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 Mural at Amherst Middle School!

I think we can all agree that this past school year was "different." I could exchange that word for a bunch of others--some positive and some not-so-much. But I couldn't be totally negative about the past year. My brain just won't let me. There were LOTS of good things.

One good thing was this mural--designed and organized by 8th grader Kasen F. and painted by the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) 8th graders in our school. At *almost* the end of the school year, they approached me with this idea and then they magically made it happen. Actually, it maybe wasn't magic--it took a lot of planning and organization by Kasen!

Our school is a combination of students from two towns and this mural highlights some of the sites from both towns--we even have a local celebrity, the Amherst Bear, and it's in there too!

I was so happy to watch this project come to life and it really is a wonderful additional to the murals in our middle school.

Great work Kasen and all the NHJS students. You've left a lasting touch on the AMS school and community and it was wonderful watching you learn and grow while you were with us. I know you're going to do great things!

NEW OP ART VIDEO LESSON: Movement With Lines

Hello artists!

During distance learning I created a bunch of videos--I HAD to! Being an art teacher is sooo much easier when you can SHOW people what you are talking about! Some of the videos were just screen recordings I did in Zoom, and my philosophy, at first, was get the videos done to the best of my modest abilities so the students could connect with me and do the work. But towards the end, I started to get a little more fancy. 

Don't get me wrong. I didn't WANT TO learn how to do anything with video. OK, that's kind of a fib. I love to learn, but I had learned SO MUCH new stuff while being home for 10 weeks. So many new programs, so many new ways to get content out there to students (and did I mentione I was home with my four kids?). So many things in my brain!! I really didn't think I handle more or give more of my time.

But, I wanted the videos to be better. So I forced myself to try a video editing program. I chose to go free and online, so I tried out WeVideo. I really liked it! There was a 30 day free trial and I just sneaked this video in at the last minute. It's a how to for my most popular post ever--"Movement With Lines" this post has had almost 120,000 views since 2012.

I was looking back through the blog the other day, saw it, and noticed that in the comments someone had asked if I had a video for the lesson. Ummmm. No. BUT I COULD! I started planning the video out and, guys, I FORGOT HOW FUN THIS PROJECT IS!! Really, I ended up making a few just for fun.

I changed this up for students who were working at home--using index cards as the base for the art since I thought many people would have index cards on hand. I also scaled it down so that it could be done during one of my weekly hour-long Art-a-Long sessions I offered to students and families. If you want to go bigger (or smaller), please do! The original post has students use 8 1/2" x 11" paper and clever teachers photocopy the numbered lines on the back BEFORE having students do the work.

So, here's my quickly cobbled together video for "Movement With Lines." It's not going to win any video awards, but it's out there for the masses. I hope you can use it with your classes, your children and you try it yourself! I promise, it's fun and you can totally do it!

ENJOY!

Distance Learning Lesson: Virtual Museum Field Trip

Hello artists!

One of the first lessons I assigned to my 6-8th grade students when we started Distance Learning was a Virtual Museum field trip. All of my students were sent home with laptops, but nothing else. So while I was figuring out how to teach art without art supplies to students I had never even met--I decided everyone was going to get out of their houses (at lease virtually) and go on a field trip!

So, there were two parts of this field trip: the Google SLIDESHOW and a FORMS the students would fill out about their trip.

Here's the intro slide--Let's go on a field trip!

I gave the students eight choices for museums to visit. My choices were, at first, based on an article I read from Travel and Leisure. When we were transitioning to at-home learning, I was overwhelmed, to say the least. We had a little but of training and then, poof! We were at home. So when I read the Travel and Leisure article, I thought I had read the answer to my dreams!

Once I started reviewing the exhibits Travel & Leisure suggested, I realized that some of the suggestions weren't gonna cut it for my middle school kids. So, I used some of their suggestions and added a few of my own. You could choose TONS of museums, I was just looking for about 8 choices total and they had to be based on Google Arts and Culture AND I needed to get this done ASAP while my four kids were home and I was setting up classes on Google Classroom (which I hadn't really used before and learning Zoom and everything else). Whew! That was 5 weeks ago and it seems like forever!

Once the students clicked on a museum choice on the slide above they were taken to a slide for that museum.

The slide for the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

I put a little write-up for the museum on the slide along with a link that will take them to the Google Arts and Culture page for that museum. 

What I like about Google Arts and Culture is that there's so much on a museum's page, like the one for the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. There's exhibits, TONS of artwork, street views of artwork, museum views and a link to the museums official site. 

What My Students Did For this Project

I made my students a VIDEO explaining what I wanted them to do with this project. Again, we're using Google Classroom, so the SLIDESHOW and the FORMS (I'll tell you about those in a minute) were uploaded and assigned to them in Google Classroom. 

Here's what I asked them to do:

1. Look through the slideshow and choose a museum to visit.
2. Click on the link in the slideshow to visit the Museum's page on Google Arts and Culture.
3. Poke around. Visit an exhibit. Look at the art. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and click on the link for the Museum's website. Check it out!
4. While you are looking around, set a 15 minute timer. See how many see how many items you can find from the scavenger hunt form. 
5. Pick two pieces of artwork from your trip--one you have questions about and another that you love. Write about those on the museum response page.

