Sunday, February 23, 2014

Social Media is addiction to Art Teachers!

Social media has become an obsession in my art education world. It has opened a world of opportunities to share ideas, exchange work with colleagues, and advocate the arts to our local community.

 Artsonia has been a great hit this year with my students and in our elementary school. If you can get a program up and running at your school you will love the results!
 http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=144956

Edmodo has become a great tool to promote positive social communication. I have been using it with my 5th graders in their Art and Technology class and it has been wonderful seeing them communicate about art the way I do with all of you!
https://www.edmodo.com/ 

Facebook--If you have not added the group Art Teachers to your life, then you are missing out. Enough said :)

Teachers-Pay-Teachers is a way to make a little extra mula for your fabulous work and ideas you come up with.
visit my shop at THE MAGNIFICENT PAINTBRUSH

Blogger--well lets just say that it's a way for us to advocate art education TO THE WORLD!

Etsy allows me to create and sell my work to the world. Art Teachers, keep creating your own art. It is a passion you must not forget.
visit my shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/SeraphicArts?ref=l2-shopheader-name
 

Kindergarten Rainforest Frogs!

Kindergarten Rainforest Frogs! This lesson was a kick off from my Eric Carle lesson with 1st grade. We practiced shape and our moter skills-which cutting is always something kinders can improve on.

Art Room is Ready for SPRING!

1st Grade Eric Carle Frogs! RIBBIT!  LOVE THESE they just make me smile :)

My 6th graders have been creating that ocean mural on the back wall. I will have better photos to come. It was kind of a rush today and the counters got covered--you know its that time of year when the room starts to become filled with art piles!

Kindergarten Portraits!

Check out how awesome my Kinders did on their FIRST OFFICIAL PORTRAIT!!!
We discussed proportion and shapes. We did a great activity with their "old ways" of drawing portraits.
1st Activity- We took a large 9"X24"inch piece of paper and folded it in half. They first had to draw someone sitting across from them at their table. I did not give them any directions or step instructions. I wanted to see what was in their mind and what skill set they all were at.
2nd Activity- They opened up the folded paper and drew a picture of themselves. We got mirrors handed out and they drew what they looked like.
3rd Activity- We sat in a circle and looked at all of our drawings and on the board I asked raise of hands how many people drew a trianlge or dot for a nose, stick arms etc. How many people forgot eye brows and eye lashes, etc.
4th Activity-We went back to our seats and together we drew a person using correct shapes and details. We took their "old habbits" and sent them away!! We did a cute activity--we PRETEND put them on a balloon, waved goodbye,  put them on a sling shot and sent them flying out the window, stuffed them into a baseball and threw it as far outside as we could. This was all pretend in the classroom they loved it!
5th Activity- I had them take what we learned about shape and proportion and then draw themselves again looking in the mirror and using our "rules and skills" we learned.
These are the finished products!!!!!
This was a 2 day lesson but was well worth the time :) They put a lot of effort into these drawings and I think they did an awesome job! Woo Hoo!

Friday, February 14, 2014

Ted Gordon-New Lesson on Teachers-Pay-Teachers


BE INSPIRED! Last weekend a friend of mine who is an art educator and myself went to the Visionary Art Museum here in Baltimore, MD. I moved here last June because of my fiance' relocating due to his new job. I still teach and commute to Pennsylvania and teach at a great district with a great art program! So I commute about 45 minutes everyday. Being in the location I am now allows me a wide range of opportunities to be around a cultured and creative environment! Being only 20 minutes away from art museums is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I came across this artist last weekend at the museum named Ted Gordon. HIS WORK IS INCREDIBLE! I think this would be a great lesson to work with your students and to introduce into your classroom. I created an interactive power point presentation of his work that you can use with your students in your classroom. There are essential questions and discussion questions you can review with your students. Check it out on my teachers-pay-teachers account! Keep it creative art teachers! Adios!