Kids and Crayons…Markers and Meltdowns…

Welcome back to another episode of Adventures in the Art Room. I’m your host, Sarah. At school, they call me “Mrs. Sarah,” although I also answer to any other teacher’s name. I know they are talking to me.  Isn’t this portrait adorable? One of my second graders drew this of me earlier this month. (I’ve become a redhead in recent weeks.) It had been a long day, so this sweet drawing gave me a huge boost. I love that she drew my name tag (I wear them every week to help the kids)—details are what make portraits come to life.

We have had a lot happening in the art room. There have been a few meltdowns. There are squabbles about markers. But amid the chaos, we’ve made some good Black History Month art and some colorful Chinese New Year art. With no further ado, let’s begin!

Kindergarten colored dragons for Chinese New Year. We used collage techniques, layering paper on another piece of paper, practicing our gluing techniques. (Side note: the kids’ glue use ranges from the Minimalist School of Glue—one tiny dot for a whole paper—to the More Is More School—an entire glue stick used on all surfaces, including ones not needing glue. These kids keep me on my toes!!!)

First grade made Chinese New Year lanterns with a detailed dragon to color. The kids cut fringe from construction paper, to represent the tassels hanging from lanterns. 

Second and third grade made Chinese New Year lanterns as well. The Chinese characters in the middle of these lanterns means “good luck.” We discussed why yellow and red are used in Chinese culture. Red is a lucky color and it represents happiness. Yellow represents hope and the earth, as well as prosperity.  

Fourth grade banners.

My fourth graders made banners for Chinese New Year. I asked the kids to add decorative borders to their banners, and they delivered. 2022 is the year of the tiger, and in Chinese culture, a tiger represents strength, bravery and wisdom. 

Fifth and sixth grades have been busy with paint projects, but they are not finished. You will have to wait until next month to see their creations. I know...waiting is hard.

Seventh and eighth grades made collages for Black History Month. We talked about Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr, two people who were fundamental in the Civil Rights Movement. The kids wrote inspiring quotes on their art, and decorated their collages with red, green and black accents. Those colors are prevalent in African flags.

 

Seventh grade art:

Eighth grade art:

This month has flown by, hasn't it? I will see you again soon to share more colorful work from my spirited students. If you need me, I'll be scraping orange crayon out of the electric pencil sharpener...