HBL: Art Card Game

Hi Teachers, this week, my students will be doing HBL using word cards. I've compiled multiple options for the children so that they will have a wide range of materials to choose from at home. Some of them even uploaded videos on SLS when they are 'performing' the adverbs. Please watch the video to find out more! 

 

Art Class: Animal Collage

Hi Teachers, my students are making collage this term. We started the unit by looking at Henri Matisse's artwork, L'escargot (1953) and talked about his life and artist qualities. Here's a video demonstrating the artmaking process. 

Art Class: Puppets Making

These DIY puppets look too cute! If you have missed this lesson, click here. I provided my students with some art materials before the circuit breaker and these are what they have come up with. We did an online gallery view by looking at everyone's puppets on SLS. Some households lack strong adhesives to fix the materials so I applied some white glue before collecting them in a box. I see a lot creative ideas using common household items, it was a pleasure looking at their works. 

Art Class: Making a Book

Hi teachers, building on our previous lesson, my students will be making a DIY book this week. The characters in their stories will be based on the puppets that they have made. For their online learning, they'll also be required to summarise their story in one sentence. I look forward to reading their stories!

Art Class: Puppets Making

Hi! Here is the what the students will be making this week. I introduced a short video about Ventriloquist, Darci Lynne. Then, we move on this. I have plans for students to create a puppet show when school reopens in June. I'll see what they come up with. I've explored with various video-making apps and I think Inshot is so far the best free app I've tried. 

HBL: No Tripod, No Problem!

I just figured out a way to set up my camera so that the top-down view is above my head while I sit comfortably to record my lesson. As I have a shelf fixed above my desk, I can’t place my tripod on my desk but I could remove the quick release and attached the camera mount. I needed the camera mount (grey) to be fixed horizontally and I tried tape initially but my phone was too heavy and it couldn't hold. Finally, I attached a 3M hook that can hold a mass of 3.5kg and tied a twine to the camera mount. It was stable and a good distance from my desk. I could even close my cupboard door! You can view the video below which I've embedded in Student Learning Space (SLS).  

Art Class: Form & Balance (3,2,1 Reflection)

Another observation that I've noticed is that there is a vast mismatch between their eloquence and their writing skills. Some children can present themselves so well that I almost assumed they have comparable skills in other areas of the English language. I had a little heart attack when I received their written reflection. These 3,2,1 reflections (see below) required only short answers but I had them corrected numerous times.

How I set the pace in class is when I know that the students were clear about what they need to do in their reflection from the previous lesson, I would transit to the new lesson unit by giving new instructions for the new unit and students who have cleared their reflections would embark on the new task while the ones who needs help in writing will come to me for one-to-one conferencing. 

Art Class: Form & Balance II

Stories serve as a useful platform to share about values and good habits. Since the children could tell me about the characteristics of Roberto in the story, there is a common understanding between us when I reminded them about helping friends in need using their skills and talents.

The children designed and planned their playground on paper and used Makedo components to saw and join the cardboard pieces to create 3D structures. A group innovated by using a girl's hair band to propel a marble down a ramp. Another group created a marble tube by using toilet paper rolls. The more ideas are shared, the more ideas they have! 

Art Class: Form & Balance

Recently, I attended a workshop by Dr Andrea Kantrowitz. The activities were more practical than theorical which was something we could adapt in school and I was curious about how she linked ideas. There were bits and pieces of work that I had done in school before but not in a context which she had shown us during the workshop. For example, the participants manipulated papers in pairs and groups interchangeably and using paper circuits in a dark room. 

This term, my students started with a story about Roberto The Insect Architect. Alternatively, you can show this animation. Then, we talked about an artist, Han Sai Por (1993) artwork and artworks from another paper artist. Based on prior experience, I think it's a good idea to show the students a few ways to cut and fold the papers and I always tell them you can't learn to be a good swimmer by watching a few swimming videos, you've got to practise it on your own. 

They are using white glue instead of the glue stick as they stay on longer. Asking them to recite a dot is a lot before using the white glue does the trick! My consolation was that I had only one kid who smeared the glue all over his hand 😩. The white glue were distributed in smaller containers to each group of students and applied with an ice-cream stick. 

Art Club: Mark Making

Primary Two children did mark making with unconventional materials. They explored different ways to make marks and learnt from observing their friends. I gave them specific instructions not to let paint touch their hands because I know a few will. So if I do allow them to touch the paint, they will probably use their whole arms! Prior to individual work, the children painted on canvas and we had a class discussion by comparing the paintings.

Art Class: Water art

The P2 children ended the semester with water art! We did orizomegami and water marbling. I was really glad to discover that my DIY paint holder could hold water well for the entire class duration. It was the right size for the children to contain water and empty it on their own. The first time when I tried this, I had to prepare everything myself using 7 excessive large plastic containers and that process was deemed too ineffective. 

The first 2 photos below show orizomegami by adults and I omitted a step to facilitate the artmaking process in class. Before I conduct any lessons, I will run the entire process and anticipated any hiccups in my mind's eye. Even though the children will not have define patterns as I decided to simplify the artmaking, they were still very fascinated by the process.

Art Class: Possibilities With Papers [Part II]

The children read a poem, Larry the Line, written by Cassie Stephens and we look at art vocabulary related to lines such as horizontal, vertical, diagonal, curves and straight. They were encouraged to manipulate the given pipe cleaners named Larry and incorporate it into their artwork. 

At this point, I would have enough time to assess the children's readiness of using scissors in their next project. The children took a break from cutting and pasting and we learnt simple colour theory by making their own colour wheel and blending the oil pastels. We also revisited the book Mouse Paint that they have read last year.

Colour Wheel

Cleaning their oil pastels

Their final project started with a class discussion of Sculpture. We looked at artist, Han Sai Por's Tetrahedron-tetrahedron Interprenetration (1993) fiberglass sculpture and compare the resemblance of her artwork to origami. Sometimes, the choice of medium is a great consideration depending on the intent or placement of the artwork. So, the children proceeded to make their own self-portraits using coloured papers. Assuming their scissors skills is fine, they can decide on the colour scheme and think in layers and do overlapping. 

This cracks me up a lot!