As I stated in my previous post- I have spent quite a bit of time over this summer creating games that we can use in class to enhance art content. I learned a lot at the first school that I taught at and one of the most striking lessons for me was what a great learning tool SORTING is.
I watched my then 4 year old learn fabulous reading and analyzing skills from sorting out words by syllables, same starting letter, same number of letters, etc, etc. I also LOVED watching him come up with his own ways to sort words....hello creative thinking!
So I try to implement sorting (especially with my Kindergartners) into my lessons as often as I can.
I have a love/hate relationship with the Elements of Art. They are obviously necessary, great tools to use and good way to enter into looking at/discussing a piece of art.....but I remember when I was taught them in my own childhood- they bored me. I try diligently to make sure when I teach these elements I am weaving them into our projects and not setting them out as terms they must learn and rules they must follow.
I thought sorting would be a great way to further extend learning the Elements of Art. I installed a magnetic board by the drawing station (I'll explain the station later) in my room. I painted simple illustrations of examples of each element, as well as headings, on paper for acrylic painting. I sealed them with matte varnish and slapped a magnet on the back of each one. Happy sorting!
I also scanned and color printed several sets that I will laminate so we can do the activity as a class. I tested them out on my own daughter going into Kindergarten and was thrilled that by the end of sorting them just a few times she was noticing the difference between "shape" and "form" in objects all over the house for the following days ;).
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