Cards, Cards Everywhere!

As part of our Community Building focus in Wolf Time during December and January one of our activities involved using our artistic skills to make cards for those who might not able to spend time with loved ones during special occasions.  Fifth graders spread winter time holiday cheer by creating holiday cards that were delivered to the folks at Blue Spruce Assisted Living before Winter break. First through fourth graders created Valentine's Cards for those who are in the hospital on Valentine's Day. Today Mrs. Johnston and I stopped by Castle Rock Adventist Hospital and dropped off Valentines Cards made by TTE students. They will be delivered to patients this weekend.  Below is a photo of some of the beautifully designed cards created by our fabulous TTE Artists!

Silver and Gold

Fifth grade students tried their hands at metallic scratchboard. Using a stylus in a variety of ways, they created highlights, shadows and texture.  This whole process required them to think backwards a little bit.  Every mark made on the scratchboard becomes the light, which is usually the opposite of when drawing with a pencil or a marker.  Fifth graders used some prior knowledge of positive and negative space in designing their unique compositions.

WANTED

Third Grade Artists

Wanted For Working Hard in Art Class

Approach With Art Supplies

Last Scene In The TTE Art Room

Reward: Original Artistic Creations

Third graders created "Wanted" posters, with a twist.  They had to be wanted for doing something good.  Students had to brainstorm what they thought was something particularly special about them. It could be a skill, a personality trait, a special talent...etc...   They they created a poster, which was aged by crumpling and dying the paper.  The result are the these fantastically old looking Wanted Posters.

First Grade Grinches

Before Winter Break Ms. Neslson's class drew happy and grumpy Grinches in Art Class.  I meant to post this over break, but time got away from me...but I still wanted to share it with everyone, so it is going up now.  I think you will agree that these are very good renderings of the Grinch. It's hard to believe that they are drawn by first graders!
Below is a picture of some Grinchy students. 

Below are more Grinchy portraits created by Ms. Nelson's fantastic first grade students. 

Nutcrackers

Nutcrackers are a really fun and festive way to learn about how basic shapes can be combined to create a very recognizable subject.  I LOVE Nutcrackers and have quite a collection of German and Bavarian Nutcrackers from growing up in the Netherlands as a little girl.  They are not only a holiday decoration at my house, I leave them up all year!

Ask just about any intermediate grade level student what their favorite second grade project was and you will most likely hear about the Nutcracker project.  This year they are being displayed in the entry of TTE Town Square! Below are some festive pictures of our fantastic Nutcrackers!

Elf Fashion

I meant to post this earlier, but because of winter break I have not been on here.  I wanted to share some fun elf-fashion designs by creative TTE students. 

Elves in the Artroom!

This holiday season there have been many Elves in the Artroom!

It all started last year, when a student brought his elf (Crispy) to school so that I could teach his class how to draw his elf. I asked his elf if it would be possible to get an elf for the art room.  I waited and waited, but no elf showed up.  Christmas came and went and I forgot about my request for an elf.  Fast forward to this year. It has always been my tradition to put my Christmas tree up on Thanksgiving. The next day I woke up and sitting on the tree was a brand new elf, Nigel.  He had a book and letter explaining that he was here based on a request from last year.  Who knew that it took a whole year to get an elf by request?! It was such a great surprise!

Meet Nigel.

He has been all over the art room, making sure students are doing what they are supposed to do in Art Class during these last few weeks before break.  He has proven to be the most helpful elf.  He fixed the broken projector that would overheat and turn itself off after 7 minutes. One day when I got to school he was sitting up there on the projector. It has worked wonderfully ever since then.  I guess I really lucked out and got a helpful elf, rather than a trickster elf.

Over the passed few weeks many elves have come to visit Nigel during Art Class. The first was a vintage elf named Drew.  He is much older than Nigel and they spent a lot of time talking about what the job of an elf entails.  He was such a good mentor to Nigel.

Frosty, a Swedish elf, came for a whole week! He and Nigel hung out and had such a great time talking and playing elf games. One day we even had 9 elves and two reindeer hanging out together. Elf Party in the Art Room!!!! 

Nigel is working on getting a girl elf to come and be a part of the TTE Art Room so that he can have some help watching over so many students. One of our sweet first graders asked her evles (Belle and Fudge) if they would help get a girl elf for the artroom so Nigel would have a friend. Santa said that there was a really good elf-in-training that would be perfect for the job!  Maybe she will show up next year when I put up my tree on Thanksgiving!  I can hardly wait!