Happy Spring!
Creativity is in full swing as students explore the elements of art! Each grade level has been working on unique projects that enhance their learning and build their artistic skills. Through playful exploration and guided instruction, students are discovering how to apply the elements of art to their own creations.
Kindergarten students have been doing a wonderful job establishing classroom routines and having a blast exploring new materials. When learning about the element of color, we started by creating a mouse color wheel and reading the book Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh. Once students were familiar with the color wheel, they explored warm and cool colors by drawing dragons and painting them with warm colors and their backgrounds with cool colors.
Next, students did some independent color mixing inspired by Wassily Kandinsky, creating colorful mixing circles using oil pastels. Students’ faces truly lit up as they discovered and created their own colors! When learning about the element of value, we introduced new vocabulary terms such as hue, tint, shade, and tone. We then learned about Claude Monet and read Philippe in Monet’s Garden by Mick Inkpen, a story about a frog. To apply what we learned about value, students created their own frogs using a paper plate as a lily pad and a toilet paper roll for the frog. They painted their frogs by creating their own tints and shades of green, and the results were fantastic!
First graders have been exploring the elements of art in exciting new ways. We began with the element of color by creating complementary color turtles. Students first painted a paper plate with a secondary color they created by mixing two primary colors. They then designed their paper plate to become the turtle’s shell using the complementary color in oil pastel and added the head, legs, and arms with the complementary color as well.
We are now exploring the element of value by making value scale ice cream cones! Students chose one color or hue and created tints and shades of that color by mixing paint. Next, they will arrange their ice cream scoops in order of the value scale and glue them to a fun background that they created by mixing different colors and applying paint with a comb, toothbrush, paintbrush, and sponges.
Second-grade students have continued to grow in confidence while discovering their unique voices as artists. They explored the element of color, refreshing their understanding of secondary and tertiary colors through a variety of creative projects. For example, they completed a watercolor tree project where they learned how to create trees and then arranged the leaves in the order of the rainbow, watching primary colors mix to create secondary colors. They also painted penguins with beautiful, colorful backgrounds, experimenting with color mixing using tempera paint. Each penguin turned out unique and full of personality!
Recently, we began studying the element of value, including tints and shades, and how the lightness and darkness of color can add depth to artwork. Students are currently working on a watercolor floral still life to demonstrate value and a light source, and they have done a wonderful job approaching this new challenge with a growth mindset. I can’t wait to see the final results and for students to reflect on their amazing work and feel proud of their accomplishments.
Mindfulness Mondays
All grades have continued to explore creativity and self-reflection through our Mindfulness Mondays activities. We read Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg and played the Beautiful Oops game again, where students learned how to turn small mistakes or unplanned marks into something new and creative. This lesson is especially meaningful because mistakes can feel frustrating for young artists, especially when they cannot erase them. I guide students to think, “What if we turned it into something new and awesome?” I also introduce them to Bob Ross, one of my favorites, and his famous quote: “We don’t make mistakes, only happy accidents!”
During the game, I add an unexpected mark to students’ papers, such as a dab of paint or a Sharpie line. Students then transform that mark into part of their artwork. The results and reactions are amazing! Many students were pleasantly surprised by the joy they felt when they turned a mistake into something creative. Some even said, “I would have never thought to do that if you hadn’t made that mark, and I like it even more!” These activities not only inspire creativity but also help students build resilience, problem-solving skills, and confidence in their artistic abilities.
Special Projects
During Rocket Week, first- and second-grade students created their own toilet paper roll rockets and decorated them with neon and glitter paint, which they were very proud of. Kindergarten students made paper rockets and designed their own galaxy backgrounds, adding a colorful and imaginative touch to their creations.
We are now beginning preparations for the art show and look forward to sharing their incredible work!
