Engineering

Fifth grader created this boat, complete with rudder. "I got the idea to make a boat when I saw my friend make one. It was going to be a Viking ship, but it changed. I'm pretty happy with it!"

Gift making

A common theme in our artroom is giftmaking. I'm quite delighted with the results! This first grade artist made a pillow for his baby brother

Creations

Busy Artists!

This softie was made by a second grader. He used some beans as well as stuffing, the beans were used, "to make it so he can stay sitting up on my bed." He's got a cape tied around him.

"These two people are sitting on the couch. They're happy."

It's hard to see from the photo, but this sockpet has high heeled shoes, a skirt, and even a handbag!

"The Eye" painted by a fifth grader

"It's a puppet guy, Puppet Master, from a show. He's just in the egg carton while he dries, it's not part of him."

"It's a germ, made out of clay, and he is in a cage."

This little sock softie was sewn by a second grader. "She's a girl, her name is sockie."

"This guy is made of fruits. I did it because I'm really hungry and was thinking about food." Of course, after I saw this, I was able to squeeze in a mini art history lesson about Arcimboldo. The second grader's eyes lit up when I showed him examples of Arcimboldo's work.

Another sock softie. These guys are just too cute, and the kids aren't showing any signs of slowing down. I'm impressed with their diligence, especially because sewing the button eyes on is very challenging.

The fifth grader who created this had never worked with clay before. He explained to me that he wanted to make a head, and I told him that it would need to be hollow. I demonstrated how to make two pinch pots and attach them. He caught on right away. I was impressed with the result.

"My mom's taking me to a farm and this is what I think it will look like. Horses, people. This side is daytime, and this side is night time."

-second grader

After amassing dozens and dozens of worn out/mateless socks (donations from Bountiful Elementary families), I opened a mini center yesterday--sock softies. I did a short demo on how to cut the sock, using this great diagram that I found on pinterest. (Unfortunately, I haven't been able to track down the creator of this diagram)  Many kids dove right into making their own sock creatures.

This softie, named Billy isn't finished yet, according to his fifth grade creator, "I want to give him some hair. Yarn hair, maybe black or blue."

 I asked the first grade artist about this ceramic piece, "What can you tell me about this?" He looked at me with a pitiful look in his eyes, "Tell you about it? It's a car! Don't you see? There's the windows, and that's the door."

Two first graders painstakingly sewed pillows. One told me, "I've never even sewed before! My mom and dad will be so s'prised! They don't know I can sew! And this pillow [top] will be for my doll that sleeps in my bed." The other told me, "I wanted to make this pillow for the poor children that don't have toys or anything. But first I hafta finish this one for my brother. I already gave him one and he slept with it, but it got lost. And he was sad. So I'm gonna give him this one, and then, next art time, I can make more to give away."

As an art teacher I strive to encourage students to "engage and persist" one of the Eight Habits of Mind. So, when I see students work on one project over many weeks, I'm thrilled!

 

3-d sculpture made by a third grader.

"It's a tower and a building, for animals. I needed for the popsicle sticks to be smaller, so I broke them."

This photo is not enough to capture the coolness of this origami sculpture! Constructed over six or seven art classes, it's made up of dozens of cootie catchers.

The fourth grader who sewed this creature didn't have too much to say about it, but I can tell you that he worked on it for several weeks, and was diligent about making small, even stitches, so that the stuffing wouldn't fall out.

"It's not very good," the second grade artist told me. So I told her, "Hey. I'm pretty sure it's better than the horses you drew in kindergarten. It's even better than the one you drew last week." She tilted her head to one side thoughtfully, "Hmm," she said, "you're right. I am getting better."

"It's a bag like Indian Jones has. You know on the movie? Yeah, well, he was a pouch like this to put his stuff in. I sewed it. By myself."

The fifth grader who painted this asked me, "Do you have any other green watercolors? [besides the one in the set]" I told him he could mix up his own shade of green. And he did. I think he did a great job, don't you?

Shark created by a fourth grader.

"He's a prince, I made him from clay. But part of him broke in the kiln. So, we're gluing him together, this is his bed 'til he gets dry."

"It's Mrs. Picklehead. She's a teacher."

This softie was created over four art classes by a second grader. "It's for my new baby cousin. She's a girl."

"I made him from cardboard and colored him with pastels. It's my brother, 'cause he likes to play baseball."

Watercolor created by a kindergartner. I love the dabs of color.

"So, it's a pirate ship, and then I put this guy on it. It's me and my friend."

"I used the shapes in this tracer to make a tiger!"

"Well, first I made it with glue and cardboard at the 'struction center. Then I painted it with the white stuff [gesso], then I had to wait. I didn't want to wait; I wanted to take it home, but I waited. And this week I painted it, and glued the puffy eyeballs on. I'm glad I waited 'cause now it's all colorful and stuff."

"It's a bedroom, here's the bed and pillow, with blankets. The bottle is her garbage can, see? I put little scraps of paper in it for it could be the garbage. And here's a lamp, then a decoration."