january 2015
2nd graders are jumping right in to color mixing this year. After watching a short film called Rainbow War, a story about primary colors and being kind to people who might be different than you, we got to experiment with the primary colors. There was no other goal then to mix and make the secondary colors. The students were able to choose how their painting would turn out. It is amazing how different they turn out. We then mixed the colors in more purposeful way to make a color wheel. Below is an example of a new project that I tried with the students. We first used doilies to cut a snowflake, then put it on a paper plate. Then we painted the primary colors and mixed the secondary colors on the snowflake and peeled it off. I like it, but may have to perfect the execution if we do this project in the future.
December 2014
I might say this a lot, but I mean it. This is definitely one of my favorite projects! Second graders are introduced to origami, the art of paper folding, with these successful gingerbread houses. We often do these at Halloween time with a spooky flair, but I pushed them back to December this year. No one was disappointed though, when they heard about the project. I love seeing how each house is unique! I hope the students enjoy them over the holidays.
november 2014
2nd graders did work that was 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional. They started with a bird's eye map of a park, and then used strips of paper to make that park a ROLLER COASTER CITY! The 3-D coasters went up and down and all around in a very stomach turning way! After that, we used wire to make 3-D sculptures. I gave them the direction to simply make their sculpture stand. They had a great time exploring with the wire, and took those home to continue their work. I did not get pictures of those before they went home, but they were amazing!!
November 2014
I tried a new project with 2nd graders this year, and it is a keeper! Students used natural materials to build a miniature tree house. It was so much fun to feel and smell the outside materials! Students had fun breaking and preparing the materials for their house. After working on their house, we went for a nature walk around the building to find the places and spaces where the material came from. The students had so a navy stories to tell about their work. I hope you were able to hear a story about their house.
March 2014
Second graders are learning a little about POP ART and the portraits of Andy Warhol. Students started by making one portrait of themselves, focusing on their face. After the one portrait was done, they traced over it with marker. They then put a blank piece of paper over that and traced 3 more of the exact same portrait. When they had 4 portraits, they started the fun part of coloring with lots of silly different colors!
December 2013
The second graders have moved on to some pretty fun stuff after the Mix-a-Monster Books. We began the 3-D art unit with a folded house. The students could choose whether they would like to make the house a spooky house, or a fantasy dream house! The ideas they came up with were great! After that, we made 3-D roller coaster cities with strips of paper that came up and off and over and around their papers. We decided we would get pretty sick on these rides. :) Some of the students had time to do the 3-D wire sculptures to finish that unit. Some students didn't get to this part beause of the Thanksgiving holiday and their music program practices. :(
But moving on: For the rest of 2013, we will be working on a beautiful watercolor sky and frosted birch trees!
But moving on: For the rest of 2013, we will be working on a beautiful watercolor sky and frosted birch trees!
October 15, 2013
Second graders are working on a Mix-a-Monster Book! Students have planned for 4-5 different monsters that have a theme (ie. pumpkin monster, fire monster, flower monster). Each page of the book has different sections. Students are instructed to have their monster's head in the head spot, body and middle in the middle spot, and legs and feet in the bottom spot. When monsters are complete, I will cut on the lines, so monsters can be MIXED UP!!
September 10
The second graders are starting off the school year being fashion designers!! After reviewing and practicing patterns, students will choose an outfit stencil to trace around. I let them know that boys can design girls clothes and girls can design boys clothes if they choose. They will use pattern and color to design their clothes!!
Time Travel to March 25th
After our Native American Sand Painting project, we learned about the Chinese New Year. Students then tried their hand at some Chinese symbols. We also looked up their names and translated those into Chinese. Students were able to go home with Native American symbols and Chinese symbols before spring break!!
January 7
Students studied native american symbols before the break, and we are finishing these projects by adding some beautiful colored sand. Students are really enjoying the opportunity to work with sand. The projects look really neat too!
November 26
This birch tree project is going to be a MUST form now on (it is originally from Deep Space Sparkle--but you knew that already, didn't you)! It turned out so well! First, we looked at birch trees and discussed what made them distinctive and stand out from other trees. That white bark is amazing and stands out with a beautifully colored background, which is where we started. We used liquid watercolors to paint a beautiful sunset sky. We then made the white bark paper by scraping a piece of cardboard with black paint across a white piece of paper. After that, we collaged away making sure that trunks were bigger than branches and branches were bigger than twigs. After that, we added rafia grass at the bottom and some sparkly frost in the branches and twigs. I again, hope these are a wonderful decoration for the upcoming season!
The second graders will be starting to look at Native American symbols and sand painting!
The second graders will be starting to look at Native American symbols and sand painting!
3-D Wire Sculpture
The directions for this project was easy, make something out of wire that stands on it's own. Well, it wasn't that easy once we started. As some began to figure it out, I pointed out to the rest of the class what that student had done to make their sculpture stand! Soon, All began to make their sculptures stand in various ways. It was great seeing all the creativity in solving this "problem"!
October 15th
This is a super fun folding project that can be used in many ways!! I like to have 2nd grade fold houses aroudn this time of the year because it gives them a chance to make spooky houses!! Students are given the chance to make the theme of their house whatever they want, though. Students started working on these a few weeks ago as it took about 30 minutes for the whole class to fold these together. Then they started with the house parts: If the house does not have house parts (roof, windows, doors), it stops looking like a house! After the house parts, they were able to start the theme, whether that be spooky, dream house or other. After the outside was done, they could open the doors and show who was inside and what was happening. This would be a great story starter for your student! They had SO MUCH to say about these houses! These turned out so great, I had to put about 20 pictures up!
October 1st
The students have finished their mix a monster books with Mrs. Broer and are ready to move on to something new! We talked about the difference between 2-Dimensal and 3-Dimensal objects. Many of the students talked about movies they had seen in 3-D, so I explained to them that that only LOOKED 3-D, but was not really 3-D. We took the things we know about lines and started making 3-D Roller Coaster Cities. We used zig-zag, curly, wavy and other lines to make the paper roller coasters come off our paper. Students will finish this project by adding coaster cars, names and maps for their cities, and catapults. These are always a hit!
September 10th
2nd graders have finished being fashion designers! They were able to show us some great patterns in their clothes! You can ask your student an example of a pattern. I tell them that it is something they can dance to: red blue red blue red blue red. If it doesnt have a beat (green orange black brown yellow pink orange blue....) and you can't dance to it, it probably isn't a pattern.
These students will be starting a new project with Ms. Broer that is going to be really fun. It still includes pattern, but this time they will be making pattern monsters. Students are just starting to plan for their monsters. These patterned monstrosities will be complied into a book. When the book is done, the pages (that have been marked specifically for this) will be cut, so the monsters can be made into a mix and match book. This has all the elements of being really fun!
These students will be starting a new project with Ms. Broer that is going to be really fun. It still includes pattern, but this time they will be making pattern monsters. Students are just starting to plan for their monsters. These patterned monstrosities will be complied into a book. When the book is done, the pages (that have been marked specifically for this) will be cut, so the monsters can be made into a mix and match book. This has all the elements of being really fun!