I used the forms from Kitchen Table Classroom. I downloaded them (they're free!) and made them fillable forms on Google Slides. Other options would be just having students use printed versions (we aren't allowed to ask kids to print anything at home--most aren't able to) or you could create a google form where they can fill out the info as they go, etc.

How'd It Go?

Almond Blossom by Vincent van Gogh
Image courtesy of the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Pretty good! This was the first thing my students did for me and I had never had them in class before (the trimester switched as we were transitioning to online learning). There were some issues, but most of my 6-8th graders were able to complete this project successfully. What I liked about this project is that students were able to select a piece of work that was their favorite and tell me why. This was a nice way to get to know the students!

It was fun to see the work the student chose. Van Gogh was a favorite and so was Diego Rivera. The most often visited museums were The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Korea, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and the Museo Frida Kahlo in Mexico. The most often-liked image out of the hundreds they could choose, was Almond Blossoms by Vincent van Gogh.

Do You Want To See What They Liked? 

Some of the surprises that my students said were their favorites.

Sure! Because the artwork was all on Google Arts and Culture, I was able to create an online Gallery of their favorite pieces.This is great because they can see what other students liked and the work can be used for a future project or reflection.

I'm so glad that I had the students "get out" and explore some museums from around the world! If you are looking for a fun lesson to get your students looking at and thinking about art--I hope you give this a try!

STEAM Project: Mark-Making Machines

Hello!

Are you looking for an engaging project that will provide lots of discussion, movement, creativity and problem-solving with your artists BUT not take for-eh-ver to do? Well, I have a project for you!!

Here are a couple of Grade 8's Mark-Making
Machines with a bit of the display. 

My grade 8 art students began trimester 2 with an exciting art and engineering challenge! I began the activity with a discussion of the most basic art element--the mark. Students discussed and decided upon definitions for "mark" and "machine" and were then challenged to either work individually or in teams to create mark-making machines. Their constraints? The machine needed to use K'Nex building tools (I had a HUGE bucket of them), an art supply from the classroom (paint, markers, pencils, etc.) and use a simple machine (lever, pulley, wheel and axle, wedge, inclined plane or screw).

Students had two class periods to create, test and revise their machines. The process was messy and exciting and really got everyone moving, talking, sharing and working together. A great discussion about "what is art?" ensued as well as a larger discussion of "why?"--as in, "Why are we doing an engineering project in art class?" Students were able to brainstorm skills that they needed in this fun engineering challenge that they would be using this trimester in art class (and throughout their educational career): creativity, resourcefulness, grit, perseverance, working with others, problem solving and more.

By the end of day two, students were required to pass in their machine, an example of the "marks" their machines made (some of the pieces were quite beautiful!) and the video they created of their machine in action (they used iPads to take their videos). I had a hunch that this project would make a great display in our school's lobby so I wanted to make are I had the students give me the "fodder" I would need to showcase these machines!

I was able to create a QR Code for the videos of each of the machines and put them on the finished display, so visitors can scan the QR codes and see the machines in action. Here are a few of the videos for you to see:

This project was a fun way to start of the trimester! ENJOY!!

Positive and Negative Space Sketchbook Activity/Worksheet

Hello!

We are moving right along with a wonderful unit on Art Nouveau with the seventh graders (details of the process to come in future posts). Phase One: they are using Blick Ready Cut to create nature prints that demonstrate positive and negative space. I brought out a few fine art images and we discussed positive and negative space and I had them do a quick journal/sketchbook activity that is perfect for developing their print idea (I didn't want to influence the "nature" subject matter of their print design, so we did this exercise with art supplies I had in the classroom).

Positive/Negative Space Scissors

Image source: Matt Klaber at Butler Tech

First, I showed them this great illustration of positive and negative space from  Matt Klaber at Butler Tech.  I then had them:

1. Draw two boxes side by side on a page of their sketchbooks. 
2. Select an object from the bin of goodies I provided OR something in the room.
3. Using pencil, trace or draw that object as many times as they could in the boxes they created.
4. In one box, color the POSITIVE space using a marker of their choice. In the other box, color the NEGATIVE space with the same color.

Ta-da! Here's some results:

Binder Clip

Glue Stick

Hole Punch

Silk Flower

Masking Tape Roll

Break out the sketchbooks!

My team teacher and I decided to have the students use sketchbooks this year and we are really excited about them. We ordered basic two pocket paper folders with tabs (1 for each 7th and 8th grader) because we felt this was a good option. Using folders is inexpensive and flexible--we were able to use the stacks of newsprint, copy paper, lined paper and graph paper that were in the room already and the folders also have a place for handouts to be three-hole punched and inserted.

We started the first day having students hand letter their names and draw at least three things into the design that told us something about them. I showed them illuminated manuscripts and graffiti for inspiration. I had them use 4x6 index cards and ink and colored pencil. They worked on these for a couple of days and then affixed them to their sketchbooks with glue stick.

