Fourth graders can't wait for the time when they get to make food sculptures. We discuss what it means to be a Pop Artist and look at the work of Claes Oldenburg. They love seeing his huge upside down ice cream cone on the roof (Eistute) and Spoonbridge with Cherry. The students first choose a food that they want to re-create and using past clay building techniques decide how they will build their food. Once the food is made it is fired in the kiln, then painted. The students work on how they want to present their food and have a hand in taking it to the library and setting it on display.
We haven't had much snow in Massachusetts, but that didn't stop first grade from making snowmen. First graders learned new vocabulary such as sphere, cube, cone, and sculpture as we discussed the element of art, form. The students formed their clay pieces and attached them using the score and slip method. Once the snowmen came out of the kiln they were painted and twig arms glued in place. A coat of Mod Podge was applied along with glitter that sparkles like snow in the sun. The students choose a scarf for their snowman to keep him, or her warm. In these photographs the snowmen are displayed with paper bag tree sculptures.
Third grade created Chinese New Year dragon heads to celebrate the New Year. We read about the Chinese culture and watched a bit of a Chinese New Year parade on the SmartBoard. We talked about symmetry and how to create symmetry within their artwork. I play a CD that has traditional and contemporary Chinese music to inspire the students as they are creating. Once the heads are completed we have a parade through the K/1 hallway. The students not only have a great time creating their dragon heads, but gain an appreciation of another culture and how they celebrate their holiday.
