Week of August 20-23, 2013

Welcome back to another exciting school year!  I am thrilled this year to have 8 classes of 4th-6th grade students to get to spend my days with.

We have had two class periods together in each class this week.  During our first class students were able to participate in a classroom scavenger hunt to help them find where everything is in our new classroom.  We then went through primary classroom rules and expectations.

During our second class together I introduced the idea of art through a fun children's book.  We then talked about the "Artistic Process" in a similar style of the scientific process.  We began talking about the way we move from the original thought and idea of an art project through creating a plan, gathering materials, creating the work, critiquing our results, and finalizing a project and displaying it for others to see.

We will follow this same procedure next week as we begin our first art project.  Students will individually design and create a puzzle piece that will be combined with all of the pieces created by all of the 8 classes to create a collaborative art piece that will be displayed throughout the school year.  I am excited to see what they come up with and the final results.

This week each student also brought home a disclosure document that details our class rules and expectations as well as a list of supplies that we can use in the classroom.  I am thankful for the supplies that have already been brought in!  If each student brings in just one item from the list it will help benefit all of our 8 classes.

I look forward to a great year exploring art ideas and concepts as well as creating with your children.  I believe that inside each of them are great ideas and creativity waiting to be expressed.  If you ever have questions about projects we are working on or what we are doing in the art room please feel free to email me at jenniferharding@alpinedistrict.org or call me at the school 801-756-8531 room 158,

November 20th

Today is our only day in Art this week with the long Thanksgiving break beginning tomorrow.  I am excited for a few of my classes to have an extra day to work on their projects.

During the past few weeks I have been encouraging my classes to use their time more wisely by working instead of talking.  We have had a contest going between the classes.  There were two classes that tied for the best workers (I used an app that helped to monitor our volume level as part of the contest), these were Mrs. Wiser's and Mrs. Engles' classes.  For working so hard to keep on task and work together, they were provided an extra art experience on the last day of school.  These classes were allowed to do a painted cookie project.  Using food coloring (similar to watercolors) they used brand new brushes and painted a design onto a sugar cookie.  Many of the students did projects using rotational symmetry while a few others simply painted a variety of designs or attempted to paint a portrait.  It was quite a fun project for those that got to participate.

Week of November 6th thru 9th

This week we continued to work on finishing the Halloween silhouette paintings.  Most of the students are making great progress.

For those classes that have struggled with following instructions we have spent some time working on art concepts instead of time spent on projects.  In 4th grade classes this meant that we focused a class period on exploring what art means to them, and what they have learned and how to use art as an expression.

Throughout the year we will take time to re-direct our focus to art as an expression and learn about specific techniques and art terms as well as completing projects in those styles.

At the end of this week we began a new art project.  Using another watercolor technique we created a textured painting that will then be used to create a complete project next week.

Second Week

We have just about survived our second week of school.  The students are doing good and starting to remember the school rules when going to and from art class; we still need a little practice but I think they'll have it all figured out soon.

This week each student worked on creating their portfolio that will be used to store each of the paper art projects they create during the year.  The first side of the portfolio includes a minimum of 5 individual drawings that tell me a little more about them - their favorite things, what they like to do for fun, etc.

The seconod side of the portfolio is a Op Art project they did using their first names.  They each wrote their names in the middle of the portfolio page and then used a minimum of 3 different crayon colors to complete the project.

Many of the students only need a few more minutes to work or are finishing up on these projects.  Next week they should be finished.  We will do a quick review of some of the art elements, principles, and art supplies. 

Because our 4th and 5th grade classes have upcoming field trips the 6th grade classes will be doing a 6th grade only project throughout September as well.

It is a lot of fun getting to spend time with your children and seeing their creativity come to life!