Chicago Picasso Maquettes

Sketches for Picasso's Sculpture

The Chicago Picasso in Daley Plaza

What in the world is that thing?  That is the question we started our lesson with today.  The students decided it looked like a pig, a horse, a bat, a giraffe, an angel and an elephant.  We discussed the theory Picasso's grandson has that his grandfather modeled the sculpture after his girlfriend.  I showed them some sketches, and we looked at it from different angles.  Some decided they agreed, while others still think it's a pig.  They all agree it's abstract, and they all think it's strange but cool.  The third graders used a template I drew as a handout, and they tried to build their own Chicago Picasso with just scissors, glue, popsicle sticks and the template paper.  It was a fun active experiment, and several students were successful in getting theirs to stand on its own.  Here are a few pictures:

Building a Kindergarten Neighborhood

Lila M. made a library with hopscotch, flowers, and books.

Students in Ms. Lindsey and Ms. Szarnych's rooms are beginning a unit on neighborhoods in their classrooms.  In art class, we have been busily building the various buildings that the students identified as part of their own neighborhoods.  We used paper bags stuffed with newspaper, and we used line designs to make grass, bricks, tiles, sidewalks and wood.  Students got to use their imaginations and their knowledge of neighborhoods to add creative details like signs, trees, cars, mailboxes, flowers, chimneys, flags and playgrounds.  I enjoyed having them explain to me what each little creation was meant to represent.  Here are a few pictures of our architects at work as well as some finished pieces!

Anthony and Augie wanted their buildings to be a realistic brick red.  

Abby added paper to her chimney, and folded it like a fan to look like smoke rising.

Lincoln was the first finished because of his focused work.

Nejra made Prescott School, complete with a flag, playground and students in the windows.  Aleena made a hotel.

Kennedy used colorful strips of paper to make 3-D flowers around her house.

Brenna's cafe had every detail you can imagine!

Cash said the church in his neighborhood has 2 steeples...

Yalexi made a tall apartment building.

Miller's police station/ jail even has a security camera in the back.  Watch out!

Evan B's house is haunted by ghosts...

...but the ghosts can't hurt you at Elijah's hospital!