4/5s Life Story Tunnel Books

The 4/5 class is working on their life stories in the classroom. In art class they are designing tunnel books highlighting events from their life. The back panel of the book reflects their life and interests at the current time, while the preceding cut border pages pinpoint previous experiences and/or people.

Cutting the frame pages 

Cutting the center out while leaving the frame intact

Composing the back page

Thoughtful additions to the back page

And a finished book!

A finished work featuring the beach

One more with many favorite things noted

Another with the different layers clearly in evidence

K/1 Explore Bird Shapes and Forms

After adding some much needed birds to the pond mural in the hall, the K/1s looked at the shapes you would need to draw a large bird. Starting with half circles and triangles they each drew a bird, went over the lines with black crayon and added watercolor for a crayon resist. The results are completely engaging. This was followed by collaged birds with pivoting wings, involving multi-step directions, cutting, gluing and finally mounting on a stick to fly!

Cutting out the bird for the mural

Cutting is getting quite precise

Red-winged blackbird coming together

Attaching a stick with supervision

Feathering the wings

More wing production

One completed red bird

2/3s Embroider and Stuff Felt Indian Elephants

As the 2/3s began their study of India in the classroom, they enriched their studies with several art experiences. To start they traced and cut elephants from gray felt and then embroidered flowers and saddles to make their elephants look like they're ready for a festival. The two sides will be sewn together and stuffed. This project requires planning, focus, fine motor skills and patience, and for some,  acquiring embroidering skills, but the end result is well worth the investment in time and effort.

Tracing the second elephant for the other side

Cutting the first piece of felt for side one

Refining the edges

Some thoughtful stitching

Adding an embroidered saddle

Focused and precise stitching

Some help from Mom who was volunteering with the class!

Beginning to sew the elephant together

The blanket stitch to hole the stuffing inside

Two finished works

And a finished herd!

Some last minute help from a middle school expert

Braiding a tail with middle school assistance