No Glue for You! - Glue Trick

Teaching opening and closing glue to kindergarten students... because sometimes you just get tired of saying "Twist it shut!" over and over (and, they probably get tired of hearing it). We scrunch up our necks, bringing our heads to our shoulders for SHUT glue or closed. Then, lift our heads waaaaay up for open (glue cap twisting up). The "No Glue for You!" part is mostly for me, and the parents when they hear it. ;) 

We also hold our glue up in the air when it is closed at the end of class. Then, we tap glues with our neighbor and say "Cheers" and put them into our table buckets. Because it's fun.

4th Grade Color Wheel/Line Designs - Diversity Event

Our district is hosting a Celebrate Diversity event in January 2015, and has asked for artwork to be displayed from the elementaries. My grade 4 students usually open the school year with a line design/pattern project and some sort of color wheel review. This year, I tried to kill three birds with one stone, so to speak. After reviewing patterns and line designs, we painted with watercolors (reviewing the color wheel and color mixing). Then, we talked about images that symbolized peace, diversity, unity and added those to the centers of our "wheels." 

Idea tweaked from a Pinterest post - HERE

Plain Organized: Warm and Cool Colors

This year, I am really trying to drive home the concept of warm and cool colors with my grade 2 students (and remind the older ones). I made these posters after seeing a cute Pinterest post, and their size works well for many things. I got a hold of a pile of different color rubber laminate(?) pieces and glued magnets on their backs to make a sorting game. And, I use them to label supplies when I can!

Posters used in bins at one school - set out for kids to use

Posters with Johnsonite samples (magnets glued to the samples)

Scrap paper bins - Warm and Cool

Laminated paint swatches with magnets glued to the backs

 

Dot Day 2014: coLAR Mix App

This is worth checking out if you have access to iPads or tablets for your art classes.  I borrowed one iPad per table from our third grade class set at Avondale and loaded the coLAR Mix app on each. There are a bunch of different papers the app has available - we used the one specifically for Dot Day.  I did a quick demonstration of how to use the app -- first, design and color your dot (stay inside the circle), then open the app and open the picture taking part of it.  If you keep the colored paper in view, the paper appears blue, announces it's processing, and then you are in business.  You can change the view to multiples or a few versions of 3D. The kids figured out extra tricks too (getting down quite low, holding the iPad at a certain angle to get more "planets," how to get their hand AS part of the dot, etc.).

Dot Day 2014: Staff Dots

2014 Avondale ES

For 2013 and 2014 International Dot Day, I invited the staff at both of my schools to participate in Dot Day.  I sent an email out about 2 weeks in advance and explained what Dot Day was, summarized the book, and included links to the book's video online. I let them know the due date and where to put their dots (basically, in my box or on my desk).  The big thing is to emphasize that the whole thing is optional!  Some people ignore it, but quite a few embrace it and have fun!

2014 Middlebranch ES (before a whole bunch of late ones arrived)

2013 Middlebranch

2013 Middlebranch ES

2013 Middlebranch - Staff Dots

I wish I had photos of all the staff members who wore dots this year. At both buildings, the administrative assistants and principals wore dots, too! 

Meghan & Andrea -- Our "front line" at Middlebranch!

Me - This year for Dot Day (added the head scarf this year)

Plain Organized: Paint Swatch Class Labels

With almost 800 students, the only way I can keep on top of things is to really, really, get organized (whether I like it or not).  Being a visual person (OBVIOUSLY), I color-code grade levels starting with Kindergarten being Red and so on...

To keep the projects straight, I collected paint swatch samples from various paint stores, labeled with class codes, and laminated. I keep them in a small basket with a whole schmear of binder clips - right next to my organizer/sorter.  At one school, I have a swell hand-me-down office mail sorter thing, at the other school, I use a giant Rubbermaid bin.  It's pink, 'cause I live with all boys.  

When a class paints, the paint card gets clipped onto the drying rack with their work - so that it's right there for me when I stack them back up to put away.