In this project, students write an “I Am” poem which is comprised of adjectives and descriptive nouns that the students feel applies to themselves. In order to get the beautiful watercolor effects, students use texture plates, leaves, and crayons to create a variety of textures using a wax resist.

Vocabulary:

1. Visual Texture
2. Wax Resist
3. Descriptive Noun
4. Adjective

Standards*:

1. National: Experiment and develop skills in multiple art-making techniques and approaches through practice.
2. State CCO: Students expand their repertoire of 2D- and 3D-art processes, techniques, and materials with a focus on the range of effects possible within each medium.
3. P21: Communication

After investigating masks from different cultures, students sketch and design their own ceramic mask. Students begin by designing the mask on paper and creating their own paper stencils. Using slab building, students build their masks from terracotta clay by adding slabs of clay and carving clay away. The color is added to the masks using oil pastel and a tempera paint resist.

Vocabulary:

1. Slab Building
2. Mask
3. Oil Pastel Resist

Standards*:

1. National: Demonstrate quality craftsmanship through care for and use of materials, tools, and equipment.
2. State CCO: Students maintain the workspace, materials, and tools responsibly and safely.
3. P21: Social and Cross-Cultural Skills

In this project, students are challenged to create a self-portrait line drawing using a single continuous line. After completing the drawing in sharpie students were allowed to paint it any way they wanted

Vocabulary:

1. Contour
2. Continuous Line
3. Wax Resist

Standards*:

1. National: Define the roles and responsibilities of a curator, explaining the skills and knowledge needed in preserving, maintaining, and presenting objects, artifacts, and artwork.
2. State CCO: Students use and identify various types of line
3. P21: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

After looking at chairs painted by Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh, students drew, designed, or imagined chairs and rooms that represent themselves or things they’re interested in. Using a variety of materials and paper folding students created 3-dimensional artworks that express themselves.

Vocabulary:

1. 3-Dimensional
2. Paper Folding
3. Mix Media

Standards*:

1. National: Compare one's own interpretation of a work of art with the interpretation of others.
2. State CCO: Students describe the kinds of imagery used to represent subject matter and ideas.
3. P21: Creativity and Innovation

This is a fun little mini lesson where students use salt and watercolor to create some beautiful effects before using blown ink. After the artwork is done some students chose to mount a poem or story over the painting, generally with an October theme.

Vocabulary:

1. Ink
2. Blown Ink

Standards*:

1. National: Combine ideas to generate an innovative idea for art-making.
2. State CCO: Students create unified 2D and 3D compositions that demonstrate an understanding of the principles of design.
3. P21: Productivity and Accountability

In contrast to the Continuous Line Self-Portraits this one focuses on realism and basic human proportions. This project connects with students work on the 5th-grade wax museum where they choose a colonial person and perform a speech as their character. These portraits are designed to resemble the students but with the hair, clothes, or other important items of their colonial character.

Vocabulary:

1. Proportions
2. Realism
3. Profile and ¾ view

Standards*:

1. National: Create works of art that reflect community cultural traditions.
2. State CCO: Students make visual, oral, and/or written connections between the visual arts and other content areas.
3. P21: Flexibility and Adaptability