November 2016 - Landscapes

2^nd-3^rd Grade

Project Title: Landscapes

Description:

• Students designed a landscape of their choice while providing evidence for understanding how to color mix the following secondary colors: green, purple and orange.  A horizon line divided the sky from the land.  Details enhanced the piece using perspective tricks and oil pastels.

Vocabulary: 

• foreground
• middle ground
• background
• horizon line
• landscape painting

Resources:

• Picturescape by Elisa Gutiérrez

Materials: 

• tempera paint
• oil pastels

Examples of Student Artwork:

October 2016 - Josef Albers

2^nd-3^rd Grade

Project Title: Josef Albers


Samples of Josef Albers' art:

Homage to the Square: With Rays (1959)

             Homage to the Square: Park (1967)

"In order to use color effectively, it is necessary to recognize that color deceives continually." 
-Josef Albers

Description:

• Joseph Albers (March 19, 1888 – March 26, 1976) worked at Yale in their Design Department. He spent 26 years experimenting with the interaction of color.  He discovered that colors can trick your eyes, colors can be loud and soft, and they can even disappear.  Students experimented with high and low contrast colors.  An Albers mural was then constructed using student work.

Vocabulary: 

• contrast
• complementary colors
• after-image

Resources:

• An Eye for Color: The Story of Josef Albers by Natasha Wing

Materials: 

• construction paper
• primary and secondary colored squares plus black and white

Examples of Student Artwork:

2nd Grade Mural



3rd Grade Mural

September 2016 - Wish Tree Project

2^nd-3^rd Grade

Project Title: Wish Tree Project

Description:

• Students brainstormed a variety of goals they wished to achieve during the 2016-17 school year.  Definitions for the words hope, dream and wish were discussed and student thinking explored. Students wrote their wish on one side of the tag and then illustrated that wish on the other.

Vocabulary: 

• hope
• dream
• wish
• art installation

Resources:

• School Arts magazine – Wish Tree Project lesson

Materials: 

• fluorescent cardstock 
• paint markers
• laminate

Examples of Student Artwork: