FIRST GRADE . . . Birch trees in the snow

Landscape by Asha

Our first grade landscapes feature watercolor birch trees. Students not only learned facts about these remarkable trees, but they also learned a few painting tips along the way!

Birch trees have a very characteristic bark, very similar in appearance to the trees in Asha's painting above. A birch is a medium sized tree that can reach up to 50 feet in height and can live to be 200 years old. The deep ridges in our trees are typical of an older birch tree. The seeds and the bark provide food for forest animals, such as rabbits, deer and birds. Wood from the birch tree can be used to make canoes, basketball courts, toys, furniture and paper!

Bella's trees after the
masking tape is removed.

To create our landscapes, we used an old painter's trick. After drawing a ground line across the page, first graders placed strips of masking tape on their paper. These strips represented the trees and the tape protected the white bark of the trees from getting covered with watercolor paints. Then we painted a sky using brilliant colors.

When the paint set, the strips of tape were peeled off the paper. Using a Sharpie marker, students drew the deep ridges of the birch tree bark. With test paper and more watercolors, we "watered" down some black paint to create just the right shade for the shadow along the bark of each tree. With another color, we cast a shadow over the snowy ground.



Here are some more examples of our beautiful winter landscapes. To see all of our work, follow this link to our home page of Artsonia!    http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=114839

Landscape by Deegan

Landscape by Nikita

Landscape by Marc

Landscape by Judah

Landscape by Sadie

FIRST GRADE . . . Weavings!

Weaving by Shiven

First Graders learned how to weave with yarn on a handmade loom. This is a project that celebrates the art and culture of the Native Americans and teaches us a wonderful technique using patterns.

Our handmade looms were created out of the cardboard base from water bottle trays and we recycle these looms every year. Six slits are cut into both ends of the cardboard and yarn is strung from top to bottom creating the warp (or vertical) strings of the loom.

Next, students choose a color of yarn to weave with. We learned how to measure the yarn against a table edge by working in pairs with our friends. One student holds the end of the yarn against the end of the table and the other student unrolls the yarn to match the length of the table and cuts it off.

To weave with our colored yarns, we learned how to follow a pattern of "Over, Under, Over, Under, Over, Under." Not only is the process of weaving a pattern, but we can also create a pattern by alternating colors of yarn. The completed weavings were then removed from the cardboard looms and they now hang from twigs that the students found outside and brought into school.

To see all of our weavings, follow this link to our 1st grade exhibit on artsonia.com.
http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=114839

Weaving by Andrew

Weaving by Holden

Weaving by Harley

Weaving by Lexi

Weaving by Robby

Weaving by Alex

PRE-KINDERGARTEN . . . Rainbow Fish!

Underwater scene by Angela

Pre-Kindergarten students just completed an underwater scene based on the illustrations in the book, "The Rainbow Fish," by Marcus Pfister. In this story, we read about a beautiful fish who learned the way to true happiness only after sharing his special scales with the other fish in the sea. What activities do you do at home that is more fun when you share them with your friends? Doesn't it feel good when you make someone you care about feel special too?

Here is a video of the story we read together in class to share with your family...

To create our paintings, we first learned how to draw a fish using basic shapes, such as a circle and a triangle. We also learned how to add scales inside the fish and how to complete a full underwater scene with an ocean bottom, plants, starfish, crabs and bubbles in the water.

Next, we created the ocean with a large brush, lots of water and blue watercolor paint. With glittering paints we added all the details of our scene. Finally, when all the paintings were complete, we shared a sparkling sticker with every fish and friend in class!

Here are some examples of our underwater scenes. To see all of our work, click on this link for artsonia. com and scroll down to the Pre-K exhibit.  http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=114839

Underwater scene by Arjun

Underwater scene by Aaliya

Underwater scene by Logan

Underwater scene by Sareena