April 18th
Nursery began a new series of investigations in art based on "Around, Over, Under, Through, Near, and Far". By talking about, thinking about, and making art with these directional words in mind, students create spaces and imagine ways of moving through them with objects and colors. They also build new ways to talk about art they see and create. In our first investigation, students used fabric, clothespins, and chairs to create spaces to appear over, hide under, and crawl through. In our next investigation, students cut a hole out of a piece of paper, and that space became part of a game where the students tried to throw a beanbag through the hole (but sometimes it went 'over' and 'under'!). Thirdly, we used string to weave over, under, and through holes in a piece of paper. Next we created spaces that an imaginary pet could walk "around, over, under, and through". Each student was then given a small puff ball to represent the animal, and given the challenge to 'Find a place where this little friend could hide from the rain on your collage'. The students found many ways to protect their fluffy friends! Then we learned the song "Close Together and Far Apart", and talked about how when you make a collage, you have to make many decisions about whether the pieces will be close together or far apart. After creating their collages, they were given small paint brushes and paint to navigate between the spaces they created with with their shapes in the previous lesson. Here is a window into the art studio:
Students use fabric and clothespins to create unusual spaces in the art studio!
Students hide "under" and crawl "through" the spaces they create!
A student begins cutting out her shape for the "through" game.
The "through" game all ready to go! Who will throw the bean bag "THROUGH"?
Students weaving string through unusual shapes.
Student working on his "close together and far apart" collage.
Students painting their "close together and far apart" collage.
March 7th
Nursery has been continuing to explore forms and ways to construct forms. After creating "standing up and sitting down" sculptures using cardboard and glue, students used paint to explore the surfaces of their constructions, finding all of the interior and exterior parts of each shape, and discovering hiding places! After having worked with newspaper and cardboard to explore form and construction, nursery students started to work with clay. The clay that we use is the traditional clay used by ceramic artists that must be fired in a kiln in order to finished. The students each got a piece of clay and were faced with the question, "How can we change this material using just our hands?" Each of the students approached the clay in their own unique way, and invented ways to change its form! Here is a window into the art studio:
As students begin to paint, they take different approaches!
Some students paint one shape at a time, while others add a bit of color all around!
Some students use one shape as a platform to mix many different colors together, while others paint their whole structure with a limited palette!
A student creates a structure by breaking the clay apart and re-assembling the pieces!
A student drives his finger through the clay like a shovel!
A student breaks his clay into several pieces to then create an "airplane", while another pounds her clay flat and then smooths it out!
A student invents a way to make a tower by stacking small pieces one on top of the next!
A student organizes her clay into small mounds and then begins to join them to show ideas!
One student rolls his clay into balls while the other squeezes the large piece of clay as a whole!
A student creates an organized system of torn off pieces of clay!
January 25th
Welcome back to school! With the start of the new year, Nursery students have begun a new exploration in art: Forms. For the next few weeks, students will be exploring how materials can be changed from two-dimensional to three-dimensional, and how choices can be made about how to change and arrange three-dimensional forms. In their first exploration, students received large pieces of newspaper and were given the challenge: How can you change this? Through tearing, twisting and crumpling, the newspaper transformed from shape to form! Then they had masking tape to make the forms that they made strong. In the second exploration, we looked at the difference between standing up and sitting down, first with our bodies and then with cardboard shapes. Students were given a chance to explore cardboard shapes and different ways that they could make them "stand up" and "sit down" using glue. Here is a window into the art studio!
Students rip, twist and crumple to invent ways to change the newspaper!
Some students make changes that give them ideas about objects!
Students invent different ways to make the cardboard pieces "stand up" and "sit down"!
At the end of the lesson, students extend learning by experimenting with blocks, making them "stand up"!
December 14th
In order to reinforce learning about warm and cool colors, students had the opportunity to sort a range of shapes into two big boxes, one for cool colors, and one for warm colors. Then, they worked on a collage using both warm and cool colors. This gave a great opportunity to hear what words the students used to describe the colors and shapes as they worked. Then, these collages were cut into pieces and used for a giant class collage which we will use to refer to as we talk more about shape! That project drew our "Shapes and Seasons" unit to a close, and we began our new unit "Celebration in Art". Our first exploration was "Wrapping Paper". Students observed and discussed the difference between regular paper and wrapping paper. Then we transformed the art room into a wrapping paper factory! Here is a window into the art studio:
Students look at shapes and determine whether they should go in the "cool" box or the "warm" box!
Step 1: Students use shapes of all colors to create an original collage!
Step 3: Students use scotch tape to add their fragments to a collaborative collage!
