This Clay Pumpkin lesson just might be the perfect seasonal project for fall! It teaches several important techniques for working in clay and also makes a charming take-home gift that will be enjoyed for years to come! Students in grades 3 and up can be successful when you follow these simple steps…. Materials: 3 balls of clay, two the size of baseballs and one the size … [Read more...]
New Year – New Beginnings
It's a new year, and along with that comes new beginnings. People often choose January as a time to start something new, or to stop something that isn't working for them. It's a time for resolutions and changes. This new year brought big changes to my family, but unlike resolutions, they weren't changes made by choice. Shortly before Christmas, my dad passed away.... just … [Read more...]
Monochromatic Snow Scene with Markers
Here's an easy, wintery snow scene, perfect for those days when you need a lesson without much prep or clean-up. The week before Christmas break is that time for me! Materials: 12 x 18 white construction paper Crayola Washable Markers (you only need the gray, red, and orange) Spray bottle filled with plain water Directions: Use your gray marker only to draw a … [Read more...]
Checkerboard Spiderwebs
I found this idea on Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits (thank you, Pinterest!), and thought it would make a fun fall drawing lesson for my 1st graders. I was surprised by how challenging the web design was for many of them! They drew the straight lines with no problem at all, but the curvy lines were a different story! This was challenging but still age-appropriate.... and once it … [Read more...]
Blossoming “Popcorn Trees”
Spring has sprung, and to celebrate, our Kinders painted trees blossoming with flowers made of popcorn! This lesson reinforces the color mixing skills we've been working on all year, as well as teaches a basic technique for drawing/painting trees. Adding popcorn also gives the opportunity to talk about the concept of "mixed media". And who doesn't love … [Read more...]
Snowmen with Tempera
Cropping and a unique point of view make this "not your everyday snowman"! I first saw this composition idea on Art Projects for Kids (done with oil pastels) and then on Deep Space Sparkle (done with tempera paint). I used this lesson to teach my first graders about cropping and the 3/4 view portrait. They loved it when I told them the portrait they would be painting was of … [Read more...]
Christmas Cards for Veterans
4th grade "JOY" by JacobFor our school-wide Thanksgiving project, we decided to show our thanks to some very special people... My K through 7th grade students have been busy making Christmas cards for Veterans, to spread some Christmas cheer and let these men and women know they are loved and appreciated! The hundreds of cards we made will first be displayed at our church, … [Read more...]
Snowflake Crayon Resist
This fun lesson was inspired by a project I saw on Art Projects for Kids... "Watercolor Resist Snowflakes". I changed it up just a little for my Kindergarten classes and they had a blast doing this! First we talked a bit about snowflakes and then I showed them some amazing photographs of real snowflakes (taken with a special microscope) in The Little Book of Snowflakes by … [Read more...]
Autumn Leaves – Kindergarten Style!
Autumn Leaf by Gabriel If you happen to have a five year old in your life (or maybe a class full of them!), you may want to try this fun project for fall! Hillary Dixon, one of our fabulous Kindergarten teachers, shared this idea with me today... her class had just finished making these colorful leaves and they made such a striking display that I had to run and get my … [Read more...]