1st grade birds and nests

Our first graders have been learning about shape and basic geometric form as we study birds. We have learned how to paint and draw birds using basic shapes. Now we are using a special clay to combine shapes and make little 3-D birds and their nests. When we created our birds, we learned about how to create texture by cutting the clay with scissors and by using texture tools to add bumps to our bird nests. Now we are painting our birds. Look for more pictures next week when you will see our beautiful textures eggs and nests!

2nd grade geometric art!

Our 2nd graders have been creating beautiful geometric art as they reviewed basic math lines and shapes. We drew 2 horizontal lines, 2 vertical lines, 2 diagonal lines and 3 circles in different sizes. We identified the shapes we created and then colored our pictures with oil pastels. We added shading and texture to our pictures by adding pattern. If you want to see an amazing display, come see the 2nd grade community art created by putting all of these pictures together. It looks like an amazing crazy quilt!

Our Kindergarten Texture Pumpkin Patch

All the classes in school have been learning about texture during the month of November. We learned that texture is interesting to look at and also to touch. In art, we mimic texture by using colors, dots and patterns. In kindergarten class, we studied pumpkins by touching them and looking at all the patterns and textures that are on a real pumpkin. Then we drew pumpkins and colored them, adding visual texture with our artwork. We hope you come to the school to see this stunning display!

3rd Grade Polynesian Art

The 3rd graders created beautiful polynesian art in celebration of their artist in Residence program in November. These pictures were created in two steps: First, each child painted a beautiful watercolor background in rainbow order, then they painted stunning silhouettes of palm trees. All of these pictures were very unique and very beautiful. They provided an elegant background for the program.

Join Friends of Art Works for Kids!

Dear Reader,

We are asking that you please go to the Artworks for Kids website (artworksforkids.org) and sign up to be a friend of the arts. The legislature needs to know that parents are supportive of funding the arts in our school and this is a great way to do it! We appreciate everything you do to enrich the education of your child.

Thank you,

Elizabeth Sampson

Autumn Glory

The inspiration for this artwork came from the Sax Art website and was called Autumn Glory.

We adapted it a little to fit our time and scheduling restraints and the results were just amazing. This is one of the most popular art projects I have ever done. The students LOVED making rubber stamps and they loved the printing process. We will definitely do more art with these techniques.

The Art Show was Great!

Wow! East Elementary really pulled together and created a beautiful art show and program for Beverley Taylor Sorenson. The walls were decorated with art from every grade level and every student performed in the program. We are so grateful for Beverley and everything she does to promote the arts in our state! I think that the program was especially meaningful because each student was able to participate. The gym was full of parents who came to support the arts in our school and to watch their children perform. Thank you Roosevelt!

Leaf Week!

Dear Parents,

We are having a special program this Friday at 1:00 and we want to invite you. Beverley Taylor Sorenson is visiting our school and she wants to meet with the parents. Every child is performing in the program. We will also have art displayed on the walls.

We have had fun during the past few weeks celebrating the season of fall, and learning about shapes.

Kindergarten has been exploring shape with sponge art and now has been making leaf rubbings.

1st Grade created unique art based on a new book "Pezzetino" by Leo Leonni. Their artwork will be displayed in a mural on Friday, October 23rd when Beverley Taylor Sorenson visits our school. Don't miss it!

2nd grade is working on creating imprints in clay and each child created their very own leaf bowl. Next time they come to art we will paint their bowls.

3rd grade had a wonderful printing project! First we learned how to make a print from leaves and create organic artwork. Then, we made our own rubber stamp of a leaf using foam and each child stamped a unique frame for their artwork. This will also be on display.

We appreciate all the parents who have come to help on our art classroom! Thank you!

Mrs. Sampson

2nd and 3rd Graders are also exploring line!

The whole school is exploring line this month! In the coming week, we are starting our "B" schedule art rotation which includes 2nd and 3rd graders as well as morning kindergarten classes.

In the 2nd grade we have been learning to do line by line drawing as we combined geometric lines and simple curves to draw buildings in the style of the Missions found in the South West. We are going to be adding color, design and pattern to our pictures in the coming week. The big push for 2nd grade is to understand the difference between Organic and Geometric design and then to apply it to their artwork. As we finish our mission pictures we will post pictures. (They are now posted above!) We hope you check back to see them.

The 3rd graders are all learning how to draw. We all got sketchbooks and each week we will work on our drawing skills for a few minutes as a "self-starter" when we first come to class. We learned about the Mola Art of the Kuna Indians who live on the San Blas Islands off the shores of Panama. We analyzed the Molas and determined if the design was geometric, organic or both. Each child sketched a simple Mola in their sketch book. This coming week, we will be creating a Mola design on beautiful black scratch paper. Please check back to see pictures!

Kindergarten Purple Crayon and Navajo Blankets

During the last few weeks, the kindergarten children at East Elementary have also been exploring line.

We read the story "Harold and the Purple Crayon" and then each child drew their own purple crayon adventure. We learned about scribble lines, straight lines, curvy lines, zigzag lines and how to write simple letters.

We are also making very interesting Native American blankets with symmetrical line pattern. Our favorite part has been cutting the fringe!

First Grade Curvy Community

This week the first graders have been learning about CURVY lines. Each child drew a curvy community that was filled with the curvy things they loved the most. We painted our curvy communities and then later in class, each child was given the opportunity to write about their curvy community. We will post pictures when we get everything together.

Home tie in: See if you can see curvy lines and straight lines as you observe the world around you. This is something fun to discuss with your child.

1st Grade Mondrian Cut and Paste

The first grader's in Mrs. Percival's class created unique artwork in the style of Piet Mondrian's "Broadway Boogie Woogie!"  We first looked at Mondrian's artwork and the students listed the interesting things they noticed about it.  We started with lines, squares and rectangles, then added the colors red, yellow, blue and white.  We talked about vertical and horizontal lines.  Each child created their own unique interpretation with strips of red, yellow and blue paper.

Welcome Back!

The trail in this map is leading back to school!   Last spring the 2nd grade students created these beautiful aboriginal "bark paintings" depicting a life  journey.  This year in art we are going to travel "Around the World in 180 Days" in the style of the famous Jules Verne novel. We will visit every continent as we teach geography and cultural art from around the world.   As part of the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program  (BTS ALP)  Your child's classroom teacher and I will be teaching side-by-side to create a truly unique art experience for your child. Come join us on this wonderful adventure!

3rd Grade Polynesian Art

Each 3rd grader created a large watercolor picture of a polynesian scene to decorate the gym for the artist in residence program.  These  pictures were all different and they were all beautiful. The students learned how to block in the picture, create watercolor washes and draw palm trees.

3rd Grade Space Fantasy

This was one of my favorite projects for the school year.  We studied the moon cycle and learned to add shading using different patterns.  As our final project we created this beautiful moonscape using pastel chalks.  Each student used line patterns and choices of color. The final step was to add a moon in one of the phases we had recently learned.

Color Dance at Art Show!

 Mrs. Bostick's class performs the color dance at our Spring Art Show on April 1st, 2009.  We learned about the color wheel in class and then they developed this dance for our art show.  Great Job!

3rd Grade Artists!

All the 3rd graders are getting ready for their artist in residence program by creating beautiful polynesian watercolor paintings.

First, they sketched in their scenery and painted the background colors with watercolors. Then they added a palm tree with oil pastels.

This has been a very fun project!

Poetry Out Loud!

Our school competition was held on Friday, March 13th! We had 82 children compete in all four grades. 212 students participated in classroom competitions throughout the school.