Merry Christmas Eve!

Hope everyone enjoys the warmth of spending time with your families this break!

Morels are perfect any time of the year!

A sparkling white Christmas!

A short special group meeting

I love the coLAR app!  So do these fourth graders!

Too much fun!

Who ordered the full moon the week before Christmas Break?!

As we wrap up the end of second quarter, some students are scrambling to finish their W.O.W. pieces, which were due this morning.  Students have been reminded weekly that they are due and have known about them since the beginning of the quarter and the pending due dates.  That being said, I have received some fabulous artwork this quarter!

My demo this week consisted of how to draw the Grinch.  Many students partook in this drawing activity!

I have taken the Dragonfly Studio class pet, Gumball home for the winter break.  He is happily residing on my daughter's dresser.

I will be keeping him at home for the remainder of the school year.  I have informed some of my classes that I will be having surgery at the end of January.  I will be out of work for six weeks for my recovery, but look forward to feeling much healthier in the near future.  I am blessed to have Mrs. Hamblock stepping in to cover my numerous rolls of art teacher and interventionist.

This morning we had our annual Sing-A-Long!  Great way to get in the holiday spirit!

Hope everyone has a wonderful break!  See you next year!

Paper plate weaving demo

For the past week, students have been exploring the new Fibers Studio.  My short demo today was a paper plate weaving project.  Many kids chose participate in the weaving!

You can spy some great marble sculptures being built in the background as well.  There are so many individual disciplines at work in the Dragonfly Studio.  The students are loving the creative expressive freedom this year!

Look at the engagement level with these boys!  Fantastic learning being experienced.

We opened not one, but two new studios this week!

These future water slide engineers are hard at work in the new 3D studio!

These girls loved experimenting with the Splat Mats!

 

The Fibers studio has also been a big hit with the beading and yarn braiding!

What a pretty bracelet!

New 4th Grade Friday Group

This week, I started meeting with a new group of 4th graders on Fridays.  We are excited to start reading Mystery at Blackbeard's Cove.  We started out the session with a team building activity about imagining ourselves on a deserted island where you could bring one piece of music, a book and one luxury item.  We ended the session with bringing out artwork to life!  Check out the fun pictures!

Such a fantastic app!  

Math and Art? Whaaaatttt?!

This week a couple of grade levels were exposed to the amazement of how math and art can be combined in a piece of artwork through the magic of fractions and some hungry students wanting pie slices, "Even Steven!"

Be sure to ask your third grader about it!

Fourth graders are finishing up their masks.  Some chose to tie in the cultural building activity by embracing the Dia De Los Muretos books we read in class two weeks ago.  I can't wait to upload the WOW piece ones to Artsonia!  Students may use their mask as a WOW piece this quarter.

Adding some BLING to our masks!

Some students are painting this week as well.  This week was our last week of plastering the molds.  Some students opted not to create a mask and the wonderful magic of TAB is that is fine.  Everyone does not like to get their hands messy, but they have seen the process. 

Students:  Your second W.O.W. piece for this school year is due November 22nd.  Remember you are to have worked on a W.O.W. piece for at least two full class sessions.  You may begin one at home and finish it in the Dragonfly Studio.  Projects are to be finished in the Dragonfly Studio unless previous arrangements have been made with me.  

I'm happy to report many students have already submitted their pieces and I am getting them uploaded Artsonia!

New mini-studio!

This week in the Dragonfly Studio, students explored the art of printmaking! This is a mini-studio, which means it will come and go as student interest grows.  Students painted rubber leaves with metallic tempera paint and made prints.  

Also be sure to check out your child's Artsonia account and leave them comments!  It's a great way to share your child's artwork with family as well!  You should have received a handout from your child's teacher at conferences with information about the digital exhibits this school year.  Make sure to register and confirm your account.

Busy printmakers in action.

Not too busy to give me a smile, though!

Building with straws and puzzle pieces require great focus!

Some children love to "think BIG!"

Loving the use of technology to explore great art websites, such as The Art Institute of Chicago!

Has your child mentioned the Dragonfly Studio this year?  What are they enjoying the most?  What are they looking forward to?

Short week at PES for me!

Tomorrow morning, I am leaving for the annual IAEA (Illinois Art Educators Association) conference.  It's always fun to connect and network with other art teachers!

Here are a couple pictures from the Dragonfly Studio this week.  We discovered Spirographs in the drawing studio and a couple boys had a great time with wiggle eyes!

The kids all seem to be loving the creative freedom they are given with TAB in the Dragonfly Studio!  What does your child think?