We also gave them handouts to keep in their sketchbooks. So far, they have the copy of the art contract we have the students bring home for the parents to sign as well as the "What Will I Learn in 7th (or 8th) Grade?" handout inspired by the Art of Education. See their version here.

We also wanted to have them jump right into drawing in these sketchbooks, so I thought this would be a great time to do Danny Gregory's AWESOME sketchbook activity I learned about during the Art of Education's Summer 2016 Online Conference. Basically, students grab a Sharpie (I know! How permanent!!) and move about the room drawing different things for two minutes a drawing. It was awesome and a very good way to get them to loosen up! Here are some of their pages from the day:

Students were asked to star their most successful piece and explain
in the margin why they thought it was the best.

This was a great activity to break in the sketchbooks. This week students are working on a graphic design piece, so they are adding notes to their sketchbooks, but more sketchbook activities will be coming soon! ENJOY!

7th and 8th Grade Final Projects

A rite of passage in the art room for the middle school students at Amherst Middle School is the final project. Despite its name the project is started pretty early on in the semester because it has a bunch of components to it.

Anthony's project inspired by Roy Lichtenstein

Here's a basic outline:

• Students are shown a Powerpoint presentation of famous artists and artwork (7th grade focused on the art from 1900-1950; 8th grade focused on 1950-today)
• Students choose an artist to research
• Students create a paper/brochure/poster/oral report, etc. about the artist's work and life (details below)
• Students propose a project to do that is inspired by the artist they researched, but should be personal to them (the sky's the limit here--they can use whatever media they wish, but no copying the artist)
• Students complete a final project
• Students write an artist statement about their project

It's quite the process and it really was a wonderful opportunity for me to get to know the students and help them explore a variety of materials. Some of the students struggled with the open-endedness of the project, or with the writing component, and again, it was a great opportunity for me to hone my teaching skills to help each student succeed. I really love these projects and how unique they are! Unfortunately, I do not have photos of all of the projects--that's the problem with doing something like this at the end of the semester--final grading and clean-up take away from documentation, but you get the idea. Students worked in acrylics, watercolor, colored pencil, clay, assemblage and more. We had a great range of 2D and 3D pieces. When I do this project again, I also have some ideas for tweaking it slightly to make it easier for the students to understand and to push them to develop their ideas even further, but it was a great first run for this project--definitely a keeper!

The graphic organizer I created for the students to use for research.
I was hoping a design like this would help them organize the information better
than giving them a list of what was required. 

Here's the final project proposal form they needed to fill out
prior to starting their final project. This gave me a chance to meet with them
and SEE what they were thinking of doing for their final piece.

Beka's piece inspired by van Gogh, I think (it's hard to remember!)

Carrie's piece inspired by Claes Oldenburg

Clayton's helmet and shield inspired by ancient Greece

Hannah's piece inspired by James Audubon

Hunter's house design inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright
(designed on the computer and printed in 3D)

This little house was a lot of work! :-)

Nathan's still life inspired by Paul Cezanne

Nolan's sculpture inspired by Alberto Giacometti

Top: Daniel's piece inspired by Robert Delauney
Bottom: Patrick's piece inspired by modern street art

Trey's piece inspired by Roy Lichtenstein

Grade 5 Romare Bearden Storytelling Collages

The second project I did with my fifth graders was a storytelling collage. This project idea was one that the art teacher left for me to complete with them. However, I decided to present the idea of collage to them by showing them Romare Bearden's collage "The Dove" from 1964. I have a HUGE laminated print of this from the "Picturing America" series from the National Endowment for the Humanities (http://picturingamerica.neh.gov). For those of you not familiar with this collection, check it out! I'm not sure if you can actually get the portfolio of laminated images anymore, but you can access the images digitally through the website as well as a bunch of other resources (discussion questions and lesson plan ideas). I am constantly amazed and delighted by the images in the collection--there seems to be an image for just about every art concept I've been wanting to teach lately (1 point perspective, 2 point perspective, landscape, portrait, radial symmetry, etc.).

So, back to the collage. We had a great discussion about collage, storytelling, setting, mood, and the figure based on the discussion questions in the Picturing America Teacher's Handbook and some of my own questions. Bearden's collage shows a place and time very different from our town! The children enjoyed looking for the dove and the cats as well as commenting on how the people were dressed and (gasp!) how there was a cigarette in the image. Great discussion that got us all thinking!

Then students were given a piece of card stock and could browse the big bin of magazines in the classroom to find images to create their own collage that told a story. I advised them to be open-minded about the story--I couldn't guarantee they'd be able to find *exactly* what they were looking for--sometimes you need to let the story emerge on its own! As they worked, students also needed to think about focal point.

One they had the entire surface of their piece covered, they could create a frame that enhanced their piece (also with collage)--students could think about colors and textures that would go with their main collage.

And lastly, we coated the entire piece with an, ahem, liberal coat of Mod Podge to seal it all in. I had the students complete a quick little write-up of their piece where they titled their collage and told me a one sentence story about it. Some of them were so funny!

After students completed this sheet,
they taped it to the back of their collages. 

If you'd like to learn more about "The Dove," check out this link from PBS: http://www.thirteen.org/picturing-america/romare-bearden-the-dove/