Students work with stamps and unusual tools to create patterns on their original wrapping paper designs as we transform the studio into a wrapping paper factory!
The wrapping paper hangs to dry!
November 27th
Following their exporations with warm colors, Nursery inquired into cool colors! In a three step project, students first worked with cool color paints to create paper for painted paper collage. Then we introduced scissors, and students divided their large shape into smaller shapes. Finally, they imagined ways to combine the shapes that they cut into new original compositions! Here is a window into the art studio:
November 13th, 2016
Nursery's latest exploration in the new "Shapes and Seasons" art unit has been with looking at "triangles" and "warm colors". We looked together at an artwork filled with warm colors and shapes and the students were asked "What do you see?". Along with many imaginative ideas from giraffes to dinosaurs, students noticed the colors Red, Orange, and Yellow. Then they began a collage using triangles of many different warm colors. In the next lesson, they painted the artworks that they made using warm colors of paint. These mixed media works were then completed with oil pastels of warm colors! Here is a glance into the art studio:
Students carefully wash brushes between colors to be caring with their classmates while sharing materials!
October 26th, 2015
In the last week of the "Lines" unit, Nursery created line collages with patterned and plain paper lines. One student took action by making lines at home on his magnet board, and brought it into school to share! We also noticed in the classroom one day that Miss Jen and two students were wearing similar lines! This past Monday, Nursery began their first investigation into the new art unit "Shapes and Seasons". The challenge was, "How can lines become shapes?" Take a look below to see how they solved the challenge! Here is a glance into the art studio:
October 12th 2015
Nursery began a new series of investigations in art based on "Around, Over, Under, Through, Near, and Far". By talking about, thinking about, and making art with these directional words in mind, students create spaces and imagine ways of moving through them with objects and colors. They also build new ways to talk about art they see and create. In our first investigation, students used fabric, clothespins, and chairs to create spaces to appear over, hide under, and crawl through. In our next investigation, students cut a hole out of a piece of paper, and that space became part of a game where the students tried to throw a beanbag through the hole (but sometimes it went 'over' and 'under'!). Thirdly, we used string to weave over, under, and through holes in a piece of paper. Next we created spaces that an imaginary pet could walk "around, over, under, and through". Each student was then given a small puff ball to represent the animal, and given the challenge to 'Find a place where this little friend could hide from the rain on your collage'. The students found many ways to protect their fluffy friends! Then we learned the song "Close Together and Far Apart", and talked about how when you make a collage, you have to make many decisions about whether the pieces will be close together or far apart. After creating their collages, they were given small paint brushes and paint to navigate between the spaces they created with with their shapes in the previous lesson. Here is a window into the art studio:
Students use fabric and clothespins to create unusual spaces in the art studio!
Students hide "under" and crawl "through" the spaces they create!
A student begins cutting out her shape for the "through" game.
The "through" game all ready to go! Who will throw the bean bag "THROUGH"?
Student working on his "close together and far apart" collage.
Students painting their "close together and far apart" collage.
March 7th
Nursery has been continuing to explore forms and ways to construct forms. After creating "standing up and sitting down" sculptures using cardboard and glue, students used paint to explore the surfaces of their constructions, finding all of the interior and exterior parts of each shape, and discovering hiding places! After having worked with newspaper and cardboard to explore form and construction, nursery students started to work with clay. The clay that we use is the traditional clay used by ceramic artists that must be fired in a kiln in order to finished. The students each got a piece of clay and were faced with the question, "How can we change this material using just our hands?" Each of the students approached the clay in their own unique way, and invented ways to change its form! Here is a window into the art studio:
As students begin to paint, they take different approaches!
Some students paint one shape at a time, while others add a bit of color all around!
Some students use one shape as a platform to mix many different colors together, while others paint their whole structure with a limited palette!
A student creates a structure by breaking the clay apart and re-assembling the pieces!
A student drives his finger through the clay like a shovel!
A student breaks his clay into several pieces to then create an "airplane", while another pounds her clay flat and then smooths it out!
A student invents a way to make a tower by stacking small pieces one on top of the next!
A student organizes her clay into small mounds and then begins to join them to show ideas!
One student rolls his clay into balls while the other squeezes the large piece of clay as a whole!
A student creates an organized system of torn off pieces of clay!
