Teacher Resource: Content Creation Checklist

 Hey friends and enemies!

Let's Talk About Our Future...

As part of my long-term professional plan (that sounds so fancy!), I've been trying to document my teaching more. This means posting videos, blog posts, etc.

I'm not gonna lie: it's a lot to actually do and to keep track of. But the more I do it, the easier it gets.

The Solution:

The "keeping track of" is easy, I use this Content Creation Checklist. It has all of the steps that I use to make a video or other content and the steps I go through to get it done across platforms and APPs like Google Drive, WeVideo, Youtube, PicCollage, Blogger and Instagram.

Short term goal: get the content out there, document my teaching and create content that will help students (and me) in my classroom.

Mid-range goal: to share content that other art teachers could use in their practice

So how do I make the time to do this?

• My kids are teenagers and pretty much ignore me. Just kidding (Am I?)! Either way, they require less hands-on micro managing.
• It's summer break for me. Will I be able to sustain any of this while working full time and having all of those teens keeping me busy? Not sure. One day at a time.

So here's the link to the editable Content Creation Checklist I use. 

Please be nice and don't steal or publish this to the interwebs at large, claiming it is your own. 

Enjoy!

Teacher Resource: Social Media Post Tracker

Hey friends and enemies!

I'm gonna date myself a little bit here: I grew up before the interwebs. Yep. As I joke with my students: I'm THAT old.

Social media doesn't always come easy to me. I have a love/hate relationship (or maybe a hate/hate) with some social media platforms.

However, I use social media to connect with others and to document my teaching and learning, so it's necessary for me.

But there's so many APPs and platforms. How's a lady to keep 'em straight? Make a chart!

This is the form I use to keep track of my social media posts across platforms such as Youtube, Teachers Pay Teachers, Instagram, Blogger, and Pinterest.


I just print this form out and write on it old school. Works for me, but you could be fancy and use it digitally since the Google Slide on Teachers Pay Teachers is editable.

This resource is customizable for the APPs & platforms you use, just download the Google Slide & edit to create the chart that works for you.

Please be kind and do not post this resource to the open web or alter it and then pass it off as your own resource.

I hope you find this resource helpful--ENJOY!

New Demo Video: How To Use Hot Glue/How To Use a Hot Glue Gun

Hi friends and enemies!

The past couple of days I've spent trying to build some videos for demo purposes. I'm trying to be able to allow my students more independence and autonomy with art room techniques and materials.

Well if you've been following my posts recently, you may have seen this video coming. I've posted videos on using a glue stick and how to use Elmer's glue and here's my final offering: How To Use Hot Glue/How To Use a Hot Glue Gun.

A necessary skill for a middle schooler and for those who have never used a glue gun before. Yeah, there's people out there that DON'T EVEN OWN A HOT GLUE GUN. GASP! I grew up in the 1980's when crafting with glue guns became a thang. I thought everyone had one of these! 

If you don't have one, they are super handy. My kids and I use them all the time for projects. They are especially good for building 3D and for those times when you are too impatient to wait for Elmer's Glue to dry. 

Here's the link for the video on my Youtube channel.

Enjoy!

New Demo Video: How To Use Elmer's Glue/How To Use PVA Glue

Hi friends and enemies!

The past couple of days I've spent trying to build some videos for demo purposes. I'm trying to be able to allow my students more independence and autonomy with art room techniques and materials.

Guys. Last year was brutal in terms of kids using glue. Many kids hadn't had art class in person for a couple of years and Elmer's glue is not something everyone has at home. I get it. Liquid glue is messy.

Flashback to my own kids chanting "Glue! Glue!" as they slowly emptied entire bottles onto their projects. True story. 

I had never really used lots of Elmer's with my upper middle schoolers in the past, but now that I am teaching more fifth grade and we are doing projects like collage, Elmer's glue is a big deal. Last year, I had students who didn't know how to open the glue bottles. II'm telling you, they DESTROYED the bottle trying to open them. I even had one class where FOUR STUDENTS completely took the tops off the bottles and just poured the glue onto their projects. Ummmm... Nope!

Ok, I admit, I may have failed to give a complete demo on how to use Elmer's glue, but come on!

Hence my glue slide I project now during collage projects. It helps.

