Halloween Time

In the spirit of Halloween, I am just sharing some cute ideas for classroom. Happy Halloween everyone!

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a point in the on-going art show debate

I had a conversation with my CT yesterday that made me re-think my opinion regarding the art show. I thought that it would be difficult to tell the students that the best 5 pieces of art would get to be showcased at UNBC and the rest would not. I sympathize (and still do) with the argument made that some students are just always good at art and others may never be recognized. There may be one student that tries really hard and puts a lot into a piece that still is not considered in the top five. However, my CT reminded me that not every student will be good at art. There will be five students that are really good and everyone in the class will know it. But a good teacher finds everyone's strengths in different areas....in the real world we will not all be recognized for art or our math skills, etc...so it is okay to recognize only five students for their art work. She did caution me though, to not tell the class about the show, if the students who are asked to be in it want to share that with others, that is okay but I don't need to announce it and make it into a competition. Anyways I am taking this advice because I agree that recognizing everyone for everything they do is not necessarily real world nor helpful to the child. 

Monochromatic Colour Theory

I am sure some of you are like me and are very excited for our upcoming practicum, yet also a little nervous. I thought the nerves would decrease this semester, as we have already had a practicum. I was wrong. There are different and new concerns now: a new CT, a new class, a new PS, a new grade, older kids, an EA, a new school, different curriculum, rows of desks, different attitudes, a new principal, new subjects to teach (French, Fine Arts).....the list goes on. 

But despite my nerves I am really looking forward to leaving university behind for a little while and focusing on the practical applications of our learning. It helps that I have an amazing CT, staff to work with, and a great group of kids! All this to say that I am looking forward to teaching my Art lessons. I really struggled writing them. I was trying to include everything, while keeping art interesting, yet educational and thinking about assessment and behavioural management. Somehow I feel like in this practicum I need to take a more serious approach regarding assessment and diversity...which can be difficult. 

Anyways I was just going to share the idea that I found for my linked lessons in case anyone wants to use it. Mine was on colour theory and I used a neat website 'Kerpoof' for the worksheet and the digital colour wheel. The colour wheel is pretty neat. You can mix paint colours online!!! In other words you can make secondary and tertiary colours! It's a neat and mess free way that kids can explore how colours are created before you put a bunch of paint in front of them. After we worked through the website, I had the students create their very own monochromatic colour scheme background which involves a hue, and different tints (mixing white with the hue) and shades (mixing black with your hue). The final lesson involves creating a silhouette on top of their monochromatic background. So the lesson takes the students through a brief history of the colour wheel, some basic colour theory and vocab, and then teaches them how to apply their knowledge. 

Needless to say, I learned a lot about colour theory that I never knew (or perhaps forgot a long time ago). So hopefully my lessons will be successful and I will have 28 beautiful monochromatic art pieces to share with everyone in the UNBC art show! 
Good luck teaching your fine arts lessons everyone! 

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Just Dance

I was wondering recently how energizers would look in a grade 6/7 class and was given some neat ideas. Then today Chyanne gave me such a fun idea. When she was in her classroom observing, her CT told all the kids that they were going to do a quiz..and as this wasn't on the schedule they all were annoyed and made the 'aawwweee really' whine. Then she went over turned the lights out and the SMARTboard on to reveal a Just Dance game.....they are on YouTube. (I think she is in Grade 5/or 5/) anyways they loved it!! Even a girl with crutches was dancing! So just thought I would share this neat idea....that covers DPA, an energy booster and a bit of fine arts (dancing and coordination). Check it out!!!
Awesome Dance Video