January 25th
Welcome back to school! With the start of the new year, Nursery students have begun a new exploration in art: Forms. For the next few weeks, students will be exploring how materials can be changed from two-dimensional to three-dimensional, and how choices can be made about how to change and arrange three-dimensional forms. In their first exploration, students received large pieces of newspaper and were given the challenge: How can you change this? Through tearing, twisting and crumpling, the newspaper transformed from shape to form! Then they had masking tape to make the forms that they made strong. In the second exploration, we looked at the difference between standing up and sitting down, first with our bodies and then with cardboard shapes. Students were given a chance to explore cardboard shapes and different ways that they could make them "stand up" and "sit down" using glue. Here is a window into the art studio!
Students begin experimenting with the cardboard and glue!
December 14th
In order to reinforce learning about warm and cool colors, students had the opportunity to sort a range of shapes into two big boxes, one for cool colors, and one for warm colors. Then, they worked on a collage using both warm and cool colors. This gave a great opportunity to hear what words the students used to describe the colors and shapes as they worked. Then, these collages were cut into pieces and used for a giant class collage which we will use to refer to as we talk more about shape! That project drew our "Shapes and Seasons" unit to a close, and we began our new unit "Celebration in Art". Our first exploration was "Wrapping Paper". Students observed and discussed the difference between regular paper and wrapping paper. Then we transformed the art room into a wrapping paper factory! Here is a window into the art studio:
Students look at shapes and determine whether they should go in the "cool" box or the "warm" box!
Step 1: Students use shapes of all colors to create an original collage!
Step 2: Students use scissors to divide their collages into smaller parts!
Step 3: Students use scotch tape to add their fragments to a collaborative collage!
Students work with stamps and unusual tools to create patterns on their original wrapping paper designs as we transform the studio into a wrapping paper factory!
November 27th
Following their exporations with warm colors, Nursery inquired into cool colors! In a three step project, students first worked with cool color paints to create paper for painted paper collage. Then we introduced scissors, and students divided their large shape into smaller shapes. Finally, they imagined ways to combine the shapes that they cut into new original compositions! Here is a window into the art studio:
Students work to create paintings using only "cool" colors!
A student begins to cut shapes out of his "cool color" paiting!
Students use the pieces they cut, and some added shapes to create an original collage!
November 13th, 2016
Nursery's latest exploration in the new "Shapes and Seasons" art unit has been with looking at "triangles" and "warm colors". We looked together at an artwork filled with warm colors and shapes and the students were asked "What do you see?". Along with many imaginative ideas from giraffes to dinosaurs, students noticed the colors Red, Orange, and Yellow. Then they began a collage using triangles of many different warm colors. In the next lesson, they painted the artworks that they made using warm colors of paint. These mixed media works were then completed with oil pastels of warm colors! Here is a glance into the art studio:
Students sharing glue in the studio working on their "warm color" collages.
A student begins her work with paint, and will later add triangles!
Students make important decisions about whether to paint inside or outside of their triangles!
October 26th, 2015
In the last week of the "Lines" unit, Nursery created line collages with patterned and plain paper lines. One student took action by making lines at home on his magnet board, and brought it into school to share! We also noticed in the classroom one day that Miss Jen and two students were wearing similar lines! This past Monday, Nursery began their first investigation into the new art unit "Shapes and Seasons". The challenge was, "How can lines become shapes?" Take a look below to see how they solved the challenge! Here is a glance into the art studio:
Students work busily on their last line exploration.
A student takes action and brings lines from home!
Lines! Lines! Lines!!!
Students solve the challenge "How can we use lines to create shapes?"
October 12th 2015
Nursery has continued to inquire into LINE and all of the different ways that they move and change, and all the ways that we can make line using different materials. A highlight last week was when the Physical Education department and the Art department teamed up for a Line Collaboration! First the students did an obstacle course of different kinds of lines. Then, in art, we created line collages with different types of lines. In the next lesson, the students used the collages to inspire their own new original obstacle courses! Finally, this week Nursery will make prints with their collages! Here is a glance at some of our adventures in the art studio over the past two weeks.
September 2015
As we start the year in Art with Nursery, we compose meaning together about the concept of line through looking at artworks, dialogue, and material exploration. As part of the unit "Starting School", we are working together to create a cooperative environment that will inspire creative work throughout the year. On Monday afternoons, Art travels down to the classroom where there is an "Art Studio Corner" set up for students to finish work from earlier in the day, or explore materials further in a smaller more intimate group. Here is a glance at some of our first explorations together over the past two weeks.
Students walk in a straight line across the balance beam!
Students walk in a wavy line as part of the obstacle course!
Students create collages with wavy lines, straight lines and dotted lines!
Students work together at the yarn line exploration table.
Students work together at the 'animal paths' line exploration table.
A nursery student arranges lines and calls it "a pirate ship" at the paper line exploration table.
Students working together at the paper line exploration table.
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