My GLUE Google slide that is projected during times of duress, I mean, gluing. :-)

And my live gluing demos. And these videos. 

Dude, I'm covering all the bases when it comes to glue!

Last year I used a variety of Elmer's glue techniques with the students (both my fifth grade and adaptive art students) and we use glue the following ways:

• Straight outta the bottle: dots and lines
• Glue sponges
• Applied with paintbrushes

They all have their merits. See the video for how each is used.

Here's the link for the video on my Youtube channel.

Enjoy!

New Demo Video: How To Use a Glue Stick

 Hi friends and enemies!

The past couple of days I've spent trying to build some videos for demo purposes. I'm trying to be able to allow my students more independence and autonomy with art room techniques and materials.

I usually demo how to use a glue stick and even though I teach middle school,  there are still students who struggle with it. I'm not sure I would make a student sit through the entire video without me jumping in to point something out or show in real life, but it's good to know that I have this video as backup.

Side note: mine is not the first video on youtube that shows how to use a glue stick, so someone else thought a video like this was necessary. Mine is meant for an older student, so no baby talk here. 

Here's the link to the video on my Youtube channel.

Enjoy!

My TpT Store: 3-2-1 Oil Pastels--A How To Video & Graphic Organizer

Hey friends and enemies!

I've been creating some resources that students can use to learn the basics of art supplies. So many times I do the same demos over and over and it would be nice to be able to quickly refer students to a demo in case they missed it or need additional info. 

In a previous post, I explained how my friend Jen pointed me down the road to using the 3-2-1 format for my videos. Once I started thinking of organizing my demos this way, I haven't been able to stop!

Oil pastels are near and dear to my heart. I use them in my own scratch art-inspired work and love how easy they are to use and the bright colors!

3-2-1 Oil Pastels Video and Graphic Organizer

With this resource students will learn: 

• What are oil pastels?
• Three ways to use this art material
• Two cool techniques
• One thing to keep in mind
  
  

The link to the video on youtube.

The handout on my Teachers Pay Teachers Store.

If you use these resources, leave a comment below! I love to hear that people are enjoying my resources. 

Enjoy!

My TpT Store: 3-2-1 Watercolor Pencils--A How To Video & Graphic Organizer

Hey friends and enemies!

This year, I'm teaching an elective class for Grade 8 called, "Choice Based Studio." Students will be able to choose their own projects to work on. This is an expansion of the final Choice project I usually do with grade 8 classes and I'm SUPER EXCITED to be offering students the opportunity to choose their own ART-ventures for an entire semester!

I've been creating some resources that students can use to learn the basics of art supplies. So many times I do the same demos over and over and it would be nice to be able to quickly refer students to a demo in case they missed it or need additional info. 

Creating demo videos has been in my mind for several years and now seemed the perfect time to move on it. I was worried I've make the videos too long and that the students would get overwhelmed by the info. 

Then along came my friend Jen. She teaches fifth grade at my school and we were sitting on the beach this summer chit-chatting about school and our prep we wanted to get done this summer. I was telling her about my video project and she suggested a 3-2-1 format. She uses this all the time with her students.

I thought about it when I went home and decided to structure my videos in that way. I even created a handout where students could practice the skills in the video and reflect on their learning.

3-2-1 Watercolor Pencils Video and Graphic Organizer

With this resource students will learn: 

• What are watercolor pencils?
• Three ways to use this art material
• Two cool techniques
• One thing to keep in mind
  

The link to the video on youtube.

The handout on my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

If you use these resources, leave a comment below! I love to hear that people are enjoying my resources. 

Enjoy!

My TpT Store: How To Use Graphic Pencils

 Hey friends and enemies!

This year, I'm creating some resources that students can use to learn the basics of art supplies. So many times I do the same demos over and over and it would be nice to be able to quickly refer students to a demo in case they missed it or need additional info. 

In this resource, I created a video and handout that teach students about Graphite pencils. With the handout and video they will learn:

• What are graphite pencils?
• What is a value scale?
• How to create a value scale
• Grid drawing: Using a grid to redraw a photo 
• Shading Practice: Using a photo for reference

The link to the video is on youtube.

The free handout is on my Teachers Pay Teachers Store.

If you use these resources, leave a comment below! I love to hear that people are enjoying my resources. 

Enjoy!