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.
I have been creating step-by-step PDF guides for many years now and recently moved into Video, to support my on-line learners. But I have found them so valuable in the classroom, since we returned to in-person teaching. The feedback from my students has been overwhelmingly positive. And now I am sharing these lessons with all of you, too.
Benefits of using a video lesson:
The lesson has already been tested
All steps are viewable from start to finish
Techniques are demonstrated and explained
Rewind and rewatch as many times as needed
Narrated explanation adds depth to understanding art theories
Its like having an art specialist in your classroom or home
Encourages independence in learners and self management
Allows for students to work at their individual pace
Stored on and streamed from your TPT account so always easy to find
NO ADS!
Not cluttering up your hard drive
Added benefit of PL in Visual Art teaching for the purchasing classroom teacher
Includes a bonus PDF lesson companion with support information
Lockdown Remote Teaching: Limited permission is granted for the purchasing teacher only, to live stream through screen sharing with their class, strictly limited for remote teaching during a government mandated lockdown
Have I got your attention yet?
Here is a link to my latest Video Lesson guide, which is discounted by 50% for its introduction week. That is such great value.
Rainy Days VIDEO drawing tutorial for weather is a comprehensive art lesson plan to guide your next art project in grades 1-3, using oil pastel and water paints 'resist' technique and learn the order of the the rainbow or colour wheel. Includes a PDF teaching support document and the instructional video that demonstrates every step of 2 x options, supporting students with art techniques like:
drawing with circle stencils
curving lines to add FORM
oil pastel and water paints resist
colour harmonies for effect
Created with students aged 5-6, this lesson plan is aimed at grade 1 and grade 2 students, and can be extended to grade 3.
If you are not yet following along with my One Teacher's Journey Store on TPT, click HERE, then go and check out all my other video lesson guides for Grades K-8, by navigating the category side-bar.
Remember to keep an eye out for each new product and snag them at discounted prices during their first week, as a loyal follower perk, or create a wishlist and pop back for the next site wide TPT sale where you can receive a 25% discount store wide.
As always if you are looking for something specific, you can reach out by commenting below.
And if TPT is not your jam, pop over to my website HELP ME LEARN and become a member to receive full access to my entire FREE resources catalogue, or browse the shop at your leisure.
One media that I find myself repeatedly explaining are the coloured markers.
I made a short video for my students to watch prior to prototyping with it (trying it out).
You can watch it below:
It made a big improvement to the quality of work produced using this media, from what students were doing prior to watching the video.
Here are some samples of work by students from across the levels that chose to use it for their Wall / Wow Work.
Year 1 Feathers for the giant wing mural (collaboration)
Year 5 Shark - Sharing the Planet (conservation)
Y6 My favourite destination - How the World Works (systems)
Y6 My favourite destination - How the World Works (systems)
Year 2 Feather for the giant wing mural (collaboration)
Year 2 Feather for the giant wing mural (collaboration)
Y6 Prototype in sketchbook
When you find yourself repeatedly reviewing particular skills with a certain media, consider making a short demo video that you can play again and again to new groups of students or for students to use independently for revising skills. Focus on the basics and maybe include 1-2 tricks but keep it short so that students don't get bored and lose interest.
Have you made any demo videos yet?
Would love to hear how you get on.
Thank you for stopping by,
With love, Te Aroha Timea
http://www.help-me-learn.com/
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/One-Teachers-Journey
https://twitter.com/TimeaWillemse
http://www.youtube.com/user/HelpMeLearnMaths
http://pinterest.com/tkwillemse/boards/
https://www.instagram.com/timea_oneteachersjourney/
How does the learning environment enhance Creativity?
The theory and practice of Teaching for Artistic Behaviour (TAB) is based on the following 3 beliefs:
What do artists do?
The child is the artist.
The classroom is the child's studio.
When you look around your classroom, what do you see?
Put yourself in the shoes of your students and examine the walls - how do they make you feel? are they helpful, inspirational, over-stimulating?
Examine the workspaces/centres - are these inviting, exciting, confusing? Would you know what to do, how to start or clean up? Can you find what you need? Is the lay out clear or confusing?
