Matariki Art Lessons for the New Zealand New Year

Hi Friends,

As July approaches, a very significant day draws near for the people of New Zealand. Matariki, the Maori New Year, is named for the Matariki star cluster (Pleiades) which is visible in our night skies for 11 months of the year. It disappears  in the lunar month of Haratua (May/June) and rises again around a month later in the North-Eastern sky during the lunar Month of Piripi .(June/July). This celestial event marks the beginning of the Māori calendar, signalling a time for both reflection about the year that past, and renewal for the year ahead. It is a time for communities to come together and celebrate. Since 2022, this is now also an official public holiday, one that falls on a different day each year due to the lunar calendar.

This celebration, a time for Peace, Joy and Community, has lead to many art forms that educators can explore as a way to connect classroom learning with this important event. But first, let's dive a little deeper into the history of Matariki.

While Matariki has deep cultural significance for the people of Aotearoa New Zealand, it is understood and celebrated in different ways across the country. Legend has it that Tāwhirimātea (the god of wind) was so angry with his siblings for causing the separation of this parents - the sky father (Ranginui) and earth mother (Papatūānuku) - that he ripped out his eyes and flung them into the heavens. This gives Matariki its full name - The eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea (Ngā Mata o te Ariki Tāwhirimātea).

With the star cluster disappearing and then returning each year, this event celestial became linked with the cycle of life, death and rebirth. This is now a time to remember our ancestors, releasing their spirits to become stars. Similarly, a time to express thanks for the past year's harvest by feasting and sharing the bounty with family and friends. Celebrations often include storytelling and cultural performances which offer a wonderful opportunity to teach about cultural connection through engaging forms of creative expression.

Some popular options that educators can explore for art creating, include:

1. Star (whetu) themed art - painting, collages or sculptures that depict celestial representations. See a starry night lesson idea below.

2. Kites - the design and construction of traditional Māori kites can represent both ancestral connections and the spirit of Matariki.

3. Flax Weaving - teaching the traditional art of weaving flax leaves to create beautiful and functional pieces, like baskets (kete) and mats (whariki). See a lesson idea below.

1) Starry Night - an art lesson for Upper Elementary

You can make a great connection to a well loved artwork - Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh - when exploring Matariki with Year 5-6  and middle school students.

First, it's important that students can correctly recite their personal and individual Pepeha. For help with this you can visit the following website: https://pepeha.nz/

A pepeha is a formal way of introducing yourself in Māori. It tells others about who you are by sharing your connection with people and places that are important to you.

Your pepeha is the inspiration for the content of this artwork. Students then locate images of water, mountains, plants and buildings or other landmarks that they associate with their significant place. 

Combining this with information about The eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea (Ngā Mata o te Ariki Tāwhirimātea) and the Post-Impressionist technique of Vincent Van Gogh, students create wonderful original artworks they can be proud of.

For a fully comprehensive art lesson including a video tutorial please visit my TPT store - One Teacher's Journey - HERE 

or visit my website - Help Me Learn - HERE

2) Make a Manu Tuktuku - Maori kite - an art lesson for Mid Elementary

Start this lesson with the shared book called The Seven Kites of Matariki. Here is a link to the read-aloud on YouTube:

The following video, made by Tauranga City Library, will guide you through resources to collect and and the steps to making kites with your students. 

3) Woven Whariki or blanket for lying down to watch the night sky  - an art lesson for Early Elementary.

Traditionally mats would be woven from the leaves of a flax plant in New Zealand. However, when harvesting the leaves of this plant, certain cultural procedures (tikanga) need to be followed. Here is a video on YouTube explaining more about that:

In the classroom you can substitute other materials  to teach weaving, when gathering flax is not an option. I always save the paper strips from trimming student artworks and these provide colourful pieces for students to work with. You can also strip coloured card on the guillotine for this lesson. By using up trimmings from other artworks that would otherwise be thrown away, you are aligning to, and honouring the Māori world view on sustainability and environmental awareness.

Students are given an A5 sized card to turn into a loom following a few careful steps and then they can weave coloured card or paper strips though this to create their mat or blanket.

Another option is to use wool on a loom. Make the looms by pre-cutting thick packaging cardboard to aprox. A5 size. Snip into both short edges - cut 1-2 cm deep and use 2cm spacing. Wrap the Warp thread around the card and tape the ends off. Thread a large plastic / craft needle with a length of wool and weave (the Weft) in and out of the Warp threads to create the blanket. Snip the ends of the Warp treads across the back of the card and tie this off in pairs across the top and bottom of the weaving. 

With the paper option, you can layer thinner strips, decorative strips or even thick wool across the weaving too.

For the full paper weaving lesson which also includes a video tutorial, you can go to my TPT store - One Teacher's Journey - HERE or 

visit my website - Help Me Learn - HERE

So bring your classroom communities together and use the arts as a way to acknowledge the past, celebrate the present and look forward to the future.

