Staff Paper Quilt

The school district I teach in does a program called CARE for Kids.  It's all about inclusion, community, and positive reinforcement. During training our staff (any employee in the building not just teachers) made a paper quilt.  Each square is a different staff member.  On their square the individual was supposed to include tidbits about them self such as what they do in our building, or what their hobbies are, a picture of them self, and their name of course.  Ours has been up for 3 years now and as people leave I take down their square.  Newbies are supposed to make one for me to fill in the holes but they do not always follow through.  Lots of people stop and look at this quilt as they come into our building and get an idea of our school community.

This is my square!  I use my own scrapbook paper to tell a little bit more about my personality.  The kids really do enjoy looking at them and asking me questions about my images.  Some of the teachers do a smaller class quilt at the beginning of the year to fill their bulletin board and let other class in on a little bit of their community.

I read the book "Giraffes Can't Dance" by Giles Andrede to all of my kindergarten classes.  After reading the book we go back and we talk about things we noticed in the illustrations of the book (what color the sky is, what color Gerald the giraffe is, etc.).  I like for my kindergartners to feel successful at painting so we work big and take it slow!  The paper is 18"x24" and the paint is tempra.  We draw all together step by step with a big fat black crayon.  Reading the book and drawing Gerald takes a whole 50 minute class.  The next day we paint the sky.  I put all of the sky colors into one bowl so they touch but are not mixed.  Since this is there 1st time ever painting with me we go over all of the painting expectations the biggest one being that we do not use our paint brush like a spoon; there is no scooping or stirring of the paint!  This takes the whole time for most all of them and anyone that finishes early just gets to free draw (usually no more then 10 min.).  The next and final day we paint Gerald and his leafy snake.  Although we all draw the same thing I love the differences in each Gerald!

My Art Room

This is my second year in the "new" art room and I am finally settled in.  

People are always giving me things they no longer have a need for.  This was once someones Christmas wreath  but after some slight modifications it is now my door decoration.

Outside my door I have a white board to let people know where I am if I am not in my room, a schedule of the class I will have that week, and a bulletin board that I fill with inspiring quotes about art.  I do not put student artwork on this board because it is at the perfect height for wondering hands.  I am very lucky that my school invested in some hanging strips for our students artwork.  They hang high (out of reach) all over the building in the hallways to display lots of student work. 

 This is my supply corner.  Not everything lives here (I have a supply closet too) but the things I have student helpers pass out can all be found on these shelves labeled with pictures.  Up over the supplies I have the elements of art posters.

My color bulletin board.  I love the mice from the book "Mouse Paint"!

Just some inspiration I have hanging around the room.  I peg sayings and jokes up on the cork board for kids to read when they have a free minute or two. 

 My drawing boards, more mice, the end of my massive drying rack, my principle's of art posters and my plants used for still life's.  

Wow this board houses a lot of important information for me and my students.  At the top is my no no board (thanks Mr. E), I can... statements, and the word wall.  It took me forever to create the word wall but it is totally user friendly now.

I call this my critique board.  I think it is important for students to be able to use the art vocabulary to discuss artwork whether it is their own, a famous work of art, or a peers artwork.  I got this idea from Mr. E also and then made a few changes to work for me and my classroom.  

Biggest pet peeve...no name papers!  This year I am trying really hard to crack down on this.  I remind students constantly to put their name on their paper, and have visual reminders up in the room.  It's helped but I don't think I will ever be able to totally fix this age old problem.  

My to small loanly old sink.  At lease I have one though.  This is where I store all of my paint supplies.  On the cabinet doors I have Mr. Brush posters.  Mr. Brush is a cartoon brush that talks about how to care for a paint brush properly on one poster and then talks about the different types of brushes there are on the other poster.  

I set my lunch on the edge of the counter so the kindergartners who come right before going to lunch know where to put their lunch.  On the wall I have my hall passes, setting charts, and class rosters.  This way if I am out the sub can easily access the information they need.

I framed and decorated my rules just to make them more visually appealing.

At the top of this board are some pictures of my students hard at work create masterpieces.  I call it "Artist in Action".  The rest of the white board is now covered with my brand new SMART board.  While I am having to adjust to not having the white board to write on I do love exploring the new technology.

This is my small but comfortable library.  

This mess is my catch all.  Any important notes from the office, cards from teachers and students, pictures, etc.  It is right by my desk.  At the top is my "I'm done. What will I do now?" board.  If a student in the 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade has completed their art work meeting all of the preset standards they have centers they can visit.

* Free Draw

* Ask for a job

* Help a friend at their table

* Read an art book

* Practice Symmetry and shape drawing on small dry erase boards

* Explore an art website

* Create a sculpture with the wiki sticks

This is a list of the approved art websites tapes to the desk next o the student computer.

This is the student computer

My tables are named after the Elements of Art.  I used to have them taped to the table but kids kept picking at the tape.  It drove me nuts all last year.  This year to eliminate the picking I hung them from the ceiling over top of each table.  The puffs are left over from my wedding.  I didn't know what else to do with them after the big day so my mom suggested hang them from the ceiling.  I think It worked out perfectly.

At every table in my room the chairs are #'d 1-4.  This is how I pick my helpers for the day.  I would explain my system of fairness but I am not sure I even understand it fully...lol!