Furthermore, put yourself in the shoes of someone who is shy or timid, exuberant, easily overstimulated, reliant or independent. Now how does your room support their learning styles?
And how can our classroom - the child's studio - enhance Creative Thinking
Davies et al. (2013) identified the following 9 environmental factors as supporting the development of creative skills in students:
flexible use of space and time (1/9)
availability of appropriate materials (2/9)
working outside the classroom/school (3/9)
playful or games-based approaches with a degree of learner autonomy (4/9)
respectful relationships between teachers and learners (5/9)
opportunities for peer collaboration (6/9)
partnerships with outside agencies (7/9)
awareness of learners’ needs (8/9)
and non-prescriptive planning (9/9)
FLEXIBLE USE OF SPACE AND TIME (1/9)
Having flexible use of space within the classroom or studio can promote students’ creativity and imagination to support the growth of ideas (Bancroft, Fawcett, & Hay, 2008; Jeffrey, 2006, cited in Davies et al., 2013).
For example, not using specifically themed role-play areas and props in early-year settings gave more freedom for the students’ imagination (Bancroft et al., 2008).
Flexible seating options or learning spaces in classrooms has gained a lot of attention from teachers in recent times.
The internet (instagram, Pinterest) is filled with surreal images of beautiful furnishings and compliant students in clean open spaces that are more beautifully decorated than most people's homes. However the reality is a little different.
While the tide is shifting away from rows of desks and students working individually, to embody a more relaxed, homely atmosphere where students collaborate and drive their own inquiries, most classrooms are tired looking with scuffed furnishings and
hand-me-down accessories. Teachers around the world spend their personal
income to decorate and supply their classrooms, creating alternative
seating by purchasing gym balls and upholstering crates in colourful
fabrics or painting wall murals and decorating notice boards. Lack of
available finance drives teachers to think creatively and problem solve
around such obstacles, driven by the passion to provide the the best
possible environments for their students.
Based on research, I paired or grouped the long art benches in my classroom. I also requested for 3 to have had the legs cut down and this created a large communal work area that caters for students as young as Kindy.
Students select their seats but know that they will be asked to reselect if their own choice was not working for them on that day.
The only determiner to seating is that the room is divided into wet media / dry media zones based on the proximity to sinks. Supplies are stored in a central location, students collect and take these to their chosen work area in the zone. This way the use of tables can change based on the year level, club group or media in play.
Work tables with Y1 Art Club - Liquid Tempera Paint
Work tables with Y0 Class - Painting ceramic fish with liquid water colours (NZ dye)
Work tables with Y3/4 enrichment collaborative - wax and water colour (dye) resist
Work tables with Y6 PYP Exhibition Elective group - pour and flow abstract work with diluted acrylics
Work tables with Y5 drawing media
This set of 2 work tables is permanently set up as a ceramic centre due to the dust and media specific requirements
The mat area also converts to a construction zone for cardboard sculpture and papier mache armature making. I moved a large bookcase containing construction material to border the mat on one side. The fibre centre storage is also in this area. Along side of the mat is a green screen wall that can cater for digital options.
Mat area with students creating PM armatures
The green screen wall displaying some of the students photographs - alongside the mat zone
I also made an inspiration wall for each zone with images of past student work at multiple levels, doubling as a galley.
Digital Zone
Drawing Zone
Building Zone
Painting Zone
Using TIME flexibly can also play a role in the creativity of young students who need time for immersion in a creative activity (Burnard, Craft, & Cremin, 2006).
Everyone has a personal learning rate that is affected by interest, ability to sustain focus, emotional well-being, skill level, learning faculties, etc. Time limits can add to stress and impact the quality and purpose of the learning. Teachers have known this for some time as is evident in the multiple 'Early Finisher' option lists flicking around on social media. This is merely a panacea and not a good enough solution.
Consider your students when planning your programme, being cognisant of the fact that students require variable time frames. Extend the core learning intention (understanding that this is all that some will manage) into tendrils of personal inquiry that faster students can select to follow, independently or in collaborative groups. Leave this open ended and self directed for exploration.
One time factor consideration I recently used in my classroom was to...
