Symmetrical Aliens 2nd Grade

This lesson came from Arts and Activities. My second graders really enjoy creating all kinds of variations on these aliens. I have them fold a sheet of construction paper in half. Then draw half their alien away from the fold. Kids will often draw their alien along the side that opens up. This can cause unhappy results when they cut. Then the kids have to cut through both layers of the paper.

I also created a youtube video students would watch about the planets and I would tell a story about blasting off into space. Here is the video Warm & Cool Aliens. Here is a vide of me giving some of the instructions for the Symmetrical Aliens art lesson.

Self Portraits Frida Kahlo

This is a lesson from my student teaching experience. My cooperative teacher taught it with Kinders. Frida Kahlo is well know for her self portraits. I show this particular self portrait because of all the details she includes. I have students think about what she might be feeling. They make their own self portraits with feelings. If you don’t have multicultural construction paper have your students paint the paper their skin color. I had several skin color choices and it worked out great. Here are the results.

1 Point Perspective Portfolios

I start 1pt Perspective with my 4th grade students. I really try and get them to try and do something different from each other because it’s the design for their portfolio. We look at photos that show how things vanish to a single point.

Hopi Masks Art Lesson

Hopi Kachina masks use great colors and geometric shapes. There is a fascinating story behind their masks. This students make their own symbols and write their own stories about their masks. Here is a close up of the one I made as an example and students work.

Keith Haring People Dancing

This is a Keith Haring lesson I found off of another art teacher’s blog. I can’t remember who. I ended changing the materials that were used. They mix colors by using oil pastels. I hear oohs, and ahhs from this. This lesson ties in mixing primary colors to make secondary colors. Keith Haring was inspired by hip hop music. We listen and dance away to some hip hop violin. The students think about their families and draw them dancing.

I also made a youtube video that students would watch and dance to in class.
Lots of fun!
Keith Haring Hip Hop

Kinetic Art for Elementary Workshop

This is from a workshop I did at the Georgia Art Educators Conference in 2013. That was a while ago. It got a lot of positive responses and relates art to science.

Teacher Example

Student Example (3rd Grade)

To download a word doc that contains the lesson and GA visual art standards click here. Kinetic Art Lesson. Special note on this lesson. You really need to make sure the popsicle stick at the end where you wind it up is sticking out from the wheel. That’s what kicks around and creates the movement. Make sure you tape your wheels to the axle. Make adjustments as needed to get your sculpture moving. Students can even change the shape of the wheels to see what happens.

Watch the Beakman’s World Season 1 Episode 26 on netflix. In that episode that’s where the project came from.

Kinetic Artist that we looked at. I encourage you to find your own kinetic artist.

Theo Jansen Strandbeest

Here is his website Strandbeest.

Video of the artist work below or visit Youtube.

http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/HSKyHmjyrkA&source=uds

Leonardo Da Vinci Automobile

Here’s the video from youtube. The Institute for History of Science in Florence, Italy created their own. Watch it below or view on Youtube.

http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/a2qeZrejZp0&source=uds

Al Garnto, Kinetic Sculptor from Georgia. He resides in Blairesville, GA. View the video below or view on Youtube.

http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/vt0WE6pn4IA&source=uds

I apologize if I’ve left anything off. My blog has more of the info than the handout I provided. I appreciate you bearing with me. If you have an kinetic art lesson ideas please feel free to comment. Thanks for attending!

Additional sites that have kinetic projects:

Steve Spangler Sick Science Channel

Gadgets & Kinetic Sculpture

PBS Design Squad Kinetic Sculpture Lesson

Freebie Saturday

I hope to have this as a regular thing. A freebie for an item for a couple of weeks and then I will turn it into a paid item. So try and get it while you can.

Puppy Behavior Worksheet

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Description: I’ve use this worksheet with my elementary kiddos to have them think about their behavior when they are in time out. Instead of a student sitting in the corner doing nothing they can work on a coloring sheet and thinking about their behavior in art class. I’ve used with PreK-2nd grade. You can have them turn it over and write an apology note. I also used it as documentation. Included is a PDF file.