Making nocturnal (glow in the dark) stuffed animals with Cataldo's class

 Every once in a while I get the ooportunity to go into one of my own children's classes and teach a lesson as a mom- it's one of my favorite things to do!

My kindergartner's class was learning about nocturnal animals so I taught an extension by making nocturnal animal stuffed animals with them. They picked which nocturnal animal they had previously studied that interested them the most and they determined the most important qualities for that animal to survive (like a frog's skin or patterns to warn off predators). They sketched their animals in their art journals with all of the specific qualities they wanted to include. Then they drew the animal on large paper. Next, they put white fabric over the paper and traced the drawing onto fabric. Now it was ready for painting, sewing and stuffing!

Pre-drawing/planning in their art journals

 

transferring his sketch to the fabric

 

sketching

 

just starting to paint on their animal drawings- with glow in the dark paint!

 

after drawing, painting and sewing, we add the fluff inside!!

Lovin' the fluff!!!

 

completed stuffed animal next to the original sketch- I am so enamored with the sketches.

 

6th grade color theory choice project

 

Here is just a small glimpse of the pompom pillows some of the 6th graders made for their final color project. For their final project before the quarter ended Mrs. Slats and I gave them three choices to choose from, one of the choices being making lots of pompoms out of a chosen color scheme and turning them into a pillow. Loved how cool they turned out!!

 

 

 

 

 

a light drawing comeback

During our recent half day I couldn't resist adding in a little light drawing for the day. I can never get enough of making these photos and seeing the kid's faces when they look at them!!! Check out the bottom picture where a 5th grader made a stick figure- awesome!!!!!!!!

 

 

Mobile labels ;)

We packed up the mobiles (THANK YOU to my mom helpers!!!) so they wouldn't become tangled on the way home. On the outside the kids filled out this reflection form.

 

 

 

Mobiles!!!

 

Oh my goodness! These are such stunning mobiles that I'm having a hard time not putting a picture up from every student!!

 

These mobiles are a cumulating result of months of work. We have wrapped many skills, creative concepts, new art standards and art history into this one project. Best of all- KIDS LOVE TO BUILD....so after we made all of the stuff that would be on our mobiles, I let them loose to construct them and it was a constant buzz of activity.

 

My favorite part of teaching (other than just being with the kids ;)) is when we get really deep into a project and they keep going. They uncover new methods and ideas as they work through old ones. We sure hit that spot with this project!

 

Enjoy viewing these deliciously great mobiles!!!!!!!