We learned about the history, origins and purpose of the holiday, Cinco de Mayo, and then created our own maracas! First, we did 3-4 layers of paper mache on balloons, leaving a small opening around the tie of the balloon. Once they dried, we popped and removed the balloon from the small hole we had left. Through that hole, we then filled our piece up with rice grains, beans, rocks, and popcorn seeds, experimenting with the sounds that each of them made. We put a piece of paper over the hole and taped it shut. Then, we each took an empty paper towel roll, cut slits at the top, and attached it to the bottom of the maraca, as a handle (I had been collecting them since the beginning of this school year...glad I found a good use for them). Then we added a few layers of paper mache on the handle. When they were dry, the students painted and glued on their designs!
0 Comments
We did two recycled art projects in my middle school elective classes, to celebrate Earth Day. My sixth graders are on a field trip, but when they come back we will be making centerpieces with recycled materials. For the first project, my students and I collected empty plastic bottles (tons of them) from our homes, and from other faculty and staff. Then we painted and cut the bottles, and attached them on chicken wire to make a collaborative hanging sculpture in each class, in the style of Dale Chihuly's glass chandeliers. My students always love looking at Chihuly's work, and after they did, they had a lot of ideas! Students of each class decided on a color scheme for their sculpture. One class decided on a pastel color scheme, another chose cool colors, and the last one decided to do rainbow colors arranged in the proper order. Collectively, we decided to hang them outside of the art trailers, so they would function as shades for the people who sit outside in the hot Miami weather! The other project was inspired by a huge, inspiring, worldwide public art project called the Cool Globes, that began in Chicago in 2007 to raise public awareness of solutions to global warming. After much brainstorming and thinking, students came up with a design for their own mini-globe that creatively illustrated at least one solution to climate change. Then we built the globes using paper mache, paint, collage and a range of other materials, depending on their individual message. I did not get a chance to photograph all of them before they took them home, but here are a few. The young lady who did the globe in the first few pictures even won an award for her work! So proud of her and all of them for their ideas and hard work.
From last weekend until the middle of this week, I got to chaperone the 8th grade history and government Close Up trip to DC. It was a blast! Here is some more information about the Close Up educational programming. Some pictures... Also this week was the annual Diocesan festival in which students and some teachers from all the Episcopal schools in Miami-Dade county come together for participation in special educational programming, in several categories. These include visual and performing arts activities, math, science experiments, technology, languages, community service, etc. Each year, I select a student from my classes to go with me to participate in art portion of the festival. This year, the festival was at St. Thomas Episcopal School in Coconut Grove. My student artist did very well! They all built plaster figures inspired by the work of several plaster artists. And here are all the finished pieces!
|
AuthorI am an art educator and artist who loves to share the amazing creations and learning happening in my courses. Here is a sneak peek of what my students are learning and creating! Categories
All
Archives
May 2022
|