Vary the paper size:
Y6 (aged 10-11) art students participated in a real community commission this past term. Our client (the developer of a local rail transport hub in Auckland) required artwork about dream destinations that they could print onto square tiles to decorate a wall.
Knowing that students took different amounts of time to initially plan and then to create their work (due to confidence level, idea generation, media chosen etc), I gave them the choice between 2 paper sizes. For students with intricate and detailed work, time consuming media or techniques and those that started much later, I recommended the smaller paper size but still left the final decision to them. Even so, due to events out of our hands (school wide events like sport that cancelled lessons or student illness), a few students still did not complete but many more did with this one small modification. And completed to a high standard. Every piece is original, designed by the student and media is self selected. Because the work is to be scanned, size is irrelevant to the client but made a huge difference to the students. And I think you'll agree that quality was maintained.
small paper - water colour pencils
small paper - water colour paint and india ink
small paper - coloured pencils
LARGE paper - acrylic paint
LARGE paper - acrylic paint
LARGE paper - water colour pencils
Two tendril extensions I used with this same level was...
Providing a 'hook' centre to follow-on from the core learning intention.
Due to the work above requiring to be 2D, students didn't have the option to create in 3D. As students started to approach completion, I set up a clay centre and strategically displayed work in progress from other year groups, the uptake by students to create with this media was overwhelming.
All I required was for them to watch this short video by The Clay Teacher (see below) as an entry ticket into the centre so that I didn't get tied into supporting exclusively in this area beyond checking in and conferencing on designs as I would anyway.
I shared the link to this little YouTube video with them as a reminder about clay basics (they have used clay the year before) and said they could make anything they wanted with 2 technical criteria - must have a base so that it doesn't topple and follow the joining rules for clay.
I do expand on the joining rules with the Acronym - SWWS (scratch, wet, wiggle, scrape/smooth) to minimise bits falling off as this can be very disheartening for little people.
I also made my own clay flipped video for my younger students based on the coffee cups idea by art teacher, Cassie Stephens.
Some students chose to do further research independently while others created from their imagination.
Here are a few of the pieces that they chose to made.
Other students chose to return to the Prototyping step in the Design Thinking Process that we use and explored other media that they had not used on their work but had seen results achieved by others.
These included, wet and dry media as well as digital media.
Students choosing Osmo for drawing (improves observational skills for accuracy in drawing)
Students as teachers working with a drawing app.
I hope that these ideas and reflections help you to consider the impact of that your learning spaces and time factors have on Creative Thinking, as you plan future learning intentions.
Please continue to my next post on Learning Environments and read about:
How to disable related videos when embedding YouTube videos into your blog.
Hi friends,
Today I started work on my class blog, a place to curate learning objects that I find or make and consider useful tools or exemplars for the students' learning in my programme. This is in response to research I am currently working on for a literature review in my course with Mind Lab.
I started loading some videos from YouTube and noticed that after I played them on the front end of the blog (on visitor mode) the video would end on a selection of unrelated videos from YouTube, even if I am embedding them through the HTML mode. These videos are not always appropriate and not something you want to see on a website that you are creating for your school community, as you have no control over what is advertised next.
So after a quick search, I came across this tutorial that quickly helped me to solve that problem. It may help you too :)
Its 2 years old so the YouTube navigation has changed slightly but the steps are still the same.
With the wind howling outside and the rain teeming from the grey skies, it only seems fitting that I finally complete my Winter Woolies art unit.
This is a unit I enjoyed with my Y2 classes last year when we explored the element of LINE and then reengineered it this year to include some paint mixing and COLOUR theory as well.
These works have received so many compliments from all who have seen them so I wanted to share both versions with you.
The ideas can easily be upscaled to use with older primary students too.
I included some great snow photographs taken by my sister-in-law in the UK that really motivated the students when looking at the colours of the seasons. This helped students understand why we were working with certain colours.
Winter Woolies fits into my Seasons Series and you can grab yourself a copy of this unit and any others you may fancy by clicking my RESOURCES button at the top of this page, next to the HOME button.
Wishing a happy summer to my Northern Hemisphere friends.
