See you soon . . .

My family and I are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new baby girl later this month. Until we are settled, I have decided to take "maternity leave" from my volunteer activities. I have had an amazing time working with all of your wonderfully creative and inspiring children. Have a fantastic spring!

Second Grade Michaelangelos

This lesson incorporated key tools of art education. First, the children and I discussed the varied uses of art. We talked about how art is used as decoration, as a tool of communication, and a personal release. Following the discussion, we began an artist study on Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni. I brought several books on Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel to class and we talked about his life and work as well as the circumstances under which Michelangelo came to paint the chapel.

The goal was to understand that Michelangelo worked for years to complete his famous frescoes on a very nontraditional canvas (a very high ceiling and wall). The children were amazed to learn that Michelangelo labored for four years (1508-1512) to complete the Sistine Chapel despite not wanting to take on the task. In learning about Michelangelo and his work, the focus was on color, use of space, story telling or communicating a scene, and technique. This lesson on frescoes came as a shock when students found their “canvas” on the underside of a table. They lay on their backs as Michelangelo once did, to paint a Biblical fresco.

Squiggles

As a third grader at Bickerdyke Elementary School, I had the best teacher. His name was Art Purdy. He taught art. I can only remember two art projects from elementary school and in a family of artists, I grew up to be a Political Scientist. This is one of the two that stuck with me. Mr. Purdy made a "squiggle" on a piece of paper and we had to make something grand incorporating that squiggle.

For my last third grade lesson as Corpus Christi's Volunteer Art Teacher before I welcome my new bundle (Two more weeks!), I recreated Mr. Purdy's "squiggle lesson." Below you will find some examples of the "squiggles," followed by student artists reinventing them. (Click on any photo to view it larger)

Topographers

For this lesson, the third graders learned a bit about the art of Topography. While perhaps not to scale, or geographically correct, they put together a wonderful "map of Lawrence" marked by Third Graders' points-of-view.

Some of the more important landmarks included Target, Intrust Bank, The Natural History Museum (above), and Memorial Stadium (Below). Swing by the art room to see the map.

Corinthians and Mosaics

In honor of Catholic Schools week this project reminds us of God's greatest gift: LOVE.

Students learned what a mosaic is and thought about examples of when they had seen mosaics (i.e. in church stain glass windows, garden art, tiles in the kitchen, bird baths, etc). Next, students wrote a verse from Corinthians on a piece of black paper with a metallic colored pencil. After writing, each mosaic designer chose 3-5 colors of paper from which to make their cross mosaic. After tearing nickel size pieces, the artist glued the paper in a shape of a cross on top of the verse. The result is a frameable piece of one-of-a-kind art.

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Happy Catholic Schools Week!

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Donum Fidei

The second and third grade classes are making a book to include in the Donum Fidei auction in April. The second graders wrote and illustrated a book called 29 Reasons Why God Made Moms and the third graders wrote 29 Reasons Why God Made Dads.

Below are some photos of the authors/illustrators at work.

Ornaments

The Corpus Christi artists had a wonderful time making keepsake Christmas ornaments in December.

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Little Michelangelos

Our little Michelangelos were ready for a challenge after being inspired by the Sistine Chapel and awed under Corpus' vaulted ceiling the week before. This second lesson on frescoes came as a shock when students found their “canvas” on the underside of a table. They lay on their backs as Michelangelo once did, to paint a Biblical fresco. Again, emphasis was placed on color, use of space, and communicating a story through painting.

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