Sub Fun with Mondrian

After missing 15 weeks last year to my back surgery I tried really hard to have perfect attendance this year, not counting my attendance at conferences.  However, I've been suffering from some really bad allergies and was just too exhausted one day about 2 weeks ago and I left the following plans. I found this article in Arts and Activities Magazine titled Animals With a Mondrian Twist. Click here for the link to the article by Berniece Patterson.

 

 

I left some info for the substitute teacher to read over and share with my students. The article I left was from Scholastic Arts March 2005 issue. Sorry, I couldn't find a way to link it. I also left a poster.

 

This was such a cool project that I taught it to a class so I could take some action photos!

Years ago I took the book How to Draw 101 Animals apart and photocopied, then laminated the pages and put them in a basket as part of my drawing center.

This really came in handy for my students with this lesson. Click here to find on Amazon.

Check out the beautiful student work that was left for me!

 

 

  

This is a really easy lesson. It reinforces the primary colors as well as horizontal and vertical lines. It gives students some experience with a ruler and some history on the artist Piet Mondrian.

Tomorrow the countdown to the end of school is 4 weeks........ Looking forward to the break!

Thanks for Reading!

Where in the Art Room is........?

I met Glenda Lubiner through the Florida Art Educator's Association. She held my hand the first time I presented at the state conference in 2012. Glenda also helped me choose a name for the presentation that I did last October. We occasionally bump into each other at conferences and we are friends on Facebook. Glenda writes a column for Arts & Activities Magazine titled Tried & True Tips for Art Teachers. I have been reading her column since long before I met her. However, now that I know her and know just how wonderful she is I couldn't ignore her Facebook request asking for some "Back to School" tried and true tips. Check out tip #1!

So it occurred to me that I haven't done this activity for years. Should have done it last year when we moved back into the renovated space. Now, while I know I must start the year off with "all the rules" I really feel that I just want to continue where I left off last February. You know, just jump into the middle of making art! YEAH!!

Anyway, before this activity can happen the room needs to be completely set up. That was my first challenge since I couldn't get in there until the day AFTER we came back to work. Let's just say I was able to take the necessary photos of my art room about 15 minutes before they were setting the alarm for the weekend......

Yesterday I proceeded to pick each of the photos, one at a time and add the words to them. I used the app Meme Design. Then I did an internet order to my local Walgreen's.

Here's a few to look at:

 

 

 

 

 

 

My game plan is for students to come in the art room, sit on the carpet. We will chat a bit about the summer. I will gush at how they have all grown up so much since the last time I saw them..... Yes, I smile, hug and exclaim how wonderful they all look! Then I will tell them that they are going to share out, what they know/learn about the art room, using photos that I will pass out. I will model with one of them and pass out all but the one on craftsmanship. 

I plan to save this photo for last, do a demo and then hand out the worksheet that goes along with this poster that I blogged about here.

I thought this would be a great way to share my expectations with my students. They won't be sitting the whole time and listening to me. It should reinforce the rules that they have heard before. With the exception of kindergarten. I plan to do a shorter/slower version of this activity for them.

While the above activity will be wonderful for my home school. There is not much happening in my room at my 1 day a week school. I did leave it last week with tables set up. And chairs did get put in there. Work in progress.....

It is a portable that the P.E. coaches are sharing with me and a music teacher.

I am planning to do selfies with them. Click here for the first time I did this. I am planning to tie the selfies into my poster of the Mona Lisa. It will be a lesson on portraits/self portraits and what do we learn from them. Also, my way of getting their attention by saying, "Mona!" And they say, "Lisa!"

What do you teach the first week of school? How do you teach the rules? I'd like to know!

Thanks for reading and have a great school year!