Current lessons

More for myself than anything, I'm going to start documenting my lesson plans and projects. Eventually I'd like to put entire lesson plans on here (or at least a link to them), but for now here's just a brief description:

Drawing/Painting
We're working through "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards. We just started using the viewfinders, and so far my students are liking it. It is encouraging to see them start to "get" it.

Independent
These students are working on full body self portraits. We just finished studing the proportions of a figure, and now we are beginning a study of the face.

Introduction to 3D
This class is beginning the semester with a basic construction sculpture with the emphasis on the elements of line, shape, and form. They are currently building a 5"x5" composition out of toothpicks and Elmer's glue. The requirements are that it must be round. It has been amazing to see even the most antsy students spend an entire class period (45 min) focused on this. There are some pretty creative ideas growing out of this project.

Ceramics
We have just begun making a clay whistle. We studied the Central Andean Area and how they used handmade whistles for various things, and then researched South American animals. Each student will decorate their whistle to look like a "stylized" version of a particular animal of their choice.

7th Grade
I love this class, mostly because I'm taller than all of them! We just finished their first project, which was a quick pastel rubbing using warm and cool colors. I walked them through their first project reflection and group critique, and I think they got a good idea of my expectations. The first big unit will be African art, in which they will make wax batiks and paper mache masks.

*This semester I have started some new teaching strategies, including daily "sponges" and weekly sketchbook assignments. I'll talk about those later though. I'll try to add some pictures from these lessons, too.