Sub-Kit

sorry, couldn't locate a source for this photo

This might take a while to complete (I rarely take a sick day), but I found my newest and best (I think) ever sub plan. Are you like me?  I rarely plan for those days when I have to be out and end up dashing around madly pulling things together last minute and being hectic when least want to.  

This image inspired me to put a sub kit together that includes a lesson plan, markers and pre-cut papers. Now I'm always prepared with a grab and go lesson.  The entire project stays in the box until 500 (or thereabouts) papers are collected and a final design is made.  

The hands look fabulous, but I think we'll change it up a bit.  Peace Sign? Dove? Butterfly? What would you do?

  

Pre-School Snip and Print Valentine

A taped area on the table is painted pink and red.  On the paint we place our paper hearts.  

We roll the paper and pull our prints.

Shrinky Dink Skeletons

Here's a small selection of Shrinky Dinks that I'm getting ready for the oven. Fifth graders practiced skeleton drawing then  when they got one they liked they put the Shrinky Dink plastic on top and traced with a Sharpie.  To shrink them, line your pan with parchment paper so they won't stick and bake at 250 degrees.  Keep an eye on them...it will take 10 minutes more or less.  You'll know when they're close because they will curl up and you'll think they're ruined.  Don't worry. Be patient and give them more time in the oven and they will flatten out.  You can bake them just as show, but trimmed around the skeleton and punched a hole with a hand punch.  A jump ring finishes off the charm. Kids love 'em.
Sorry I don't have the after pics.  They didn't hang around long enough.  But believe me they were over the moon cute.

Thumbprint Pumpkins

Loved this. Thumbprint pumpkins and third grade.  Kids loved printing their fingers and then creating a cast of Pumpkin-Head Characters.  I had some examples from my sixth graders to show them for inspiration. That got the creative juices going.  We used liquid water color paint for the finger and Flair pen for the details.  In my opinion you can't go wrong when you hand a third grader a nice pen, but this project is engaging for any age...even adults joined in.  There's something meditative about the process.  Most third graders finished three rows in one class, but a few will need a finish up session.  They look lovely mounted on orange paper.  Happy October!

Backyard Flower Mandala

Sixth Grade Self-Portraits

Sixth graders are finishing up their self-portraits this week and I'm really proud of their progress.  Our focus has been on proportion, placement, and value in drawing realistic portraits.  We did a lot of work in our sketchbooks where we created a value scale, and practiced drawing individual facial features.  The final project was to create a realistic self-portrait using what we had learned.  To create these, students began by toning the paper lightly with their pencil.  They worked from a similar size black and white photo.  To help with placement students folded their photo two ways and drew corresponding lines on their paper dividing it into four blocks.  Working with one feature at a time students found they could use the center point as a handy reference for placing things correctly on the page.  The lines were erased out as the went along.
Nice job sixth grade.  

Children's Hand Mandala

If you're looking for a quick and easy sub plan for your kids this may fit the bill.  I had to be out one day last week and while I was out kids began work on a community mandala.  Now our "Handala" is coming together and almost ready to hang.  In this lesson kids learned that a mandala is a circular design.  The word mandala comes from the Sanskrit language and means "circle".  Sanskrit is an ancient Indian language.  Mandalas aren't just found in India.  They are found all over the world and in many diverse cultures.  They are considered sacred designs.  The round shape of the mandala represents the whole world, everything in it, and the universe beyond.  It also represents our inner world of our heart, thoughts, feelings, emotions, understandings and experiences.  Each of us is an important and unique member our school community.  In this project kids were to trace their hand and fill it in with a design that represents their interests and personalities.  Their hands came together to form our precious mandala.
I can't remember where I first saw this project, but it may have been at the Hanigan Linwood Art Room blog.   If you have this lesson posted and would like a link to your blog or image leave a comment and I'll hook you up.