With each new school year, teachers everywhere face the daunting task of learning the names of all their new students. Whether you teach a single grade level class of 20 students or you teach multiple classes of art, music, or PE and see the entire school every week, you’ll want to learn your students' names fast…. and the faster the better! Why is it so important to … [Read more...]
Kaleidoscope Lettering – New & Improved!
While I love creating new art projects to keep things fresh and interesting, some of the older projects are just so good, they’re worth repeating year after year…. which also gives me the chance to keep improving them! Kaleidoscope Lettering is one of those projects! It uses the concepts of bilateral (reflective) symmetry, tessellation, and positive/negative space to … [Read more...]
Portfolio Project for Middle School – Graffiti Names
I chose to make my sample using my own name, so no one could complain about their name being too long! This year, my previously K-6 elementary school has added a middle school. Now Art has become an elective class for 6th and 7th graders (an 8th grade will be added next year). This means lots of new lesson plans geared to older kids! I wanted to give my middle … [Read more...]
Name Tangles
"Name Tangles" are a fun way to create a cool design using your name or another word of your choice. Try adapting this idea for a unique greeting card design!Materials:9x12 white construction paperPencil and eraserBlack markers, fine and broad pointDirections:1. Use large stick letters to write your name, beginning with the first letter touching both the bottom and left side of … [Read more...]
Cursive Cut-outs
I posted this lesson awhile back as "Name Aliens", but I've since figured out a better way to teach this, so I improved the directions. As soon as kids can write their names in cursive, they're ready to create these whimsical creatures! To make "bugs", just add six legs instead of two! (Adapted from the book, "Paper Designs" by Jerome C. Brown)Can you guess what name this … [Read more...]
Stained Glass Name Designs
This is a simple project, and a great introduction to the concept of positive and negative space for younger kids. Any project using their names is typically a guaranteed hit!!Materials:White paper, any sizePencil and eraserBlack chisel tip markersWater-based markers in a variety of colorsVocabulary:Positive Space - the object or objects you are drawing (in this case, the … [Read more...]
Kaleidoscope Lettering Design
Upper grade "Allison" , colored in warm colors with colored pencilsLower grade "Allison", colored in cool colors with markers (the same lettering, but traced only four times instead of eight!) Combine art and math concepts to create an engaging project with a variety of applications! Kaleidoscope Lettering uses the concepts of bilateral (reflective) symmetry, tessellation, … [Read more...]
Name Aliens
"Name Alien" by RobertHere's a fun symmetry project that I adapted from another really old book, "Paper Designs" by Jerome C. Brown. It's out of print, but can still be found through used book sellers. When students are comfortable with writing their names in cursive, they are ready for this project.... I do this with the third graders at my school every year and it's always … [Read more...]