The Ratner School Art Program

I trust everyone had a relaxing and thankful break for Thanksgiving. I enjoyed a great meal with family and friends and am thankful to have a job I love to return to after a short break. We are beginning many shorter term projects between now and our Winter break and have many special events and some field trips planned over the next few weeks. I have not had a blog post for two weeks due to the short weeks for conferences and Thanksgiving, so I hope you enjoy the catch up blog post!

A photo from flicker account Brian104- it certainly captures the season!

Kindergarten Art

I have not had my Kindergarten class for the last two classes, Thanksgiving break and conferences unfortunately fell on their scheduled class times. I hope you enjoyed the thunderbird totems the students created for the study of the Native People of America unit. They are gaining in their control of materials and the class is settled into the expectations of the art program. I look forward to our next unit on Marc Chagall as it is an expressive project enjoyed by this age group.

1st and 2nd Grade Art

Following the construction project of the literature unit, the students asked if they could build with wood in the Maker Space. I agreed and gave the class lessons on how to safely hammer pieces of wood together, how to sand the wood and how to choose the correct size nail for the pieces they wanted to join. They worked carefully (and loudly) pounding in nails and enjoyed the process. I like the balance of the structured projects and the free exploration of materials. I find so much value in the learning process through trial and error with this group and I will keep developing challenging projects to stretch their creative muscles!

This is actually a 3rd graders work, I did not get a photo of the 1st/2nd grade work

Next step for the Maker Space- appropriate sized work benches!

3rd and 4th Grade Art

The Monet bridges were attached a few classes ago and the work is displayed outside their homeroom. I hope you all had a chance to observe and enjoy the work during conferences. I love the way the work looks hung side by side. The students showed a strong skill for building, handled the hot glue guns with care and were excited to share their work. We had a day of free build down in the Maker Space where the students created any type of sculpture they wanted. We missed a couple of classes due to celebrations and the Thanksgiving break, but will jump right back into work this week in art. Please remember that we will be going to MOCA on Wednesday, December 6th!

5th and 6th Grade Art

We have completed all the cut paper portraits for this unit. The students settled into the process and showed a clearer understanding of how shadows and value change create depth and dimension with the portraits. The proportions shown were accurate and I believe the students began to understand the importance of carefully crafted work. This group of students took a bit more time with this project than past classes and the layers of skill and concentration were difficult for many of the students, but they showed determination and successfully completed the process. I am glad to say that 99% of the students handled the x-acto knives with care and respect and their skills increased tremendously as the project progressed. I am excited to display the portraits soon so you can enjoy the work as well.

7th and 8th Grade Art

We began our yearly portrait project last week in art. Our weeks have been short and a few classes had shifted due to celebrations and rehearsals, but progress is being made. We are doing a new project for the portrait units where the students are constructing their portraits using cardboard. This is a high school level project, but I liked how it involved the correct proportions of the face which we have been working on, using recycled materials and relying on building and problem solving skills while constructing the portraits.  I enjoy trying new processes and projects along with the students as we all learn by working through the projects together. 

The Ratner School Art Program

That was a busy week and weekend. Thanks for waiting an extra day or two for the blog post! Several classes began new projects last week, I hung over 100 new pieces throughout the school, installed a mixed grade level show for the Art Brunch for donors on Sunday and finished the school wide report cards. I enjoyed talking to several of you Sunday and thank you for your kind words and support for our school. I have said it before, but I truly do love my job as the art teacher at The Ratner School and am extremely proud and grateful for all that I have here. I hope you all have the opportunity to walk through the hallways once and awhile and take the time to view the work of the students. 

   

                                          

Kindergarten Art

We had an active class of building in art last week. The students are studying aviators and I developed a project where they could "invent" their own machines. I offered several material to them including styrofoam balls, wire, paper, tubes, pipe cleaners and wooden sticks. I did not give them glue or tape to use and did not show them how to attach any of the items together to construct their inventions. They relied on trial and error, using visual cues from their peers work, and pure inventiveness to create their work. Everyone had amazing narratives for their inventions and I was excited to see the great problem solving and joy in creating. I love working with the Kindergarten students, their enthusiasm is contagious!

 

1st and 2nd Grade Art

The jungles are completed! We had a great time constructing, cutting, gluing, painting and sculpting the Henri Rousseau jungles. The students learned several new techniques, used materials in a different way and enjoyed creating an environment based on the work of an artist. It is beneficial to have the work in art tie directly into a unit of study in their main classroom. I enjoy working with the teachers to develop the art curriculum to help support their core education. This week the class will be working in the Maker Space finishing the construction of their "Three Billy Goats Gruff" work. I am also giving them lessons on using various hand tools including hammers, pliers and wire cutters. They are loving building in the Maker Space and are doing a fine job using the tools. 

3rd and 4th Grade Art

We are completing the construction of the Monet bridges this week and will attach the forms to the watercolor paintings as well. I am pleased to see the level of detail, design and attention to craftsmanship continue to increase with the students. They are beginning to critique each other's work and I love to hear the suggestions they offer one another to help improve their work. I am proud to say there have been no accidents or injuries with the use of tools and they are proving themselves capable of handling higher level work. This is a great group of students and they are keeping me hopping with their high expectations of complicated projects. I do love a challenge!

Gavin C.

 

5th and 6th Grade Art

We are continuing work on the cut paper portraits. I have an odd split of students this year in 5th and 6th grade art. One class is small in number, all boys, a different energy level than most classes. The other class is large with several students all of varied experiences and levels. Both classes are understanding the project objectives at this point and work is progressing on track. The ability to see details in their portraits is increasing and the skill level with the tools is growing as well. I am excited to see the students understanding the process more readily and the work is coming together nicely. I expect we will work on this project for a few more weeks.

7th and 8th Grade Art

The students have completed their still life projects! I am once again impressed with the level of work the young artists have created. I have learned that the students are capable of high level work if given the time, the tools and the support they desire. I understand that a long term project is not easy for this grade level, but once the student can see marked improvement in their pieces week after week, they become so invested in their work that the skill level increases each class. I am excited to enter several pieces in the Scholastic Art Awards as most of the students have decided they want to enter their work. It will take me a while to enter all the information into the Scholastic system, I will need a parent signature on the forms at some point. I will keep you informed!

Christian A.

Matthew R.

Simon D.