Panda Bears: Kindergarten

This year's art show theme is "The Art of Asia."  Every grade level has studied and created a piece of art based off of a country in Asia.  In Kindergarten, we studied China, specifically the panda bear.  We learned that they are endangered, that their natural habitat are the mountains of china, and that they eat bamboo.  I have a piece of bamboo in my classroom, and the students were thrilled to hold it!

This is a three day project, I'm pretty sure if it was altered a little it could be shortened to two days though.  On the first day, we studied the panda bear and the country of China.  We then created the bamboo background.  We used a pencil and drew lines and dots straight up the middle of our paper.  I showed them that the bamboo could branch off in a different direction, but it wouldn't happen a whole lot.  After we drew all of our bamboo lines, we painted them with green paint.

On day two, we created the panda bear.  I have a ton of circles in my room!!  I keep them sorted by size and I used the medium and large circles for this project.  The mediums are yogurt lids and the larges are country crook lids.  I like to recycle and reuse whenever possible.  Anyway, we traced our two circles and added all of our details in a guided drawing.  I had the students use a black crayon for the eyes and nose, and then repeat that we were only painting "the ears, the arms and the legs."

On day three, we reviewed all that we had learned about panda bears.  I showed the class a video clip of panda bears playing and climbing trees, too cute!  Then we talked about cutting out something very large and that our goal was to try to not cut off his arms or legs, etc.  I told them that if it happened (which it did) that I could fix it by gluing it back in place at the end.  Then we talked about how picky I am when we cut.  That we are cutting like an artist and that we are trying our hardest to stay on the line.  This is not a race, we want to cut slowly and carefully.  I really think these types of reminders help!  After we cut out our panda, we glued him down by making sure that we put a little bit of glue all around the panda.  If we had time, I gave out strips of green paper and a little piece of green for the students to make a piece of bamboo in his arm.

Harmony or Contrast Macaw: Fifth Grade

My fifth grade students are studying the principles of Harmony/Unity and Contrast.  We went through several examples of harmony in colors, in texture,in value and in shapes.  Then we went through the same elements, this time with an example for contrast.  This is a four day project to complete.

For this project, students will learn how to properly draw a macaw, and will paint it using harmonious colors or contrasting colors.  We talked about harmonious colors being neighbors (and that they are analogous colors) and how contrasting colors are opposites (or complementary colors).  On day one, we created a rough draft for both harmony and contrast and selected our favorite one.

The final painting is 8" x 18" (I cut a piece of 24" x 18" paper in threes).  On day 2, I gave the students a template of the macaw's head to get them started.  I have found that if they have a first shape to guide them in the right direction, it helps!  We used visualization skills to picture where the wing belongs before drawing it.  I also went over the strategy of drawing with your eraser, or drawing lightly with your pencil to get you started.


On day three, we painted our macaws.  I gave students tempera cakes in the six basic colors of the rainbow.  I also gave them a Styrofoam plate for mixing colors.  The students who chose harmonious colors needed to mix the intermediate color for their birds.  The paintings looked beautiful drying on the rack, all of the younger students were in awe!


The last day of this project is for oil pastel details and an artist reflection about harmony vs. contrast.  Which principle do you prefer?  Why?  Other than color, list one other way to show harmony? To show contrast?

Metal Tooling Architecture: Fifth Grade

In Fifth grade, students studied famous buildings from around the world.  We looked at Stonehenge, the Parthenon, the Taj Mahal, St. Basil's Cathedral, Medieval Castles, and Notre Dame Cathedral.  We created our own architectural drawings using an inspiration sheet with different elements: doors, windows, arches, domes, etc.  The students needed to pick at least three architectural elements.

After our drawings were completed, we learned about low relief sculptures.  A perfect example for the students was the faces on a penny.  Each student was given a piece of metal tooling that was 6" x 9" large.  Underneath their work, they had a piece of felt so their lines would be nice and deep.

Students traced over there lines with a pencil and turned it over to double check that they had all of their desired lines before removing the drawing.  Then, we colored in our buildings with colored sharpies.  Students were encouraged to cut out their buildings to shape, but watch out, it is sharp!!

Once complete, students needed to create a short written response about their building: what is the building type (a castle, church, mansion) in other words, why would someone go to this building?  What is its purpose?  And what three architectural elements does your building have?

Flower Origami: First Grade

Today, my first graders finished up their study of origami.  This project was originally taught to me by Mrs. Carr, so I can't take credit for coming up with it!  I believe strongly in not re-inventing the wheel, and this project is a real keeper :)

This project takes two class periods to complete.  In the first class period, the student learn the difference between shape (flat, 2D) and form (3D).  We talk about all the different ways we can turn a flat piece of paper into a three dimensional form.  I end the discussion by crumpling up a scrap piece of paper and ask if it is three dimensional or not, and they found this quite funny.

