Second grade used small cardboard looms to create their mini tapestries. They each wrapped their warp strings and wove their weft strings in. They made sure to have all of the ends of their weft string hang on the same side (which would later become the fringe at the bottom). They took 3 classes to weave this project, tie their ends and remove it from their looms. I assisted them by hot gluing popsicle sticks onto the backs. The students finished this lesson by twisting a wire onto the stick so that they could be easily displayed on their walls at home!
Over at Anna McDonald, third grade explored another form of fiber art with their free form embroideries. The students learned how to make running stitches, back stitches, cross stitches and french knots. They practiced each on a small piece of burlap and looked at how other artists have used needles and thread to create amazing designs (from molas from Panama to contemporary fiber artists). Students were allowed to stitch any design or image on their final piece of burlap.
Kindergartners spent the month of September learning the routines in the art room. We practiced how to use glue bottles, how to use scissors, how to trace shapes, how to color with markers, and how to properly use and clean paint supplies. We will review these procedures all year as we keep creating!
As I am writing this, I am realizing that while we made collages, painted our landscapes, and created our leaf paintings with bleeding tissue paper, I barely took ANY photos! The two painting photos are both from last year, oops!