In the Art Room...#3-Grades, Grades and Catching Up

It's the end of our 20 week marking period. And despite the 'catch up' days I am still getting the stragglers caught up. And of course the flu or some other illness has struck and 4-6 kids are absent from nearly every class. Worst. Timing. Ever. I did managed to have all projects graded on Thursday by 5pm. I try to give all my students a chance to finish all projects, several chances lately, and it leaves me grading every night all night trying to get them done. I am using Google Spreadsheets for my grades for the first time and it is going to be a huge time saver. I will be posting more on how I do that soon!First, let's talk about what happened this week.

Note: This is my third post in a row. I am killing this.

3rd graders are glazing! 

3rd graders came down for an extra long art class to make these soon to be clay looms. I put them in the kiln right away. They had class this week and we glazed them. I am typically an Amaco glaze user, but the Mayco Jungle gems wins over Amaco Crystallex glazes. Mayco has smaller pieces of frit (what makes the speckles)  and more of them get on the clay projects. I just wish companies would make shallow/wider containers of glazes so multiple students can use at once. Especially those with frit because they always sink to the bottom (so no one wants to use the just opened one). My students have learned to scrape the side of the jar to get the extra pieces.

A small selection of the Mayco glazes.
Tip: use the magazine samples of glazes to cut and tape to the glaze lids for a visual.

Note to self: Clean off the lids better this year. I am pretty sure I gave myself a blister muscling these open the morning of....

First graders made beautiful tint & line paper a few weeks back. We have been practicing and practicing symmetrical hearts. I decided to use the heart scrap to frame one of our papers. Students then muscled through hole punching, and weaved/stitched yarn through them. They were really excited for this step and they are coming out beautifully! 

One 4th grade class is still working on their cakes. 

A few are done and they could make a slice of cake or cupcake. 

Came across this adorable deer and bird  while grading  kindergarten projects and had to share.

I squeezed in a two hour workshop on tantrums and rage on Wednesday night. 

If you leave a broom out students will ask to sweep. 

Watercolor Setup for Kindergarten hearts. 

Kindergartners are painting their hearts this week. I demonstrate how to use the paints, how to paint, and let them explore. While they are painting I am tracing them on tag board for their life size portraits.

Strike a pose! 

On a good note, we had a full week of school! Of course it is -5 out this morning and I have to head down to Marcellus  and teach a workshop on technology in the art room! How was your week?

Did you see my new badge :) ?