Earth Day Art Show

The 2018 Prescott School Art Show brought the school community together in honor of art and the environment.  I collaborated with science teacher Mrs. Edwards throughout the school year to plan this event for our students.  They learned about climate change and global warming in both science and art classes.  They researched topics including the impact of our carbon footprints, rising sea levels, extreme weather events and environmental policy.  They brainstormed art projects to show their opinions, and they built prototypes to meet engineering challenges that solve problems associated with climate change.  They wrote about their work, and ELA teacher Kim Gow and I helped students revise their artist statements.  The art and engineering projects and student writing have filled the entire second floor of the school building.  Here are some photos highlighting the exhibition.

7th graders created sculptures for an installation  about the increase in forest fires due to climate change.  They each built a sculpture by arranging painted plastic on a dowel rod, and the individual sculptures were arranged to look like a spreading fire.  

We took over the 2nd floor of the building to build our own art gallery!

Adrian, Ava, Antonio and Ryan created these paintings.

Art was displayed on the walls and on the ceiling!  The 8th graders created wind turbines and creatively decorated them. 

Zitlhaly and Kevin's pieces seem to connect.  Zitlhaly was our first place winner for her painting "The Other Side of Lady Liberty"

Kindergarten through 5th grade students were challenged to create sculptures from plastic bottles.  This cat, made by Martha, won first prize for grades 3-5.

Maks loves robots and created this plastic robot named Freddie.

Elizabeth's sculpture had floating water lilies.

Sheridan created an octopus from bottles.

Nate and Giana had beautiful paintings, and Giana's painting Heavy won third place!

Ava, Michelle, Corey and Olivia's paintings.  Ava's painting, Melt Ice Cream Not Icebergs won 2nd Place!   

Melanie, Alex, Kiyah and Karla's Paintings

6th Graders created mosaic paintings.  They used small icons of environmental solutions to fill shapes that tie in with our theme of Earth Day and carbon footprints. 

Keshawn, Jaiden, Ava, Marshawn and Janaya's Paintings 

Leo, Manuel and Klaudia's Paintings 

Esteban, Briana, Ian and Kiarie's Work

Gael, Giavana, Ethan and Amanda's Paintings

We displayed photos from our shared Instagram account on branches throughout the school.  These photos show litter that was cleaned up by our students throughout the year.

Ciara, Kai and Andrew's Work 

Zak, Aiden and Sebastian's Paintings

 Engineering projects were designed to solve specific environmental problems.

Prototypes matched the final models.

Keshawn's painting was about forest fires in California. 

The hallway as an art gallery...

Sean painted about how Republicans and Democrats need to find common ground.

Xander made a rocket from recycled plastic. 

Kiarie painted about taking advantage of the moment to help our environment by showing our past and our possible future.

Christa's mosaic painting shows the beauty of nature. 

Elizabeth with her plastic sculpture

Olivia focused on ways we can help:  alternative energy, planting trees, avoiding pesticides and preventing bioaccumulation.

Lucas with his Robot

Juniper's castle had a drawbridge!  Her mom told me she made a prototype before she made the actual sculpture.

Alissa Reading About Ciara's Art

Riley and the Red Hots Performed Live!

Iakov enjoyed snacks as he toured the show.  Thank you to all of the parents who donated delicious snacks!

Sisters Giana and Andi Enjoying the Band

Maks with Freddie the Robot

It was great collaborating with Mrs Edwards and Ms. Gow.  There is no way this show would worked without help and support from the homeroom teachers!

Volunteers Needed

Can you help with this year's art and engineering show:  STEAMed About Climate Change?  The students are finishing their work, and I am excited to offer them an opportunity to show off their accomplishments.  Contact me if you are able to help with this exciting event!

When:  Friday, April 20
             5:30-7:00 PM

Where:  Prescott School, 2nd Floor

How:  There are several ways you can help us out!

• Help hang artwork and artist statements:  Thursday, April 19th and Friday, April 20 4pm-5:30pm  I will be there to lead this, but I just need extra hands.  
• Donate refreshments, plates, cups, etc.
• Serve refreshments:  5:30-7:00
• Help clean up after the event:  7:00-7:30
• Be a judge!  I need volunteers with an artistic background to help me choose the top 3 art pieces for each grade level:  K-2, 3-5, 6-8  A rubric will be provided to guide you as you choose.

I can be reached at eaammons@cps.edu.  Middle School parents can sign up on Bloomz!

Painting the Sky

Tomie De Paola's book The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush is a story about a Native American boy who is different from the other boys.  He is a talented artist.  He makes beautiful artwork confidently, until he tries to paint a beautiful sunset.  None of his paints seem bright enough.

This legend explains the beautiful colors of sunsets by telling of how the young artist used wildflowers to paint the bright colors.   I decided to read this story to the K-1 Multi-Age class as part of our Native American unit.

We compared this legend to one we read last week about Egyptians. They believed  a scarab moved the sun.  We compared how the boy made his paint and canvas to our lesson about the Book of Kells.  Celtic monks made paint from natural materials and canvas from animal skin, just like the Native American character in this story.  We compared the storytelling element of Native American art to that art of Aborigines in Australia.  It is fun to see them make connections between all of our cultural projects.  It's great for them to see how very different cultures can have similar traditions.  

I had the students paint a colorful background with watercolors, having them notice warm colors mentioned in the text. They used a wet on wet wash of warm colors for their sky.

I then had them use pipe cleaners, green tape and yarn to create their own wildflowers.   I had them imagine the flowers as paintbrushes.  They had fun "painting" the sky.

I attached the flowers down using hot glue.  

They got practice using fine motor skills.

They reviewed warm colors.

And I think they had fun!

Avnita with her "paintbrush"

Marco wrapping his tape

Daniel with his "paintbrush"

Niylah Finishing a Flower