4th grade and The Dot

My 4th graders are working on creating art inspired by the story The Dot. We watched a really great You Tube video of the dot being read.  Then we discussed patterns and abstract compositions.  The students used any and everything in the art room to create circles and dots all over their papers with Sharpie markers.  Next week we will use liquid watercolors and add color to our Dot inspired works.

What to do the first week of school

I think every teacher, especially a specials teacher wonders what to do the first week of school.  We always make portfolios that we use to store and sort all the students art work during the school year.  I hold on to most of my students art for art shows and for displays. Each grade level makes one of these portfolios except kindergarten.  Kindergarten makes an art book but that is for another post.

I have each student use a manilla paper for the front and a colored paper for the back. We use 18x11 paper as I find that this fits nicely into my storage cubbies and it also holds all the papers we use for most projects with just a little sticking out. I have each student put their name really large on the front of the folder along with their teacher name and grade somewhere on the front too.  I use this opportunity to teach a lettering lesson for each grade.  For 3rd, 4th and 5th we discuss block and bubble lettering as well as positive and negative space.  The older students also put patterns on the inside of their letters.  Many of the students take it above and beyond with their creativity.  With my younger students we practice writing really BIG letters (always a challenge) and then I encourage them to turn their letters into creatures or different objects.  They can also place their name in a unique environment like outer space or the mountains. To staple the folders I have the older students use 4 to 5 staples for the 2 short sides and the bottom leaving the top open creating a pocket folder.  I staple the folders for the younger studets which may seem like a lot but I just do one table at a time while they are working on them in class.

These projects help me and my students get organized while starting the year off with fun and easy art that everyone enjoys making.

Welcome Back Anderson Artists!!!

I can't believe it is the beginning of a new school year already.  I hope everyone had a fun and relaxing summer.  I had a wonderful time traveling with my family and our dogs.  We had plans to go to the beach but we are flexible at home just like at Anderson and instead we went to Michigan.  It was AMAZING and I highly recommend a trip there if you ever have the chance.  We drove all the way there with our 5th Wheel travel trailer and our 2 dogs.  We spent time at the Great Lakes and at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Shore Area.  Lots of hiking and swimming and we even snuck in a little shopping too.

I am excited to begin my 12th year teaching art at Anderson and I know that we are going to make some masterpieces together this year.  If you made any cool art this summer I would love to see it and I can't wait to hear all your stories about your summer vacations. See you at meet the teacher night this Friday.

Yearbooks are Here!!!!!!!

Yearbooks will be distributed during the yearbook signing party.  The signing party will be hosted during students’ specials class times on Friday June 1^{st (last day of school)}.  All students will have the opportunity to fellowship with friends, join in some spirit songs and sign yearbooks.

Students who did not purchase a yearbook have the opportunity to make a signature book in art with Ms. Cromley or purchase a yearbook in the front office on Thursday May 31^st. 

We have a very limited number of these books to sell and it will be first come first served.  The all color yearbooks cost $25.00 and must be purchased using cash with exact change. If you purchase a book in the office we will hold it for your student and distribute them with all other yearbooks.

If you are unsure if you purchased a yearbook all classroom teachers, Ms. Cromley and Ms. Blandford have a list of students who pre-purchased a yearbook. If your student will not be at school to receive their pre-purchased yearbook please contact Ms. Cromley (cromleyc@friscoisd.org or 469-633-2342) to make alternate arrangements for yearbook pick-up.

                                                                   Thank You

                                                                    Ms. Cromley

                                                                           and

                                                                    Ms. Blandford

                                                                Yearbook advisers

Summer fun is here!!!!

We have had a fantastic year this year on the Specials Team. I work with some amazing teachers who also happen to be my best friends.  I am one lucky lady!!!

I wanted to wish all my students and their families a safe and fun summer.  Remember to go out there and create some art.  You can take a class, go to an art camp, or just bust out the sidewalk chalk and color outside in our beautiful Texas weather.  I will be going to Galveston Texas to the beach. Then I will be heading off to Branson Missouri and Nashville Tennessee this summer.  I would love to see pictures and/or drawings from the fun places you all go this summer.  Enjoy your vacation and I will see everyone in August.

                                                                             Love
                                                                                Ms. Cromley

5th Grade Initial Zentangles

I thought it would be fun to end the year with a crowd pleaser of an art project.  My 5th graders are making Initial Zentangles that I can laminate for them to place inside their lockers next year when they move on to middle school.  Hopefully it will be a nice reminder of the fun times they spent in art during their 6 years at Anderson.  I will miss you all and I wish you all the best.  Remember to "Be The Stars That You Are"!!!!
Love Ms. Cromley

Marbelized Eggs

Second Grade watched the Reading Rainbow Rechenka's Eggs by Patricia Polacco. We drew 3 eggs on our papers and created designs inside and then traced with Sharpie marker.  To marbleize our eggs we put a layer of shaving cream down on the table and then dripped either warm or cool liquid watercolors on top.  We then used the handle end of our paint brush to swirl the color throughout the shave cream.  We then gently pressed our papers onto the shave cream and peeled back to see the beautiful results.

Many of my students remark that it looks like frosting so.........to make this project edible you could use Cool Whip or Whip cream in place of the shave cream and then use food coloring instead of liquid watercolors.  It would be fun to dip cupcakes or cookies in the cream and see what happens.  I think you could even roll out cookie dough and then lay the cookie dough on top of the cream to create a marbleized surface on cut out cookies.  It is fun to experiment with art techniques and see what cool results you might get.