The Power of Cake!

We just concluded our Pop Art Unit with a 3-D Cake Sculpture project borrowed from the amazing Mini Matisse! The project was modified as a PBL model for our Professional Inquiry Project (PIP) that we will present next week. A post on how we modified the project is linked here. It was a very successful project that the kids LOVED and we are definitely keeping it in our repertoire!

This project is an example how spontaneous distractions can promote exploration and PLAY in the classroom. I am not even sure if the kids were aware of their youthfulness and playfulness this project brought out in them. I can only explain it as their "Inner Child"- and MINE- came out in class the days we collaged, frosted and designed cakes.

Totally not routine, but I decided to bring in cake for the kids to eat since talking about cake every day after lunch was causing mouths to salivate non-stop. It was a spontaneous decision, but I cut and plated the cake into pieces and prepped tables with slices before each class, allowing kids to eat the cake while reviewing directions for the day. The kids were like "WHA-WHAT???" From an outsider, the cake eating could have been viewed as a distraction- but in my opinion, not all "distractions" are negative. I feel that eating cake was completely relative to their learning and served as an invitation to let our hair down and explore with the mediums and design elements of the project!

Kids LOVED frosting their cake! At first I thought I would formally teach cake frosting, but decided against it to allow kids to explore with the shaving cream and glue medium. Some kids had never frosted a cake before so this was truly their first experience with this culinary delight! Kids experimented with mixing food coloring to get just the perfect shade for their frosting. Some other students modified zip-locks into piping bags and began piping elaborate designs. Other students rolled paper to make decorations like shaved chocolate, fruit and sprinkles. The students learned from each-other through their exploration and play!

As a teacher, I hope to incorporate more experiences of spontaneity, play and exploration that can result in a high level of engagement and some amazing artwork. Oh- The Power of Cake!

Cardstock Embroidery Tutorial

The 7th grade students started off the Sewing Unit strong with an embroidery lesson. This simple project reinforced how to thread a needle, tie a knot, and complete the running stitch. The bi-product of this assignment was having the students revisit writing in cursive which many of them have not done since the 3rd grade. Believe it or not, the kids struggled with writing their names in cursive the most! Their hard work payed off, though. Check out their awesome needlework!

Recycling and Repurposing

It's always fun to see how creative our students get when recycling and repurposing. We wrapped up our "Upcycle" Art Unit with students presenting projects that they have made out of recycled or repurposing materials. Projects ranged from clothing to piggy banks- but what it seemed like most kids got out of the assignment was looking at recycled goods through a creative lens and being innovative with their design. Here's a sampling!

Graffiti Art!

The 8th grade class just finished their Graffiti Art projects. They are very proud of their work- and they should be! The amount of time and effort invested in this project shows in every last detail. Check these out!

Woven Portrait Tutorial

It is so FUN for me to experiment with potential art projects for the Expressive Arts Curriculum! This is one of the project concepts I am wanting to explore for the 2015-16 school year. I took some pictures of image combinations during the process and I am thinking more and more that if we adopt this project we will use the same image but alter the appearance of one before weaving. Check them out!

Project Runway: Waste Not Want Not!

On Friday, 7th grade students were given the challenge to create a runway fashion using only newspaper and tape. This project idea stemmed from the Reality TV Show Project Runway, episode Waste Not Want Not. Students had roughly 30 minutes to design a garment onto their "Model" and present it to the judge "Mrs. Shane" on the cat walk. The kids always LOVE this challenge and collaborate very well with their design team members. This is a great activity to kick off or finalize a recycling unit as it emphasizes art design elements, teamwork and of course- recycling! This was the 2nd challenge from our Recycle Challenge Week Curricula of our "Upcycle Unit". The last challenge take place Monday when students present their repurposed product. Stay tuned!