Oil Pastel Turtle

Description: First, the students learned some new techniques with the oil pastels and got an opportunity to practice them. Some of them were; controlled scribbling, blending, and engraving with a paper clip. Then the teacher modeled all the steps of drawing the turtle and we followed along. We then had to add some geometric shapes to the inside of the shell. Once we had the whole turtle drawn, we had to color the whole thing using three of the oil pastel techniques we used. Then we outlined the whole turtle with our black oil pastel. Lastly, we cut our turtle out.

Extension Activity: For an extension activity, I would have the students make a whole oceanic scene with the oil pastels instead of just one big turtle. They would still have to use three of the oil pastel techniques. The scene could include anything you would find in or near the ocean. I think this would give the students a way to be creative and expand on a topic or idea. They then would mount it on a piece of construction paper.

3D Design

Description: The students first got with a partner or in a small group and put the other person in a position and then had to sketch it on our scratch paper like a stick person. That's how their artist they used did everything was very skinny. We then went to the front of the room with our group and made a group pose while the teacher took a picture. This was a good way to get our brain going and give us some ideas for what we wanted to do for our actual project. We then built our own person with a pose out of pipe cleaners. Next, we wrapped the entire figure in tin foil. Then we stuck the person into a foam block so it would stand up. Lastly, we had to come up with a story for our figure and write it on a notecard.

Extension Activity: For an extension activity, I would relate this project to Social Studies and have them create a significant figure like, a president, founding father, artist, etc. They would then still wrap the whole thing in tin foil, but they would have to give it some features whether its a hat, a belt, or a paint brush in its hand. They would then stick it in the foam block so it stands up. Next, they would right a story about their figure, why they chose to make them and why they are significant. Lastly, they would take turns sharing their figures and their stories with the people at their tables.

Clay

Description: We first learned about ancient people and how artifacts were so important to them. We then had to close our eyes and got a plastic bag and had to guess what was in it by just feeling with our hands. That relates to how architects find fossils and they may not know what it is at first by just seeing it and touching it. Then, we learned how to knead the clay, get the bubbles out, and build walls. Next, we had to practice those techniques and get our clay nice and soft. Once we had our clay soft, we could start practicing engraving or making imprints into the clay. When we had something engraved or an imprint we liked, we had to put our initials on the back and then cut it out into a shape we wanted. After we had our pennant cut out, we smoothed all the sides of the clay with water. Once we got everything finished up and had it the way we wanted it to look, we could start painting. Lastly, we poked a hole through the top of the pennant, put a little ring through it, and attached a string so they can be hung up or worn.

Extended Activity: For an extension activity, I would use this for a Mother's Day project for the kids. I would have them each make one for their mom/ guardian. Instead of having the students just pushing something on their to make an imprint on the clay, I would have them draw something that reminds them of their mom or something they think of when they think of her. This way it would have more meaning. Then the students could still paint them and then either make necklaces or make the string shorter for bracelets.

Eric Carle Craft

Description: The students started by listening to the book Brown Bear by Eric Carle. We then talked about primary colors: blue, yellow, and red, secondary colors: green, purple, and orange, and nouns: a person, place, or thing. Next, we took our 8.5*11 white piece of paper and had to choose one primary color to use. We had to draw at least eight things that were the primary color we choose. For example, I choose blue so, I drew blueberries, water,  a rain drop, etc. Then we had to choose a second primary color and write one more noun than the number of nouns that we drew, so if we drew eight, we had to write nine. For my second color, I choose red and some of the things I wrote were: cherries, strawberries, a stop sign, lipstick, etc. Next, we had to get in line and pick a baggy that had supplies with a secondary color on it along with an egg carton that was already cut and glued together for us. I picked the purple bear. We then had to color the whole egg carton the color that our baggy said with marker. Once we got it all covered in marker, we could start glueing on the eyes, paws, and ears. We could add a mouth and nose if we wanted to. Then we had to write on our notecard, "I see a purple bear staring at me." This would vary to which color and type of animal you had. Lastly, we glued our notecard and animal onto our white piece of paper that had our nouns on it.

Extension Activity: For an extension activity, I would connect it to science and have them do some research on the animal that they made. Instead of the sheet with the nouns being the backdrop for the animal, I would have them find some facts about their animal and write them on their piece of paper and we would use that. I would then have them share with the class three facts about their animals that they found most interesting.

Printmaking

Description: Students started by studying printmaking and some forms of it like, monoprinting which we did in class. We also learned about Andy Warhol and some of his printmaking projects such as, the Campbell's Tomato Soup Label and Mickey Mouse print that was life-size. Next, we sketched something that described us or that we liked onto sketch paper and then cut it out. I drew a cross because that signifies my faith and how important it is to me. We learned about the proper ways to roll the paint onto the gel pad and slowly peel off the paper. We had to have two textures, our sketch of our drawing, and another stencil that had to have two colors in it. Then we had to cut the four prints out and glue them on a piece of construction paper. We also had to attach an exit slip which included three facts that we learned about Andy Warhol.

Extension Activity: For an extension activity I would have them use shapes instead of stencils or sketches. This would be for younger students. This would give them an opportunity to practice their shapes and say what they are. I would have them paint the gel pad and then grab a shape that I call out and they would have to roll over it and then put it on a piece of paper, like it we did in our original project. Lastly, I would have them cut out all their shapes, glue them on a piece of construction paper, and label each shape.

Tree of Life

Description: We drew a Tree of Life on a black piece of construction paper. The tree had many swirls that come off of the trunk that signify the branches. We then painted it with metallic paint, I used gold. After that was dried we had to cut out pieces of scrapbooking paper that represented each member of our family. The box with the butterflies on it represents my mom, the box with the fish on it represents my dad; I painted silver angel wings beside his box because he passed away nine years ago. The polka dot circle represents myself and the circle with the fish represents my twin sister, which why I made our circles the same size.

Extension Activity: For an extension activity I would have them make the tree and then instead of using scrapbook paper to represent each family member, they would cut our a picture of each of their faces and glue it on the tree. Then I would have them think of a personality or hobby that signifies each of their family member and have them think of a way that they would display that on the tree using any media.

Georgia O'Keefe Flower

Description: We got a piece of white water color paper where we drew any flower we wanted, the bigger and more emphasis, the better. Once we had our flower drawn, we used several different water color techniques to paint it. I used blotting, drawing with the end of the paintbrush, resistance, and salt painting. The blotting is where you paint the spot you want and then blot it with either a paper towel or saran wrap. Drawing with the end of your paint brush is where you paint and then draw with the other end. Resistance is where you use oil pastels and then paint over it and the pastels resist through. Salt painting is where you paint and then pour salt over it and it looks as if the flower has real texture, that and blotting were my two favorite painting techniques. Once we were done with painting it, we glued it on a piece of colored construction paper.

Extension Activity: For an extension activity I would have them do a scavenger hunt. I would make a list of different types of flowers and their descriptions of what they look like. The students would have to go find them and then take a picture with their ipad of each flower and mark which one they think it is. This would give them a chance to learn about flowers and incorporate some biology into art. They would then pick their favorite flower that they found on the scavenger hunt and then draw it and water color it using some of the same water color techniques.