Keep warm everyone! and enjoy your winter break if you are teaching in the Southern hemisphere.

Year Long Visual Art Lesson Tutorials First Grade

Hi there!

Are you new to teaching visual art? Does the thought of paint splatter and clay dust send you screaming to the staff room for a strong cup of coffee? I get it. 

Teaching art in elementary is a multi-layered & complex activity. Thankfully many teachers give the arts a space in their planning and weekly programmes, even when they don't feel qualified or skilled to do so. They still realise the importance of students having opportunity for expression and creation. 

After many years teaching in the classroom, I increasingly saw the arts being squeezed out of our loaded curriculums. Even the government withdrew financial backing in this area for many years.

The arts brings colour to your daily grind. It grows the imagination and builds language skills, which directly translates to our writing curriculums. Making art requires critical thinking and problem solving which supports mathematical thinking and concepts.  

So set up an art media exploration centre in your classroom, run a guided art lesson with your class, and bring a little colour back into your teaching days in the form of student artworks decorating your walls instead of adult created classroom decor themes.

Finding just the right lesson for your students is not easy, guessing whether its age appropriate for your young learners, finding the time to try it out yourself ahead of time - who has time for that?

Now that I have moved out of the classroom and into a specialist role in the arts, I am able to trial my art lesson ideas across the entire K-6 range of levels. You can trust that these lessons will meet the needs of your students and give you step-by-step support to teach an art lesson with success.

This is my First Grade Art Lessons Bundle that you can view on TPT. While a classroom teacher does not need the entire 25 lesson collection, its a great place to start and view the lessons for this age group. Browse the collection and choose the ones that are just right for you. Click on each link in the product description to be taken to your preferred lesson.

However, for art room teachers, whether experienced but looking for valuable support with fresh ideas, or new to the role and feeling overwhelmed about where to start - this bundle may be just what you need.  There is enough content in here to keep you going for up to 3 years in First Grade. Alternately, scale some lessons up for 2nd and others down for Kindergarten. This way you can get even more out of this bundle for 3 grade levels.

So what do teachers, who have already used lessons included in this bundle, say about them? Here are just a few ...

SUNSET SUNRISE (paint & collage)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'This was so well done in helping explain the process of creating the sunrise/sunset. I really liked the way science and art are combined.'

KANDINSKY'S GARDEN (paint, cut & assemble)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Amazing value, this resource is super engaging and my learners absolutely loved the activities. Made teaching art really simple for me too, thank you!”

SPRING FLOWERS (paint, cut & assemble)

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ "did this with my first grade class. Took us about 4 art classes to complete. turned out so absolutely beautiful that they were displayed in our school foyer"

SNAILS IN MY GARDEN (draw & paint)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "We used this for a line project and the students really enjoyed doing this. It was a unique project for students and we were able to tie in a book with it as well. Thanks for the great lesson."

COLLAGE SELF-PORTRAITS - based on Goldilocks (collage)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "We used this as a unique twist on self portraits. My students thought this was really fun and different than just drawing ourselves. What a great lesson!"

Find this First Grade Art Lessons BUNDLE in my TPT store - One Teacher's Journey - HERE or click any of the images above. 

I would love to know what you think and whether you would like to see more bundles at other levels, too.

 

 

Set Up An Art Table In Your Classroom

Hi there!

Ever thought about setting up an art table in you classroom? But not knowing where to start or how to stock and manage an art center?

And then wonder - isn't that just for art teachers? 

The short answer is NO. 

We can no longer omit art explorations stations from our classrooms and ignore the value that they bring to your students. 

For starters, independent explorations at an art table can make a powerful contribution to our students' mental health.  Free expression (using art materials at an art center) is really good for overall health and well-being. Giving young children a creative outlet can help relieve stress and work through the things happening in their lives. Making art can help children deal with a wide range of issues and psychological stress, like anxiety.

In addition, creating at an art table helps students develop a number of important learning skills. By encouraging artistic expression, you can help facilitate sustained focus and engagement. Testing out ideas, problem solving through multiple iterations, making modifications and persevering through challenges are just a few skills that students develop at the art table in your classroom.

And finally, don't forget that art is also beneficial for both fine and gross motor improvements. With the need to use your grip and pinching actions, cutting with scissors, applying a range of pressures as needed and working with greater accuracy all contribute to building those motor skills.

But don’t just take my word for it.  View further information on this topic from researchers at Michigan State University HERE

Click here to follow One Teacher’s Journey on TPT

Convinced that setting up an art table immediately, will have a tremendously positive impact for your students?

So where to start? Don't worry - I have your covered!

