3rd Grade Pixel Self-Portraits

The 3rd graders recently completed their pixel self-portraits as well!

For this unit students completed portrait and body drawing lessons prior to practicing pixel symbols, all of which led to their final pixel self-portraits. Throughout the progression of this unit students completed scaffolded lessons to build their drawing skills, analyzed pixel and mine craft imagery to compare and contrast different artistic styles, and developed a personal idea behind the setting in their pixel self-portrait.

All-in-all, through this unit students were introduced to the idea of style in self-portraiture as well as envisioning (one of the 8 Studio Habits of Mind) themselves in a video game world of their choosing.

After the students completed their self-portraits they completed a reflection sheet to explain their background and why they chose it.

See below for some of the completed works:

Idea inspired by a lesson found on: Thomas Elementary Art

2nd Grade Pixel Self-Portraits

The 2nd graders recently completed their pixel self-portraits!

For this unit students completed portrait and body drawing lessons prior to practicing pixel symbols, all of which led to their final pixel self-portraits. Throughout the progression of this unit students completed scaffolded lessons to build their drawing skills, analyzed pixel and mine craft imagery to compare and contrast different artistic styles, and developed a personal idea behind the setting in their pixel self-portrait.

All-in-all, through this unit students were introduced to the idea of style in self-portraiture as well as envisioning (one of the 8 Studio Habits of Mind) themselves in a video game world of their choosing.

After the students completed their self-portraits they completed a reflection sheet to explain their background and why they chose it.

See below for some of the completed works:

Idea inspired by a lesson found on: Thomas Elementary Art

Kindergarten Burr Re-Design

Most children go to school… but what would school be like if students created it? After reading A World of Your Own by Laura Carlin students redesigned their rooms, then, they redesigned Burr... from the look of the building outside to the inside of four different classrooms. As students created a "school of their own" they discussed vocabulary words such as Design and Invention whilst creating a school with meaningful classes such as swimming, tasting food, and of course, Lego class.

Although this unit did take longer than most of the units I have done with Kindergarten and 1st grade it was well worth their time, the students really did enjoy feeling like they could create their own school and they completed this unit meeting any challenges by working together.

Below are some of the completed works by Kindergarten!

2nd/3rd Grade Pattern Animals

The 2nd/3rd split class recently completed a unit on pattern animals inspired by the art of Wangechi Mutu and Storm Tharp. For this unit, students began by first comparing and contrasting the work of the two artists then creating a "dark" pattern, "light" pattern, cool pattern, warm pattern, and a random pattern. Once the patterns were completed the students then collaged at least 3 of the patterns together to create an animal that the students had chosen and sketched prior.

Throughout the progression of this unit students enjoyed working on Patterns, which was a primary vocabulary word, and experimenting with multiple different mediums to create their patterns.

Below are a few examples of the students' work.

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1st Grade Burr Re-Design

Most children go to school… but what would school be like if students created it? After reading A World of Your Own by Laura Carlin students redesigned their rooms, then, they redesigned Burr... from the look of the building outside to the inside of five different classrooms. As students created a "school of their own" they discussed vocabulary words such as Design and Invention whilst creating a school with meaningful classes such as swimming, tasting food, and of course, Lego class.

Although this unit did take longer than most of the units I have done with Kindergarten and 1st grade it was well worth their time, the students really did enjoy feeling like they could create their own school and they completed this unit meeting any challenges by working together.

Below are some of the completed works by 1st grade!

7th Grade Art to Remember Luchador Mask Drawings

Earlier in the school year students transferred their luchador mask sketches to paper for Art to Remember. Practice makes better, right?

6th Grade Op Art Spheres

As part of the introduction to our new op art unit students began studying the art of Victor Vasarely and created an optical sphere to demonstrate an understanding of how color and shape can create optical illusions.

Let the optical illusions begin!