Artsy Fifth Graders

We tried a bit of cross-contour. It went way better than I expected.

Artsy Fifth Graders

It's been awhile. These pictures are fuzzy.

Those were not apologies.

We'll be doing a lot with 3D and optical illusions this semester.

Artsy Fifth Graders

This past week we made Christmas trees!

Artsy Fifth Graders

This week's project started out the same as the art project from two weeks ago. They chose a word or phrase and wrote it in block letters. Then they turned the paper upside-down and wrote the same phrase in block letters again, overlapping the first letters. Then they chose three colors- one for each letter and one for where the letters overlap. It took them a little while to get the hang of it, but they turned out pretty interesting.

Artsy Fifth Graders

This week we talked about block lettering and background space. First they drew part of the alphabet in block letters. Then they erased the lines that connected so that the letters looked like they were stuck together. They could then decide whether to color in the background or the letters.

Some students finished early, so they made another one using a phrase or word that they chose. 

Adjectives + Artsy Fifth Graders Week 7

Teaching adjectives is one of my favorites. Every year I have my students complete a worksheet called "Kiki's Kitty" in which they have to come up with an adjective fore every letter of the alphabet.

I allow them to use their dictionaries if they are unable to think of an adjective. The results are pretty hilarious.

After they completed this worksheet, I had them make acrostics with their names. They had to think of an adjective for every letter in their name. Again, I let them use their dictionaries if they couldn't think of one.

Again, excellent results.

        Nice                                       Artistic                                 Jealous
        Overseas                                Adverbial                             Alight
        Irate                                       Nice                                    Multilateral
                                                     Unhappy                              Multiple
                                                     'Nother                                Yellowish

       Jobless                                High-so                                 Kafkaesque
       Ornamental                          Angry                                   Innocent
       Eligible                                Naughty                                Thinker
      Yellow                                  Nice                                      Asian Lover Songs
                                                 Artistic
                                                 Hungry

Artsy Fifth Graders Week 6

This week we learned about Polish paper cutouts called Leluja. They usually include a simplified tree form in the center with birds or other animals around and inside of it. The paper is folded lengthwise and cut so the pictures are symmetrical.

I love how each one of them is so different!

Artsy Fifth Graders Week 5

This week's art project was similar to the one we did last week. They really seemed to get the hang of it quickly this time. We concentrated on how to get the 3-D 'blobs' to twist around each other to make a more interesting final product.

Again, it took them a lot of patience, but the results are really fun!

Artsy Fifth Graders Week 4

This week in art the students made their names into op-art. They're easy to do, but require a lot of patience.

These didn't photograph too interestingly on their own, so I put them on top of this Wizard of Oz puzzle. I love that quotation! 

Artsy Fifth Graders- Yellow Spotted Lizards

I have another bulletin board in my classroom set aside for projects connected with the book that we're reading. Currently we're reading 'Holes' by Louis Sachar. I had them draw Yellow Spotted Lizards as they're described in chapter 8. I love seeing their different interpretations.

Here are all of the lizards on the bulletin board. We decided to do a chevron-ish patterned border (which we heard is very 'on trend'.)

Artsy Fifth Graders Week 3

This week's art assignment was similar to last week, but in color!

Artsy Fifth Graders Week 2

This week we did some paper cutting to create positive and negative space.

I love the way they look together on the bulletin board!

Artsy Fifth Graders

I'm so excited to be teaching art in my classroom this year! Because of the growing number of students at my school, the primary students' art classes were moved into their main classrooms to be taught by their homeroom teacher.

I have TONS of artsy ideas. For the first week of school, I decided to have them cut their names out of colorful paper using a graffiti art style. It mostly turned into a lesson about overlapping letters and trying to fill the entire paper. Here are some of the finished products!