el arte

This year in art class, I have been teaching about the seven elements of art: line, shape, color, value, texture, form, and space.  So far, we’ve completed line, and we are halfway through shape. 

Last year my art class was more of an arts and crafts time (because I didn’t have too many spare moments or brain cells after planning reading, writing, vocabulary, math, science, and Spanish to use on planning an art curriculum).  However, this year, things are a little more under control in my classroom, so I am able to focus some energy on art.  Art education is an important piece of a well-rounded curriculum, and it has been proven to help students academically.  Therefore, I am trying my best to do it justice.

I started the little kids out this year with a standard back to school activity where they each make a “mini-me”.

Then we all learned about different types of lines and completed various activities about them.

Next is shape.  Here’s what we’ve done so far.

I had hoped we’d be further by now, but I’m getting used to the fact that I’m never as far as I’d like to be.  Art is the hardest in this regard because I only see each class once a week, and this time slot sometimes gets used for other seasonal or special activities.  Nonetheless, we’re all having fun with it and maybe even learning something!