Art Club Counting Books

Every Monday-Wednesday, PS 250 has a 37.5 minute extended day (which happens in the morning, before the regular school day begins) to serve as extra-help time for students that might need it. I have the pleasure hosting an art club during this time, which includes 4th and 5th grade students that (in general) are in classes that don't have Visual Art in their weekly schedule (and who don't need extra help during this time). This year's group of Art Club students are particularly talented, enthusiastic and creative!
For the past several months, Art Club students have been working in pairs to author and illustrate counting books. Students began the project by learning about collage, or art that is made with paper and glue. They practiced cutting (various edges and shapes), gluing (overlapping pieces, dotting around the edge, etc.) and manipulating paper (folding, bending, ripping, etc.) in the creation of exploratory collages. Students then looked at picture books and analyzed a book of their choice using the following worksheet:

After this, students divided into pairs and worked together to develop a theme for a counting book that they would want to create. I chose to have students create counting books because they allow students the flexibility to work with any theme (fiction or non-fiction) of their choosing,  counting books require minimal text (so image and text can easily be integrated for youngsters who are just learning how to do this), and because it's a type of book they are very familiar with. Students brainstormed their ideas, then sketched rough drafts in their pairs.

Michael and ZhiWei

Students created basic accordion books using 90 lb paper (THIS is a great resource). Although students worked in pairs do decide on the theme, style  and text of their book, they each were responsible for brainstorming, then illustrating (in collage), 5 pages of the counting book on their own. At the end of the unit, students worked together to add the text (typing and choosing the font on the computer) and create front/back covers. Lastly, pairs glued the two books (of 5 pages each) together and added any last details. The results are fantastic!! 

Michael and ZhiWei

Yujia and Nayeli (who sadly left our school in January to go to another school)

Liana and Karen

 

Evelyn and Itzel

Jackie (and Emmanuel, who sadly left art club in December)

Fishy Fishy! Kindgergarten Collages

Zhi Yi Lu, K-B07

Kindergarten just finished a collage unit! Collage, as Kindergartners learned, is art made with paper and glue. Students began the unit by exploring the ways they could change paper with their hands (ripping, folding, tearing, etc.) and with scissors (cutting zig zags, curves, etc.). Students also explored the ways we can arrange shapes so that they touch (or overlap) in order to make big parts from smaller parts. We read the book "Perfect Square" (by Michael Hall) together at the beginning of class for two weeks (great book that introduces students to various ways they can change paper), then students spent those weeks working on collages of anything they chose. Students learned proper gluing technique (dot, dot, dot, don't glue a lot, around the edge) and how to manipulate the materials during these explorations.
After finishing their exploration collages, I read the book "Fish Eyes" (by Lois Elhert) to students.

At the end of the book, the question is posed "If you could truly have a wish, would you wish to be a fish?". Students then considered what they might look like if they were to turn into fishies! Students began collages of their fish by cutting/ripping big parts (head, body, tail, fins) out of colored paper, then arranging the pieces together. The following week, students considered small parts (eyes, mouth, stripes on the body, etc.) their fish might have, then cut/tore and glued these onto the collages from the previous week. The next week, students looked at collages by Eric Carle and created their own hand-painted paper that they used the following week when they created their fish's habitat (under the sea, in a fishbowl, under some seaweed, etc.) on cool colored (blue, green, purple, etc.) paper. The final week, students cut out their fish collages and added them to the habitats they had created.

Whitney in K-B03 creating the habitat for her fish

Elijah from K-B03 cutting out his fish

Enjoy "swimming" through our fish collages!

Anairis, K-B07

Wentao, K-B07

Jayden, K-B07

Christopher, K-B07

Kelsey, K-B03

Jahmir, K-B03

Kimora, K-B03

Josselyn, K-B07

Kindergarten "Favorite Activity" Portraits

Kindergarteners just finished a unit in which they created a portrait of themselves doing a favorite activity. They created the portraits using assemblage and collage materials.
Students began by discussing the main parts of our bodies. We then made a list on the Smart Board of their favorite activities (e.g., swimming, dancing, running, jumping ,etc.) and students acted out them out to consider how their bodies looked when they did the activity. Next, students chose pieces of pre-cut cardboard shapes and assembled the shapes together to re-present the way their body looks when doing their favorite activity.

Kindergarteners assembling shapes to create a  self-portrait

After students had created the base of their "person", they collaged colored and construction paper on top of the cardboard parts to create clothes and a face for their portrait.

K-B02 adding faces

K-B02 working

K-B02 working

K-B01 working on "clothes" and "faces"

Irene from K-B07 working

The following week, I introduced students to the element of textures (e.g., smooth, hairy, bumpy, etc.) and had a discussion with students about all of the places on our bodies that have texture. I set up a texture "buffet" at the front of the classroom and let students choose 3 pieces of textured material to add to their person.

Students selecting items from the texture buffet

Students spent the final week adding details to their self-portrait. The Kindergarten students worked very hard on this project and the results are truly amazing! Enjoy!!

Michael, K-B07
"My favorite activity is walking"

Kaylee, K-B07
"My favorite activity is running"

Annie, K-B01
"My favorite activity is dancing"

Adriannys, K-B07
"My favorite activity is swimming"

Hannah, K-B07
"My favorite activity is to run"

Irene, K-B07
"My favorite activity is to jump!"

Jerry,  K-B07
"My favorite activity is to run"

Samuel, K-B01
"My favorite activity is swimming"