I've recently been given the wonderful opportunity to try out some of the projects that will be included in the Early Works program with a grade 6 class. I thought it would be a good idea to document the process (over 4 classes) and then blog about it. This way the students and their parents could take a look as well as anyone else interested in Early Works.
This was my first experience teaching a whole class and I LOVED it! Madame Hoye has such a lovely group of students. I was nervous when I first got there but everyone was so welcoming, polite, and calm. The students listened intently and asked wonderful questions. At the end of class, when asked what they had learned, their answers astounded me. One student mentioned that the process was almost more important than the finished piece, another realized that art can be a reminder of the emotions one feels while creating.
Awesome!
We started by creating mood boards, which i thought might be a little advanced, but the students exceeded my expectations. The finished boards blew my mind. The next class I explained brainstorming, showed them mind-mapping, and demonstrated how to create thumbnails. These exercises helped them come up with their design for the next project... to use a recycled container to create packaging for an "ability". The ability could be anything at all - flying, time travel, turn anything to chocolate, etc.
Again, the students produced amazing work. Some of the mind maps and finished concepts made me realize how sophisticated kids can be when using art as a means of communication. I'm excited to share all their work here! Congratulations to Madame Hoye's grade 6 class (who are now, by the way, speaking entirely in French!) for being courageous and remarkable ARTISTS!
8" x 8" surface - foam core / cardboard / card stock / etc.
sticky substance - glue stick / white glue / gel medium
bits & scraps - magazines / material scraps / lint / chewing gum / etc.
After a lesson about the conceptual and technical aspects of the project, students were asked to create a "mood" by collecting and arranging various bits of texture, colours and patterns.
For the second class we spent a lot of time discussing process. Before we started on the next project "the Ability Box", I showed them how to create mind maps and thumbnail sketches. The mind maps helped them to produce fuller concepts for their boxes, including great body text like unusual ingredients, inventive instructions, and warnings. The thumbnails encouraged a large variety of ideas and compositions. Both techniques allowed for stronger, more confident results.
any surface and any drawing instrumentideas / random connections
After creating a few mind maps as a group students were asked to brainstorm on their own.
Next, we moved onto thumbnails and I was amazed at how quickly they all got the idea...
any surface and any drawing instrument
quickly draw out small versions of your ideas / focus on composition / try a variety of comps. for each idea
The Ability Box project was all about package design. Instead of packaging for another useless product however, students were asked to come up with an ability or super power that they would like to give to someone as a gift. This project gets kids to think about the connections between conceptual and visual.
find any recycled box / containerwhite gesso or white paint
felts / paint / fabric / paper / etc.
Decorate the box in a way that expresses the "ability" inside.
Thanks to Madame Hoye and her class for allowing me to share these projects and for helping me realize just how much I love teaching!
