Biome Batik

4th grade students designed a repeat pattern using plant and animal images from their ecosystem research in science class. They learned about Batiks - a cloth that traditionally uses a manual wax-resist dyeingtechnique found in Indonesia, Japan, China, India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Nigeria, and Singapore. Each student was assigned a specific biome (i.e. ecosystem) in their science class and they continued that learning as they drew from images of their specific biome compiled on each table. After talking about compositions of repeat patterns, each student designed a composition of their biome containing 1 plant image, 1 animal image and 1 image of an essential element to their biome. The entire surface of the composition must be thickly covered in crayon in order for the batiking process to work. After working hard for 2 class periods, students had tocrumple up their drawing carefully both vertically and horizontally. We then painted the drawing with a combination of equal parts black tempera paint, water & liquid soap. We then rinsed the paper off immediately... the result was a fabulous faux batik!

We then created a 4th grade community "quilt" by combining all of our biome batiks together.

8th Grade Artist Pop-Up

8th graders studied a famous artist (randomly chosen), researching that artist and writing a short biography in conjunction with their computer class. Students then chose one work of art from their artist to focus on and recreate in pop-up form. Using old DVD cases, students designed the outside cover with their artist biography and image of the original work. I created a comprehensive art history timeline, where students placed their artworks accordingly throughout the process.

To end the lesson students presented their artist, working our way up the timeline from 1400-2012. The class learned about each artist and we conducted a critique of the work, concluding with each student reflecting on this specific art-making process of translating a masterwork into pop-up form.

Robot Prints

Kindergarten and 1st grade learned that every image is made up of many small shapes. Students built a robot made with shapes they cut out of foam, stuck them to a cardboard plate, and printed that plate using paper, ink and a brayer. We then framed a series of three robots, as well as building community "robot factories" to share with the school.

Silouhette Study - The Other Side of the World...

Second grade completed this lesson in two days - first reviewing warm and cool colors as we painted coffee filters with each set of colors, respectively. We then talked about the word, silhouette, and what it meant to the second graders before looking at various silhouette images.

Thanks to www.antipodemap.com I was able to find Chicago's exact opposite location in the world... in the Indian ocean off the southwest coast of Australia. Incorporating science, I spoke about how the Earth moves and what that means for points on the map opposite from one another.

We then created our United States/Australia silhouettes with our warm and cool colored coffee filters...

The 5th Grade Tribe Totem pole

During the fifth grade, students learn about the southwest Native American Indians. To complement their social studies lessons, we looked at images of totem poles and discussed their many different purposes, including representing a tribe. Native American tradition provides that each individual is connected with different animals that will accompany each person through life, acting as guides and guardian spirits. Different animal guides come in and out of our lives depending on the direction that we are headed and the tasks that need to be completed along our journey. With this animal a connection is shared, either through interest in the animal, characteristics, dreams, or other interaction.

Each fifth grader identified their animal spirit and together we created The Fifth Grade Tribe totem pole to tell the story of the fifth grade class.

Blind Artists

This 3rd grade class begun by discussing the qualities that all artists share... which lead to my question, "do you have to be able to see in order to be an artist?" The students were divided.

I then introduced my students to Esref Armagan, a blind painter born without eyes, and John Bramblitt, a blind painter who went completely blind at age 30. We watch short video clips on both artists, specifically talking about they can "see" using their other senses, especially that of touch, as well as their imagination. You could hear a pin drop as the students were in complete awe. As we talked about what we learned from the video, I was impressed by the students comments, remembering everything that was said in the videos.

Students then were paired up, one being the "blind artist" and the other being "the guide" (they switched after the exercise). The artist had one hand in a brown bag with an unknown object in it (e.g. shell, action figure, spoon, sunglasses, keychain, etc.) with their other hand free to paint. The guides helped to direct the artists to their paint, specifically what color they wanted to use, as well as where on their paper they wanted to put the paint down. When the artist was done the guides then wrote on the paper what the artist thought the object was before the big reveal - blindfolds off and opening of the bag to see the object. The guides then wrote what the object really was, which will help explain the process to viewers in our hallway display.