvet Underglaze in Bright Red. I have searched and searched for an underglaze that a) covered in minimal coats and b) had a nice, true red color. This is the one that has worked best for us! I also like to use underglazes and then a clear glaze on top of all our projects. So far, so good with this 2-step process and my kiddos.

There are other things that I couldn't live without...but these are things that I've found this year to be extremely useful, things that I will continue to order for years to come! What are some of your favorite finds this year (or things you cannot live without?)

we ain't gonna paint no more! (splatter painting)

This book, called "Ain't Gonna Paint No More" by Karen Beaumont (illustrated by David Catrow) is an Art Teacher's delight. It's a sing-songey book about a mischevious little boy who sneaks into his paint stash and gleefully paints himself silly. I am in love with the illustrations in the book, and my kindergartners like to "guess" what body part he's painting next using rhymes.

It's a fitting book to read at the end of the year, too. Guess what? We Ain't Gonna Paint for another 2 months! We might as well enjoy our last couple of days here. *Really you can do this lesson anytime, I just like having projects that really hook the kids in at the end of the school year for my own sanity!

After reading the book, we talk about illustration and self-portraiture. Do we think the boy in the book was a portrait of the illustrator, David Catrow, as a child? Students then draw (in crayon) a self-portrait on 12x18" paper. This is the "clean"version of themselves, the angelic child their parents think they are! On day 2 we put our papers in our splatter box (a big paper towel box---which looks SO lovely on day 7 of this project!) I thin down some red, yellow and blue paints (in case they mix on the paper we still have nice colors and not muddy colors) and show the kids how to shake and splatter.

Needless to say they LOVE it!

The end results make me laugh after a long day of "sit, stop, come here, go there, tie your shoes, put your shoes on, yes you may go to the bathroom, time to clean up, push that chair in".

Happy splatters!