5th Grade Art

Week of September 6th & 11th, & 18th/ 

Mandala Designs: Group Project Inspired by the art of Maritza Soto

Students will get to know the art of Maritza Soto. The students will make a circular drawing that will be cut in quarters and rearranged on a larger surface. Students will pick 2-3 colors to use.

Writing: In the center students will write one word that describes what they are looking forward to this school year

Week of September 18th, 25th, Oct. 2nd, & 8th/ Self- Portrait

Students will be able to create a self- portrait where they can use their observational drawings skills to draw one half of their face. Then they will draw or paint their "happy place" on a small canvas that their portrait will be glued to. 

Writing Component: On the back students will write about their "happy place".

Week of October 2nd, 9th, & 16th In honor of Latinx Month

Students will be able to study the art of Colombian street artist, Guache. Then each student will receive a small piece from one of his paintings to draw from observation. As students finish, they can piece the work together like a puzzle, to complete the painting. Some examples of his work are below.

Week of Oct- 3rd, 10th, &17th, & 24th/ Plaster Mask Project

Students will be able to make a plaster gauze mask on a mold. Students will be shown examples from previous years. The theme for this project is student driven, provided it is school appropriate.

Week of October 24th, 31st, & Nov.6th/ Still-Life Drawings/Paintings

Students will be able to make an observational drawing from a still-life set up in the Art Studio. Students could focus on one side or draw everything. A spotlight will be used so that students would be able to see the shadows easily, to include in their drawing.

Week of Jan. 2nd, 8th, & 15th/ Lunar New Year Project: Vietnamese Tet Wreath Project

In Vietnam the Lunar New Year celebration is called Tet. It involves worship of ancestors, traditional foods, time to resolve any conflicts from the previous year, cleaning the house, etc.

After the students learn how Lunar New Year is celebrated in Vietnam students will be able to make a decoration typically hung on a door or wall, which may include a lucky red envelope, lucky flowers, and wish in ink for the new year.  

Writing Component: Students will attach a wish they have for the new year and a word in Vietnamese that is celebratory.

Week of January 18th & 23rd/ Mixed Media Identity Trees

Students will be able to work on a tree painting, considering their favorite type of tree. References will be provided. Then students will be able to write elements about themselves. At the roots, students will share what grounds them/what their foundation is, in the trunk they will write words that describe their personality, at the top they will write about their dreams and goals for 2024, and leaves falling will describe what they want to let go of.

Week of Jan. 30th, Feb. 5th, & 12th/ Black History Month, Artist Study Project

Students will be able to step in the shoes of an important  black artist from the past or a contemporary. Students will choose a work of art to recreate to their best ability.

Writing Component: Students will answer a few questions about the artist chosen and write a personal reflection on something they have learned from them.

Week March 4th, 11th, & 18th/ Women's History Month, Summer Svensen Sculpture Project

Students will be able to learn about the art of Julia from Summer Svensen. Then they will be able to create a paper mache vase that they can paint using some of her ideas about color and cheerful themes expressed.

Week of March 13th & 20th/ Poetry Month, Blackout Poetry

Students will be able to select a poem that they will recreate a new poem within by circling certain words. Once the new poem is created students can illustrate on top of the poem, leaving the circled words showing.

Week of April 10th, 17th, & 24th/ Earth Day Project

Students will be able to work on a project that involves recycling and learn some new facts about where we are as a country on recycling.