August is the Beginning!

Well, here it is the middle of August and yes, its time to think about going back to school! I love the beginning of the year. A new batch of students, new supplies and new beginning. Have you begun to think about how you will start your school year in the art room? I sure have but haven't just yet settled on the final idea.........

I have been getting what I can ready here at home such as gathering special supplies, creating letters to parents, and other items to help kick off the year.  My very first step however is to outline my major events and drafted up the needed letters to go home.... I'm big into culminating events to mark the end of special units & to really punctuate all that was learned and discovered.  Thankfully, I did most of this at the end of the school year.

Next, I look at my first BIG event and figure out if there is anything I can do to prepare. YES, there is!! I have a special unit that I will begin the year with titled, "Take a Hike".  I created this unit a few years ago and figured it was time to pull it out again. You'll get more info on this once I get started. But really, its an awesome unit for connecting so many other content areas to ART!......another big thing I like to do.

Tomorrow, if the weather is stinky, I plan on going into school and unpacking my order. Not to thrilling but it has to get done! I'll do a few other little things too but only expect to be there for a few hours.

How do you like to begin the year?

Crayon Cookies! Yummmm

This blog has had a slow start but I'm hoping that things are changing. Its hard keeping up one blog let alone two. I had hoped that other art teachers would contribute but no one has stepped up as of yet. I bet once this gets going, that will change.

This is a photo of the crayon cookies that kindergartners recently made. It wrapped up a color unit we did and helped transition into our talks about Texture!! Oh, what fun it was making and using them! We created Texture Books and took loads of crayon rubbings.

This blog is all about sharing so if you want to know how I did this or any other information please just ask. I'm also thinking up a separate page listing directions, ingrediants or handouts.....gotta figure out how to attach pdf's if thats possible!!