clay cacti.

The 4th graders are finally getting a chance to glaze their clay cacti this week!

A few weeks ago, they slab built cacti and pots that were inspired by a series that Michael Pfleghaar created a few years ago.

This project was part of their texture unit. I have been looking forward to these being glazed since we made them. In my humble opinion, I think the final results are awesome:)

The only drag that I did not fully anticipate, is that with the cacti being glazed front and back, I would need a lot more stilts than we have:( We have 2 kilns, but not enough stilts for me to fully utilize their capacity...

On another note, this week the art team is in full art show prep mode. So much mounting, labeling, and tying up loose ends to do before our 27th annual Celebration of Art next Wednesday!

hip to be square.

The 5th graders are going retro this week. Some with a sculpture project and others with a collage project. 3 classes are creating space invader wood block sculptures that are inspired by the video game and the sculptures of Jason Torchinsky. The other 3 classes are creating abstract collages inspired by the geometric forms from minecraft and other 8-bit video games.

Both projects have been big hits.

A few things to think about...

1. Make sure, when starting a grade level sculpture project, that you have enough supplies. (I realized halfway through that I wouldn't have enough wood blocks, so hello minecraft;)

2. Expect a noisy class when the kids are working in teams on sculpture projects. I'm totally cool with it, but the classroom can get energized.

3. Have plenty of paper squares cut for a collage project that requires many 1" squares for 34 students per class.

4. On the same note, make sure your paper cutter is well oiled, so it won't be so darn irritating on your ears throughout the lesson.

 I love the planning to make the arms work:)

 Nice job keeping their classmates clean:)

fancy pants!

The 2nd graders are working with stencils (CA VA 2.1) and symmetry this week.

I'm sharing an image by Danny Ivan with them and we talk about how the pants in this illustration are not your ordinary, run of the mill pants. They are some seriously fancy pants:)

The creations that the kids are making are not as detailed as Danny's, but I think they are just as fun. Some of the kids responses on their exit slips are a real hoot too.

A number important things for this project-
1. The kids need to make the pants long enough and wide enough for the stencil to create an interesting design on them.
2. The kids need to keep the leftover paper from their cut out pants intact because they need it to act as another stencil to keep the white paper white.
3. The kids need to make big enough shapes on their pattern stencil for enough of the spray paint to go through and decorate the pants.
4. Have things for the kids to do if they finish early. Mine complete their exit slips, clean, and then move on to art centers.

On their exit slips, I'm asking students to identify the steps they needed to complete the project and to tell me where they would wear their fancy pants and why.

 time traveler:)

 modest.

 skinny jeans!

I can see this project totally as a zentangle design as well. Either black and white or on top of the stencil portion.