1st Grade- Box of Crayons

In honor of Black History Month, we're making a conscious effort to embrace and celebrate our diversity. First graders watched this video of Shane DeRolf's poem,

"The Crayon Box That Talked":

THE CRAYON BOX THAT TALKED from tim webb on Vimeo.

Then, we discussed what makes each person unique and how although each of us is different, we're all created equal. How ridiculous to treat someone differently because the color of their skin, where they're from or what they wear! This world would be a boring place if we all looked exactly the same.

To celebrate our differences, each student created their self portrait on a paper crayon. Next, we put them together to unify our artwork. By working together and accepting everyone, our artwork is complete!

1st Grade - Torn Tissue Paper Poinsettias

With the holidays quickly approaching, we're preparing ahead of time in the art room so that we can have our artwork out for everyone to see by the Winter Break.

In first grade, we're learning about Poinsettias. Before we began our artwork, on first day of our project, we watched a video adaptation of a traditional Christmas Mexican tale that explains where Poinsettias come from. In this fictional story, a little girl named Dedita learns a valuable lesson about giving your all to something you care about.
To watch the folk story, check out this video:


On the second day of our project, we watched a short documentary about where Poinsettia flowers really come from. Even Mrs. Kingsolver learned something new in this one! Did you know that the red parts of the Poinsettia plant are not flower petals, but leaves? Check it out:


Our artworks are made with torn tissue paper, papier-mâché paste, and oil pastels. Aren't they festive?!

First Grade- Textured Perspective Pumpkins

First graders are getting excited about Thanksgiving and all the festivities involved. For this project we used a major symbol of Thanksgiving- the pumpkin- to learn about perspective and texture.

Perspective can make the same object look different, depending on what angle you are looking at it from. For example, the top of a pumpkin looks much different than the side view.

Texture is all around us. It is the way something feels. Texture is important because it can show us how something feels before we touch it. Texture can even help protect us because if we are able to use visual clues to see the different textures of porcupines and bunny rabbits, for example, we will know which one we'd rather pet.

Once our textured perspective pumpkins were complete, we cut them out and glued them to layered paper to create a still life collage.

Parents, you can learn more about perspective here: http://www.artic.edu/aic/education/sciarttech/2d1.html

And art students can learn more about still life here: http://www.theartgallery.com.au/kidsart/learn/stilllife/

1st Grade- Japanese Kimono Weavings

"Kimono" literally means "thing to wear" in Japanese. We learned about the history and styles of traditional Japanese kimonos. Next, we made our own colorful paper kimonos by using the ancient art form of weaving.

When we weaved, we made a pattern that goes like this: over one, under one, over one, under one. As we learned in Kindergarten, a pattern repeats, repeats, repeats. So, we repeated this pattern until we finished our beautiful kimonos.

To learn more about kimonos and other cultural symbols of Japan, check out this website:

http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/kimono/

1st Grade- Radial Symmetry Snowflakes

The weather is getting colder, and we're hoping for snow in Texas!

Like many other things in nature, snowflakes have radial symmetry, which means that they're the same all the way around. To learn more about radial symmetry check out this informative slideshow:

Radial symmetry

View more PowerPoint from Nancy Walkup

In first grade, we used paper and scissors to create snowflakes that are the same all the way around.

Although the each have radial symmetry, no two snowflakes are alike and neither are our artworks!

1st Grade- Texture Town Collage

For this landscape project, we learned about perspective. When something is far away from us, it can often seem much smaller that it would if it was close to us. We kept that in mind as we drew our architecture and landscape.

Then, we used texture rubbing plates to create the illusion of texture on our buildings. This kind of texture is called implied texture.

Texture is all around us. It is the way something feels. Texture is important because it can show us how something feels before we touch it. Texture can even help protect us because if we are able to use visual clues to see the different textures of porcupines and bunny rabbits, for example, we will know which one we'd rather pet.

Once our textured buildings, trees, and plants were complete, we cut them out and glued them to layered paper to create a collage.

For more fun with landscapes, click here: http://www.schoolsliaison.org.uk/kids/landscape.htm

1st Grade - Organic Shape Texture Rubbings

Texture is all around us- it is the way something feels.  It’s very important to know how something feels before we touch it. 

We drew 4-5 different kinds of lines that connect to make shapes and used texture-rubbing plates to create the illusion of texture.  Every time we crossed a line, we changed the color and the texture.

1st Grade - Texture Wild Things

We read and discussed the book “Where the Wild Things Are”, written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak.  

We used texture rubbing plates and crayons to create the illusion of texture on our original wild things.  Texture is the way something feels. 

Our Wild Things come in many shapes and sizes but they would never eat us up!  They just like to have fun. 

“Let the wild rumpus start!”

1st Grade- Oil Pastel Color Mixing

We learned that the three primary colors- Red, Yellow, and Blue- can be mixed together to make three new colors!

The new colors- Orange, Green, and Purple- are called secondary colors. We’ve made apattern with our rectangles. Can you see it?