Primary

Kindergarten: Learning About Mondrian

To introduce the primary colors, students learned about the paintings of Piet Mondrian. Focusing on the types of lines Mondrian used in his paintings (horizontal, vertical, and diagonal), students created their own version based on his work. Students were also introduced to color mixing techniques.

1st grade: Facial Expressions

Students explored different ways of relating emotion to facial expressions by creating accordion/self-portrait books. Students practiced drawing their favorite facial expressions, by looking at mirrors, and then created a portrait for each expression. As a class we discussed why each student chose those facial expressions and related them to certain memories and events.

5th grade: Exquisite Corpse/ African Art Books

Using the Surrealist game (exquisite corpse) as motivation, students created a 4-page book structure based on African Art. Inspiration included, sculptural figures, tribal patterns and symbols, masks, and decorative objects. Each week students created a figural drawing based on African themes. Each drawing becomes a page in their book. A different drawing material was used for each page- Ink, colored pencil, and watercolor. Students also learned how to bound their books and design covers.