We have been studying the principles of art in class, and this month we took a closer look at movement in famous art pieces. Students explored artists’ use of shape, space, and color through a visual thinking strategy to inspire and give their own work a sense of direction.

The next week, everyone got to work cutting shapes out of tissue paper and creating layered patterns with Mod Podge on 8″x10′ canvasses. Once this step was complete, students worked with a partner to decide which pose they wanted photographed and partners helped decide how that pose could demonstrate a particular movement across the canvass. Last week, students completed the final step of this project by using their photo as a template to cut out additional shapes of themselves.

Finally, we played around with form using their cut outs until students were happy with the movement on the canvas. They used one final coat of Mod Podge to complete their work! We will be submitting them to the Treetop Gallery for the Young Masters Youth Exhibition, which will be displayed from February 28th through March 31st.

Usually 5th and 6th graders spend Thursday afternoons reading to their buddies, but today we switched it up! Kindergarteners are becoming stronger readers and wanted to show off their new skills to the big kids. They used popsicle sticks to point to each word as their buddy guided them along. It was wonderful to see what they could do! 

This year’s history theme is American history and students have spent the last couple of months digging into our nation’s past by learning all about the 13 original colonies. To create colony “balloons,” students broke into groups of 2 and were assigned one of the original 13 colonies to do some research on with a graphic organizer. They used several suggested websites, an article I provided for them, and their history books to research with reliable sources.

Everyone then drew the outline of their colony on a large piece of white butcher paper. Drawing their colony to scale wasn’t a requirement; they needed them to be large enough to show all the required information. They found ways to use pictures and diagrams to show what they had learned about the colony and on the back, groups worked together to write a paragraph summarizing the most important parts of the history of the colony.

When groups were done, they used shredded paper from the office and stapled their project shut. They look so great hanging up in our classroom!

On Fridays, 5th and 6th graders start out their morning by looking at images to inspire creative writing. Every student looks forward to showing how well they can use dialogue, description, and action to engage their audience. 

We made our classroom festive and colorful this last week with a directed drawing art project. We looked at several examples of classic nutcrackers and noted features they all shared. Then, students received guidance on proportions to make all drawings similar, but were encouraged to make their own unique in some way. The next day, we used glitter, metallic paint, sharpies, and color pencils to make them vibrant and cheerful.

By reading several articles on different websites and watching short videos in class, we’ve been discussing the event that lead up to America’s independence from England. Creating a bulletin was a fun way to display our learning last week. Students got into groups and traced each other’s feet. Then, they wrote the year and main event on the cut-out foot, chose a picture from Google images, and wrote a paragraph by paraphrasing a website from a list of resources on their topic.

Recently in Room 5, we ended our Narrative Writing Unit with a writing celebration! Students got to travel around the classroom. Using their narrative writing criteria checklist, they left specific feedback notes on their classmate’s desk, received a treat, and nominated their peers to read sections of their narrative. It was a great way to end such a fun writing unit!

6th graders will now be able to help look for the best deals at grocery stores. During our most recent math unit on ratios, we’ve learned about unit rates and how food companies price items at the stores. Students looked at pictures of these prices this week to compare them and find the better bargain.

In science, we’ve been learning about and discussing the function of organelles within their cells. We had fun looking at a comic by “Beatrice the Biologist” and used her comic art as inspiration for our own interdisciplinary science and art lesson. 

Last week students completed their first art piece in class. Every year, students work intently on recreating a Yosemite wildflower of their choosing. The pieces get submitted into an annual at contest at the Yosemite’s Ansel Adams Gallery.