Art Classes

This term’s Art classes had been very challenging for me, especially every Thursdays when I have 7 classes and 5 different grade levels to attend to period after period. It is the day I am most suicidal or homicidal (depending on the prep and clean-up time I need to do all throughout the day …or if I had anything to eat at all).

So to start off, the 1st Graders — after learning how to draw or represent people, animals and objects on paper as drawings — had been learning the many different things they can do with paper. One of their favorites was the Paper Snowflake. I think they still find it perplexing how cutting various shapes out of a folded paper can create these beautiful designs.

Next, I have been teaching 2nd Grade all about the Elements of Art. We did a collage for our lesson on Texture, and it was the most fun the class had as they really tried to be original in their ideas in constructing an image out of various fabrics and materials. I was very impressed with the children’s creativity in this project. I love their ideas!

For 3rd Grade, they had just finished a unit on Cambodian Art. One of their activities was to try out Thu Sophannarith’s simple yet quick and elegant brushstrokes using water color paints. This is probably this grade level’s favorite project because all of them were able to do it and felt a sense of accomplishment in being able to paint in the simplest but a rather beautiful way.

Meanwhile, the 4th Graders are learning about Greek Art. We’ve been discussing about the origins of Theater, and how props, costumes, and backdrops are some of the important visual components of the art form. To kick-start the project, I first had to introduce them to the magnificent world of Greek Mythology. Each class then chose a myth of their liking from which they are to base their backdrop and props for their project. I also told them that they were going to do some acting like the actors of the Greek theater (sans masks). But instead of making a movie as they had initially requested, I suggested that we make a story book instead which will immortalize their acting, their background, and their props. Not only is movie-making time-consuming, but I am certain that the work load’s going to be all on me and I’m not up for that! As of this week, we are through with the photo-shoot and will start making the story book next week. We shall then release the book in the Library for other students to read. The classes had recently seen some of their photographs, and they were all very amused!

Like last year, 5th Grade had been learning about Medieval Art. But I did something a little different this year. I also taught this class Calligraphy, which means introducing them to India Ink, Speedball pens and the various kinds of nibs used by calligraphists. I also introduced them to parchment paper, which they enjoyed using for the very first time. But as of late last month, we had begun learning about Renaissance Art and the Renaissance Man himself, Leonardo da Vinci! To understand how painting was like during his time, we experimented with Egg Tempera. What a mess we made of the classroom last week when we tried it out! There were eggs everywhere!

Greek Art: Theater Backdrop (for Persephone) [Grade 4]

Paper Snowflakes [Grade 1]

Elements of Art: Texture (collage) [Grade 2]

Elements of Art: Texture (collage) [Grade 2]

Greek Art: Theater Backdrop (for Prometheus) [Grade 4]

Cambodian Art: Thu Sophannarith [Grade 3]

Medieval Art: Coat-of-Arms [Grade 5]

Cambodian Art: Thu Sophannarith [Grade 3]

Cambodian Art: Thu Sophannarith [Grade 3]

Greek Art: Theater (Theseus and the Minotaur sample) [Grade 4]

Greek Art: Theater (Orpheus) [Grade 4]