Winter Wonderland

We had another wonderful Arts Integration class just in time before Winter Storm Leon hit Charleston!  We taught our friends about perspective and how to teach children to draw, paint, chalk, etc. in fun, new ways!

Here are some of the artists at work:

Sketching the snowman from the perspective of looking at it from the ground, up.

 Starting to chalk:

 Our master instructor Vicki:

Adding the finishing touches:
** I love that my daughter gets to learn along with everyone else!

 

Did I mention the delicious snacks we provide?  Apple cider and winter Chex Mix with marshmallows (snowballs!).

We have e-mailed a survey to our faculty asking what you would be interested in learning in future Apples and Brushes classes.  We will review the feedback and plan our February class soon!

Have a warm week!
Chrissy

Mini Conference

The 8th Annual Mini-Conference was a HUGE success! We shared ways to integrate the arts while teaching about the famous Dr. Martin Luther King. This lesson would be broken in 4 parts and done over several days in your classroom, like mentioned in  http://wonderteacher.com/

You will see for the pictures below that each person took something different away from Dr. Kings Big Words.  We LOVED seeing the different interpretations and the illustrations done by our fellow teachers which were quite impressive! Our Arts Integration session validated the belief that AI is a journey and not a destination and we are well on our way!!

Dr. King's Big Words

Lesson 1: Making Watercolor Skin Tones

We started by mixing watercolors to make skin tones. After making the skin tones, teachers wrote their 

'color recipes', these will be used for another activity.

 

Lesson 2: Who is Dr. Martin Luther King?

During this lesson you will teach about who and what Dr. King is and what he did for us!

Lesson 3: What are Dr. King's Big Words?

Looking closely at some of Dr. King's famous quotes, discuss what these mean and how we can live by them today! Then students will create illustrations of their interpretations.

 Lesson 4: Inspired Writing

Students will write about what Dr. King's Big Words meant to them. 

Pinterest

Pinterest has become a great resource to find inspiring art projects for kids.  When I saw this idea I couldn't pass it up.  I have created snow globes in the past but how fun would it be to make it more "real" just by adding a clear, plastic plate and fake snow!!  I searched everywhere for small, clear plates and struck gold at Target! 
(I had a kindergarten assistant tell me they did the same artwork but took pictures of the children pretending to throw snow, ice skate, build a snowman, etc.  The children created a background and the teachers added the pictures of the children on top.  What a fun idea!)
My class couldn't stop shaking their snowglobes!

To integrate the project into our Common Core standards, I found this wonderful book on Amazon.  It is the sweetest story about a snow globe family who wishes for a snowstorm!  If only the "real" family would remember their snow globe and give it one good shake.

My class finished by writing about the snow globe family they created and the adventures their snow globe family enjoyed!

I have seen several other examples of snow globes using finger paint, glitter tempera paint, and oil pastels.  You never know what will inspire you while searching Pinterest! 

Thanks for visiting,
Chrissy

Mini-Conference

Apples and Brushes

will present at the 

Laurel Hill Mini-Conference

Thursday, January 16th 

In this lesson you will learn how to mix watercolors to make color recipes. This was a lesson that the very talented +Susan Antonelli taught to my class last year.  You can visit her blog at wonderteacher.com.   

This lesson is posted on her blog. 

  

**Click on Archives and choose January.  It was posted on January 17th, 2013.  It also shows you student samples.  

 It focuses on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and some of his famous quotes.  The children mix watercolors to create different skin tone recipes.  Then, the children create an illustration depicting how they interpreted one of his quotes and write in response.  We will give you directions on ways to differentiate this lesson in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. 

 

We hope to see you at the mini-conference!

Vicki and Chrissy

Winter Wonderland January Class

Join us for

Apples and Brushes

Art lesson on Perspective

Tuesday, January 28th  3:00-4:00

 

 We hope you can join us!  Delicious snacks will be available!

Vicki and Chrissy