Warm & Cool Leaves

These are always a fun and easy fall project. 

Kindergarten and 1st grade students use oil pastels and tempera cakes to create textured paper using warm and cool colors. After the paint dried, we learned how to cut leaf shapes from the warm paper and collaged them onto the cool backgrounds. The final step was to use neutral colors to add details like veins on the leaves and motion marks in the background. Always love seeing these! 

 

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

 I recently shared a video I made for my online classes on how to create a “Very Hungry Caterpillar” collage using painted paper or construction paper. Check it out, share with your students, or make one yourself! :)

Kandinsky Marker Paintings

I tried out a new technique in kindergarten and first grade this year. We were using diffusion to create paint from washable markers. After viewing the works of Kandinsky, we used Sharpie markers to trace circles and rulers for straight lines. Then we outlined those with primary colored washable markers. After the lines had color, we used wet paintbrushes to spread the colors. 

They loved the magic of water and markers and we got an introduction to color mixing when the colors overlapped. 

Warhol Flowers

Just realized I never posted these fantastic Warhol-inspired flowers that 1st grade made! We started with squares of colored paper. Then we used paint scrapers to add scratchy black paint. Once those were dry, we drew and cut simple flowers to add. Easy process and a knockout at the art show!

Scarab Necklaces

1st grade had a blast making these scarab necklaces based on the Egyptian myth of Khepri the beetle. We used model magic to create ovals. Then we used a wooden stick to make the impressions on the back and for the neck. We used the round end of the stick for the eyes. Then they used washable markers to add designs. We also made beads and strung them onto pipe cleaners to finish the necklaces. How cute are they?!

Cactuses & Patterns

1st grade took their knowledge of patterns and colors to create these amazing Mexican cactus paintings! We started with a guided drawing to create the pot and different kinds of cactuses. We added patterns to the flower pot and outlined everything with Sharpie to make our lines bold. After that, we viewed different skies from photographs and tried to recreate what we saw. Thank you Jamestown Elementary blog for the inspiration! 

Video Here!

Egypt

All classes just completed their Egyptian inspired projects. All projects were based on different artifacts found in Egyptian ruins and were embellished with shiny gold.They also used Hieroglyphs to write an Egyptian message on their artworks. There are many versions of Hieroglyphs, but I chose to teach them the one with the easiest images to draw.

Before we began, we played Pharaoh Bingo to learn which symbols stood for which letters. 

First grade created a Cartouche using patterns and gold with a message in the middle. You can find a printout and many helpful resources on this Egyking website.

Second grade learned amount Mummification and designed a sarcophagus with patterns and gold. The handout for the sarcophagus can be found at the Activity Village page to download.

Third grade chose between four designs of Canopic Jars.I drew my own jars and made copies based on this image:

 but you can download and print some jars from this Activity Village page.

Fourth grade practiced Zentangle designs on their Cat Mummies. I drew my own to copy, but I'll try scan and upload it.

Fifth grade practiced portraits to create a face inspired by either King Tut's burial mask or the bust of Queen Nefertiti. I had a few students who were unable to complete the project because they missed days, so they designed a pre-made face found here. 

Very proud of these, the kids really stepped up and did some amazing work. :)

View the Power Points:

1st Grade Cartouch

2nd Grade Sarchophagus

3rd Grade Canopic Jars

4th Grade Zentangle Mummies

5th Grade Pharaoh Portraits

Be warned: I gave them copies to decorate because I didn't think it was necessary to have them draw their own jars, sarcophagus, etc. for this project, and those are difficult shapes to draw. However, this caused my students to treat their projects like a "coloring sheet" and many didn't take their work seriously. In the future, I'll take my chances on their drawing abilities so that they take more pride in their work. Anyone else ever notice this happen to their students?