I have written a series of 4 Art Table guides so far, for a range of art media, that you can use to set up an art making station in your classroom. New sets are added regularly.  They are fantastic for low stakes explorations and can be used to:

1. Build independent prior knowledge before starting a whole class project.
2. Guide new learning for students who have not experienced the medium before
3. Consolidate knowledge for students who have used the medium in the past.

So which one are you going to set up first, before your next whole class guided art project?

Collage … Papier Mâché … Clay …  Wax Resist?

And if you have a specific medium that you require a resource for, please drop a note below in the comments. I will be glad to make it for you and I know it will benefit other teachers too :)

These art station guides each cover a specific art medium and include square shaped slides for:

1. The guide cover
2. What is (medium)
3. Famous (medium) artists
4. Materials
5. Making a (medium) artwork
6. Can you make a (medium) project instruction card
7. (medium) clean-up
8. Teacher Information x2
9. Teacher instructions
10. Blanks slides for you to add your own instructions x2

And a bonus slide with links to recommended, whole class, art projects for (medium).

You can either print out the pages and slip into a clear file for students to refer to, or print 2/pg, laminate, punch and slip onto a jump ring.

Take a closer look at these Art Table guides for 2nd Grade - 5th Grade, by clicking on any of the images above.

I wish you all the best with setting up these great experiences for your students too! If you like the sound of all 4 sets so far (and why wouldn't you - they are all great),  take advantage of purchasing the bundle and save $$$. 

Why trust One Teacher’s Journey resources?

Because I too am a full time teacher, just like you, with years of experience and current Visual Art Specialist responsibilities. In other words, I do this everyday - just like you.

You can contact me through my store Q & A or email me through my website if you are looking for anything specific. 

That way I can get in touch to better support you. info@help-me-learn.com

Click here to follow One Teacher’s Journey on TPT

Remember to share this post with a friend who might need this.

 🖍 🖍 🖍 🖍 🖍 🖍 🖍

I would love to have you join me and experience my resources first hand because my hope is that you will happily become an advocate for this product lines.

Kindergarten - Second Grade Art Elements Lesson Planning

Hi there!

As the old school year draws to a close for our Northern Hemisphere teacher friends, we reflect on things that went well and things we want to improve on in the new year.

Primary Colors / Colours

With all the stress of planning and prepping for your new students, as classroom teachers we often don’t have the time to also plan comprehensive Visual Art lessons. We resort to the same old tried and true - or sadly even to craft activities that lack Visual Art integrity and rigour. 

Secondary Colors / Colours

And now, people who don’t know any better, will tell you that AI can write relevant and connected lesson plans for you ?! As a user of AI myself - I strongly disagree with this opinion!

Click here to follow One Teacher’s Journey on TPT

Warm & Cool Colors / Colours

This past year I reflected on ways to comprehensively incorporate more art theory and history into my teaching of Kindergarten, First Grade and Second Grade. As a result, I developed an incredible series of lessons, based around the elements of art.

Each lesson includes authentic links to the Element, Art Theory, Art History, Famous artists & their artworks ... and ... also guides you and your students through making a quick but relevant art response. 

Element of Line Pets

I am currently up to 6 lessons for this age group, all intentionally sequenced to build subject specific knowledge and skills.

But even more importantly, my little learners LOVED these lessons this past year and were so proud of what they had created. 

No AI in site, only real students creating real art & developing real intelligence (RI).

I am so excited to share them with you all. They have been flying off the TPT virtual shelf since I added them into my store. Wow! Who knew these were so needed.

Cherry Blossom Textures

Using these lessons will help you make a positive start with planning for your Early Elementary learners, for the new year, too.

If you like the sound of all 6 lessons (and why wouldn't you - they are all great), purchase the bundle and save $$$. 

The bundle also includes a bonus - extension activities for these lessons. 

So take advantage of this offer and see how my step-by-step tutorials will support your lessons, while also  improving your own Visual Art teaching knowledge and skills.

3D Space Cube Rooms

The Bundle includes all 6 lessons illustrated in this post:

1. Primary Color / Colour

2. Secondary Color / Colour

3. Warm & Cool Color / Colour

4. Line Pets

5. Cherry Blossom Texture

6. 3D Space room cubes

Elements of Art Mega Bundle

Take a closer look at these Art Elements lessons for Kindergarten - 2nd Grade, by clicking on any of the images above.

Why trust One Teacher’s Journey resources?

Because I too am a full time teacher, just like you, with years of experience and current Visual Art Specialist responsibilities. In other words, I do this everyday - just like you.

You can contact me through my store Q & A or email me through my website if you are looking for anything specific. 

That way I can get in touch to better support you. info@help-me-learn.com

Click here to follow One Teacher’s Journey on TPT

Remember to share this post with a friend who might need this.

 🖍 🖍 🖍 🖍 🖍 🖍 🖍

I would love to have you join me and experience my resources first hand because my hope is that you will happily become an advocate for this product lines.