In the Works: Check out Chihuly-inspired Chandeliers!

We are currently in the process of collecting water bottles and transforming them into Dale Chihuly inspired chandeliers!  First through Fifth grade will be participating in our chandelier creations and other art pieces inspired by the amazing glass artist!  The idea comes from Pinterest and was tried and tested by another art teacher in our district... so I didn't want to wait to get started!

We are coloring the bottles with permanent markers with various designs and color combinations.

They are so colorful and fun to look at.

This is a collaborative piece Second grade is working on.

The bottles are cut into spirals and then hot glued onto  another form.  We are using 2 liter soda bottles and tin cans.

This multi colored, multi grade level collaborative piece is going to be awesome!  Send us your empty water bottles and see them transformed into something new!  The children are having a lot of fun with  this.  We have a black and clear one in the works too.  Stay tuned for the finished product!

Revamping the Positive Reinforcement!

I am so excited about the new classroom management system we have started in the studio!  It focuses on individual behaviors vs. whole class.  Students sit at either red, orange, yellow, green, blue or purple tables.  We numbered and colored the chairs with paint splats and our PBIS paint palette has paint brushes that correspond to each splat (chair). 

All the brushes are on the right side of the paint palette.  If they are on the right side, they are on green.  If they move up or down the scale, the brushes will be on the left side of the palette so it's clear what color they are! As a class, we came up with the consequences.  The students were very diplomatic and each splat is a reminder of their color consequence!  We have whole class behavior management in place too.  The class has a checklist we go over at the end of class focusing on entrance, attentiveness, following directions, volume, and clean up.  So, what color would you be?

Creative Cats Creating for the Community!

Our Wildcats created art that represented Peace for the Maryland Heights Parks and Recreation & Cultural Arts Commission Peace Project.  Their art will be hung in the Community Center during the month of October!  Some students drew designs and used colors that represented Peace to them on Peace Pinwheels.  September 21st is International Day of Peace and students create pinwheels for "whirled" peace!  

"Peace to me is a rainbow."

"I think Peace is soft edges!"

"Peace is pink!"

"Repetitive patterns is peaceful."

Wildcats had a lot to share on what represented Peace to them.

We also submitted our abstract artwork inspired by Kandinsky.  The children felt that the mixing of watercolors making new colors was peaceful, as well as the use of circles.

Hoo Hoot for Alphabet Owls!

I found the idea for this project on Pinterest and thought it was brilliant and perfect for Fall!

I love how each owl has their own distinct personality!

First we cut out he bodies.  They could draw an oval or snowman and then add triangular ears and cut them out.

Then draw a B on orange construction paper and that will be the mask!

O's for eyes!

D's for wings! 

5 black triangles for ears, beak and feet.  When using the glue.... "Use a dot, not a lot!"

Our kindergarten and 1st graders did a great job adding details... and I can't get over how sweet they all look!

Weaving with cardboard loom boards

Students had a choice to work with circular looms made with plates, or cardboard rectangular looms.

It really helped to use 2 different warp yarns to teach the concept of weaving for those that needed a little extra help.  We used the tapestry weave which is over, under, over, under repeating pattern.