4th Grade Geometric and Organic Shape Cut-Outs

     During this project 4th graders focused on identifying geometric and organic shapes. We started with three different colored papers. We folded each paper individually and started cutting! One paper had to be cut using geometric shapes, one with organic shapes, and one for both geometric and organic. Once we were done with the folding and cutting we layered them on top of one another to get these great results!

4th Grade Still Life Project

4th Graders used their observation skills to create these beautiful still life drawings using objects found in the art room.

Winter Greeting Card Contest

Every year our school district has a Winter Greeting Card Contest. There were over 200 creative entries, and I can tell students really tried their best! From Madison school there were 3 winners and 3 runners up. I also chose a winner from my 4th grade class at Pleasant Lane. The winners get their cards printed, displayed, and sent out around the district, as well as their winning design displayed on the local tv station (videos to come)! Runners up won the chance to get their cards printed out to take home and give to family members. Congratulations to all of our winners, and thanks to all who participated!

Here are some of our winners!

4th Grade Georgia O'Keeffe Leaves

4th Grade students spent about 2 weeks learning about the artist Georgia O'Keeffe! We started by taking a look at all of her nature inspired artwork. Students learned that Georgia O'Keeffe was an American artist who was inspired by some of the places she lived.

As a class, we discussed how Georgia O'Keeffe became known for zooming in on the subject matter in her paintings. 4th Graders noticed that some of the natural objects she painted even looked abstract!

When it was time to start our own works of art we briefly discussed analogous color schemes and how to use them in our own art.  We took a look at some more works by O'Keeffe that focused on leaves, which was something very apparent in our own environment!

4th Graders got to work using chalk pastels to create their own Georgia O'Keeffe inspired leaf artwork, and here are some of the results!

I love all of the colors in this one!

Kandinsky School Mural

My first project of the year was done with help from all of the students at Madison School! On the first day of class students were given a blank 4x4" square to decorate. My only guidelines for the project were that each student had to include: their name, hobbies or interests, and shapes. I mentioned that we were going to collaborate with other classes to create an "all-school painting". Every class was excited to see how the painting would be put together to create their own giant mural! We briefly discussed unity, and how we wanted the result to look good, while still allowing for individual creativity. In order to solve this problem students used shapes just like Wassily Kandinsky did in his painting"Concentric Circles".

Kandinsky "Concentric Circles"

 Students then incorporated their interests by either writing or drawing them in their shapes!

In my example I chose to stay with circles. I made sure to emphasize that their are no mistakes in art. Even Kandinsky didn't make perfect circles in his painting!

After drawing out their designs students learned about the "resist" painting technique and colored in their squares by using crayons and watercolor paint.

The best part of the project, other than getting to know all of my new students, was to see everyone's reaction after our mural was officially installed!

Here is a look at our finished project: