Community Maps: 3rd Grade

Maps of Our Community

Inspired by Aminah Robinson

Students began this project by discussing our community and the places that make it important to us.   Each student chose one location and created a series of prints using styrofoam.  Next, students observed, described, and interpreted artwork by Aminah Robinson.  Aminah Robinson created many mixed media artworks about the people and places that comprised her community of Columbus.  Classmates then traded prints, experimented with sewing, and added embellishments to complete their own meaningful maps.

Sewing!

Students inventing their own stitches.

Inventive tree!

Adam excited to share his problem solving in class.  He persisted through difficulty to create a water tower out of pom poms and a toothpick. 

The blue is a river leading to a sewer.  The slit on the edge is the sewer line.

Heroes!

5^th Grade Heroes

Students began this unit by participating in a “marker talk” about some big questions.  What issues affect our school, city or world? Can kids change the world? Can art change the world? How can you make a difference? A marker talk is a silent conversation in which students moved around the room responding to the prompts and making connections to each other’s remarks.  Students used this thinking activity as a jumpstart to their own hero brainstorming. 

After brainstorming an idea, students experimented with different materials and techniques to create an advertisement or movie poster for their hero.  Once completed, students had the choice of creating a hero extension project. 

What issues do these heroes communicate?  How can we learn from these heroes?

Experimenting with blending to show movement.

Detailed planning and utilizing resources!

Teamwork!

Completed 2D artworks:






Hero Extensions:





After completing their projects, students spent time looking at the work of others, and reflecting on how they could make a difference.  I hope you are as inspired by their care and thoughtfulness as I am!

Buildings from the Future: 1st grade

In art class, we THINK, PLAY, and CARE.   1st graders definitely did all 3 of these in different ways, in their artworks about the future!

We have been dealing a lot with time in 1st grade...

Past: Cave art
Present: Our homes
Future: Buildings! (and robots, and flying cars, and...)

Students began by looking closely at this artwork by Paul Klee.  What do you SEE?  What do you THINK?  What do you WONDER?



Students then used blocks to design something from the future!

Building holding last piece of gold on the Earth. Thus equipped with many security cameras (the tan diamonds).

Water, lava, grass and sand sections.  Most homes located in the middle. 

Drawing designs 

The robot, made partially of chicken nuggets,  holds the whole building, which is made of blueberries.

Students completed the backgrounds of these artworks by experimenting with unconventional painting tools including forks and squeegees!  

Thanks to @wh_artroom for the inspiration!

Trophies

2^nd graders began this unit by observing and discussing trophies from many cultures and time periods. 

https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/u/0/favorite/group/5QJSm4I62RhgJQ

What do trophies have in common?

Why do people give and receive trophies?

Who in your life deserves a trophy? Why?

Students sketched ideas for their trophy before building an armature, the bones of their sculpture, out of newspaper and recycled materials.  

They were then ready to paper-maché!  You can make a non-toxic and easy paper-maché at home by mixing together flour, water, and a little salt.  

Finally, students painted their sculptures with acrylic paint, and added details to represent their chosen person. 


Completed Trophies