The materials needed for day one are: 

• 12" x 18" blue paper
• 6" x 12" green paper (grass - for fringing)
• (x3) 1" x 12" green paper (glued flat for stems)
• (x4) 1/2" x 12" green paper (curled for weeds)

To start, we glue the stems down, evenly spaced out.  The paper is vertical (see picture for the end result of day one).  Then we curl the thin green stripes around a pencil and glue them down in between the stems.  Next, we take the 6" x 12" green paper and fringe it as a class.  I talk about our fringe lines being parallel, to incorporate a math term.  Once all of the green papers are glued down, if there is still time, we add tiny bugs to our grass: caterpillars, ants, snails, but nothing to the sky (they would be making them where flowers will eventually be glued down).

The materials needed for day two are:

• (x3) 6" x 6" colored paper (I used orange, red and purple)
• (x3) 3" x 6" yellow paper

We begin class by discussing the difference between paper sculpture and origami.  Origami is the art of paper folding, not cutting or gluing.  The only origami in this project is the tops of the flowers that we will be creating today.  Everything else is an example of paper sculpture.  I walk the class through the steps to make an origami flower.

To begin, the students need to fold their square in half (both directions).  They will see a plus sign.

Next, they need to fold each corner into the center. 

 Last, they need to fold each corner back towards the outside. 

After they have created all three, they need to glue the tops down.  I found it easier to fit if the center flower is low and the other two are higher.

After they are glued down, the last step is the tube for the center.  These can be a bit challenging, I may change them in the future.  The students take the 3" x 6" yellow paper and roll it up so that it is 3" tall (the short way).  They glue it together and hold it for thirty seconds.  I tell them that this is a good opportunity to talk to your friends at your table about weekend plans!  Next, they fringe both ends of the tube and fold the fringes out.  They need to put glue on the fringe and glue it to the center of the flowers.  And viola, awesome flower origami!

Clay Dragons: Fifth Grade 3D Sculpture with Balance

In fifth grade, students made clay dragons.  This takes four to five class periods.  I begin with the history of the Welsh dragon (my family is Welsh) vs. the Chinese dragon.  The Welsh dragon has four legs, wings, is always red, and flies.  The Chinese dragon is serpent like with four legs, no wings and guards the sea, not the sky.

The first day we create the body.  I tell my students that at the end of class they will have a clay table!  We wedge a ball of clay into a sphere.  I explain that wedging clay removes air bubbles and that clay can explode in the kiln if this important step is skipped.  Then we cut a plus sign into the clay, about half way through.  I saw this technique on YouTube.  Each of the four sections is shaped into a leg.  This way the body is not too thick and will not need to be hollowed out!  The students put their name on the belly, put their dragon onto a plastic plate and into a two gallon Ziploc bag for the next art period.  I make sure that bags are labeled ahead of time so that messy clay fingers aren't trying to write with sharpies!

Day two is devoted to the head(s) and tail(s).  Students have made up to 5 heads, but the more heads they have, the greater the chance that they will fall off.  I show the class how to slip and score to add an oval of clay onto the front and back of the body.  Then we take clay tools (toothpicks, popsicle sticks, marker caps) and create our details on the head and tail.  Then we add a little water and put it back into the bag for the end of class.

Day three is devoted to the wings and spikes.  We begin by rolling out a slab of clay about as thick as your finger.  Then we approximate how large we want our wings to be.  We create one and check to see if it is the correct size.  Once we are happy with one wing, students flip that wing over onto the remainder of the clay slab and trace it so that both wings match.  Then we slip and score the wings on.  We add spikes with the scrapes left over from the wings, cutting small clay triangles to our desired size.

Day four is for finishing up any details that have been overlooked, or if a student was absent or at band/orchestra practice during class. This is a great opportunity for teamwork.  The students that are finished can help out the students that are still working.

I let the dragons dry for at least a week before putting them in the kiln.  Once they have been fired we choose two main colors for our dragon and the first day of painting, they cover the entire dragon with one of these two colors.  Day two of painting, the students are given tiny, detail brushes to finish their dragons in any colors they choose.  As these dragons are drying, all of the younger grade levels have enjoyed admiring the dragons, anxiously awaiting their turn to make them!

