6th Grade Monster Heads

Well, after the first firing they didn't look so good. So I took some samples to Georgies to see if it was kiln error, glaze error or user error. The good news is that it wasn't anything major and the pieces could be re-fired. I was pleased this morning when they looked normal and shiny and not pitted! Here are a few standouts from this trimester.

3-D Letters

I usually do a typography unit with my 7th graders. It started as just designing letters but then a couple of years ago it turned into creating a 3-d letter with a pattern. They turn out pretty cool and kids like building them. We talk about fonts and typography and look at example. They have to do a "ransom note" style of the vocab in their sketchbook. Next we talk about pattern and they have to design 3-4 patterns for their letter. Next, we start building them. I use little 3/4 oz cups to give it structure and they wrap masking tap around it before painting. They always turn out really cool.

Note: I'm working on getting handouts and other files uploaded here. I do have an assignment sheet for this project.

Sketchbook work 

construction of letters

Display at Central Office

Every school year each school in the district is invited to display art in the reception area at the central office. I went in this morning during my plan to hang up our art work. The 3-d letters are part of the seventh grade typography unit. I also posted the comic book/onomatopaeia art that sixth graders did lastly I have the tints and shades paintings that eighth graders worked on. These will be up for a little under two weeks. I like the addition of the 3-d element!

Clay Monster Heads

We are elbow-deep in clay this week. Well, maybe more like wrist deep. My sixth graders are working on their "Monster Heads" using hand-building techniques like pinch pot, slip and score and molding. Some are more fantastical than others, some are more realistic. I have been doing this assignment since I started teaching--probably the only successful assignment from that year! They end up looking really neat and the students learn techniques that they can build on in seventh and eighth grade (if they end up in Art).

The Mural

I am always looking for ways to add more art to my classroom. While I love that we have big windows, we don't have much wall space. I had this one very big, very blank wall at one end of my classroom. While finishing up a unit on typography with my 7th graders, I came up with the idea to have them paint art quotes in different fonts on this wall. They worked in small groups and I used quotes and images I found on Pinterest to project onto the wall and they traced them.
Here it is in the beginning:

Getting there, getting there. I wasn't too pleased with the blue quote but I've been working on "fixing it" for legibility. It was hard to decide on whether to use paint or sharpie so we used a mix of both.
Here is the latest update (students worked on while I was gone on Friday and thus some editing of the blue quote--I was not happy):

We are starting on clay this week, so this is put on hold while we make our coil bowls. I'm anxious to see it completely done! There are some spacing issues, but overall I think it looks great!