first grade spring cocoons

We have made insect mobiles before but I changed it up a little this year. This time the first grade artists added a real silk cocoon to the end of their mobiles! I bought the silk cocoons along with some silk squares from this etsy artist: WCMercantile.



The silk cocoons took the metallic watercolors beautifully. We used the cocoons with the tops cut open that make a little lid (sans worm)- perfect for inserting written wishes on little paper strips. We hope that when these wishes are ready to mature they will open up and come true. There were lots of good wishes for friends, family, and school and I saw more than one wish for the ability to fly!

first grade tree portraits

The first grade artists have been sketching and observing many different kinds of tree branches and looking closely to see how those branches diverge. We have been enjoying our outside art time!

Students were then asked to create a self portrait with a twist. Imagine yourself as a tree! I was very much inspired by the lovely work over at Chesterbrook Academy Elementary.

There is something special about imagining yourself as someone or something else. It helps to build empathy and understanding. Feet become roots, arms become branches, and hair becomes a home to little nesting birds!

second grade has gone to the birds!

The second grade artists worked so hard to create these beautiful detailed watercolor renderings of birds with a focus on line and color. They also learned about the artist/naturalist John James Audubon in The Boy Who Drew Birds by Jacqueline Davis.



This lovely book tells the story of John James Audubon as a young boy who diligently studies the habits of birds and discovers the secrets of small bird migration. Did you know that scientists used to think that small birds migrated to the moon, transformed into larger birds, or hibernated under water during the winter?!







We learned that John James Audubon had to shoot and stuff the birds in order to draw them so accurately. Fortunately no birds were harmed in the making of these watercolors! The second grade artists used photography to help them study the birds so closely.





John James Audubon was the first person in North America to band a bird in 1804 and the second graders were excited to make the connection to the Lewis and Clark expedition also starting that year!





We spent a lot of time talking about the visual characteristics of birds and played bird inspired Pictionary (which I used as a pre-assessment tool). They end up drawing well over 20 types of birds by the end of the hour! They did a great job using their spatial and interpersonal intelligences here.

kindergarten autumn leaves fluttering in the breeze

Alma Thomas was an amazing artist! I really admire her work and enjoy sharing her as a mentor artist. She was the first African American woman at her university to earn a degree in fine arts in 1924 and continued painting until she died in 1978. Alma excelled in math and science and was inspired by the stars and the natural world around us.

Alma gave her art work some really exciting titles! My favorite is Red Azaleas Singing and Dancing Rock and Roll Music. The kindergarteners enjoyed a game (a little exercise in art criticism) to match the following titles to the correct paintings:

Grassy Melodic Chant
Delightful Song by Red Dahlia
Autumn Leaves Fluttering in the Breeze
Starry Night With Astronaut






(The above images are from the Smithsonian Art Museum Alma Thomas biography.)

Thomas frequently talked about “watching the leaves and flowers tossing in the wind as though they were singing and dancing.” Autumn Leaves Fluttering in the Breeze is the title that inspired our kindergarten artists to make their own abstract art using warm and cool colors, pattern, and movement. And our November weather is the perfect time to share these!