Rainbow Trains: Kindergarten

In Kindergarten we made Rainbow Trains!  This is Kindergarten's second painting of the year (right after the shape castle)  We have been studying types of lines for a few weeks and we begin this drawing with zig-zag lines to make our mountains, cloud lines to make our hills and straight lines to make our railroad track.  After the students try each lines, I have them "peer review" the person next to them.  If they are having difficulties, I come over to assist.  

The first day of painting, I talk about my paint brush "Willy Whiskers".  Every morning when Willy Whiskers wakes up, he needs to take a bath.  He dives into the bathtub and goes "tap, tap, tap" on the bottom of the tub to wash off all of his paint.  I ask the students to pretend to do the same.  Then Willy Whiskers dries off by going "swipe, swipe, swipe" on the side of the tub.  Next he decides what he wants to wear.  He goes "dip, dip, dip" into his favorite color!  Then he is all ready to paint.

We started by creating a background with green hills, purple mountains and a blue sky.  We painted our pictures making sure to fill in all the white spots.  The next class period, we used construction paper of all the colors of the rainbow to make our trains.  I teach the class the rainbow song that I found on Mickey mouse.  You sing red and orange longer and the yellow green and blue more quickly.

"Red, 

orange, 

yellow green blue, 

don't forget there's purple too, 

rainbow colors for me and you!"

To finish our projects, we drew details onto our trains, like windows, wheels, and a smoke stacks.  While students are finishing at different rates, early finishers are completing the rainbow worksheet shown here.

Art Show Night for 2014-15 School Year

Last night was art show night at Church Creek Elementary School!  There was a lot of "behind the scenes" work that went into the art show.  I had twelve fifth grade students who were face painters, eight fourth and fifth grade students who helped with crafts, twelve students who were "Mystery Artists" all around the school, and two wonderful parent volunteers who helped out with set up, clean up and monitoring all 
of the stations.  The art show was being held on our school's "PAWS Family Fun night" and book fair buying night.  So families came to enjoy the art and help raise money for the school by purchasing books from the book fair!  Then they could go into the cafeteria to enjoy the ice cream social and popcorn.

The student volunteers were amazing!  The face painters made paw prints, snakes, spiders, paint palettes, panda bears, butterflies, rainbows, cats, and so much more.  The craft helpers assisted the younger students with two crafts: a dragon craft with an accordion folded body, and a peacock craft.  

The "Mystery Artists" were students who were pretending that they really were a famous artist.  Every year, I introduce six new "Mystery Artists" to first through fifth graders.  At the beginning of each class period, there is a new painting on the whiteboard by one of these artists.  We spend the first few minutes of class guessing which artist we think painted it and why.  By the end of the year, the students know these six artists very well!  

This years Mystery Artists were: Wayne Thiebaud, Faith Ringgold, Piet Mondrian, Henri Rousseau, Katsushika Hokusai, and Andy Warhol.  The student volunteers did an amazing job of telling the parents and visitors all about a famous artist!

This year, I wanted to have my classroom open for visitors.  The students make so many wonderful clay projects from kindergarten to fifth grade, and I wanted to display them in a way that I knew it would be safe. 

 At each table, I also included a few "Clay questions to ask you student" so the children could tell their parents about the projects.


I also displayed the students paper mache masks and their metal tooling projects in my classroom.  These were the favorites for many parents and visitors!

The theme of this year's art show was "The Art of Asia".  Down the main art hallway, there was a vast display of artwork to represent China, Japan, India and Russia.

This was a wonderfully fun collaborative project!  The Kindergarten students learned all about their primary colors: red, yellow and blue.  Then we created parts of this volcano by mixing red and yellow to make the orange lava and by mixing all three primary colors to create the lava rocks.  The dinosaur collages were created by third grade students as they learned the collage method.

The first graders created rainbow fish by using the stamping method.  They could choose to stamp them in a random or organized pattern.  The large fish was painted by fifth grade students with outstanding behavior to show them that I appreciate all their hard work!

I hope you enjoyed the art show pictures.  I know that when I am trying to get some great ideas I look on pinterest at all of the wonderful projects that other art teachers have done too.

Welcome to My New Blog!

Hi, my name is Meredith Parkinson, and I am a third year Art Teacher for Church Creek Elementary School and Meadowvale Elementary School.  I graduated from Notre Dame of Maryland University with a Masters in Art Education.  My bachelors degree is in Studio Art, Graphic Design and Photography.  I worked as a Graphic Designer for six years prior to becoming a teacher.  I am excited to be finishing up the 2014-15 school year.  Please feel free to contact me at: Meredith.Parkinson@hcps.org 

I have started a new blog because I am hoping to incorporate student and parent responses into my website.