Building up to my sixth grade student’s big unit on watercolors, I wanted to remind them of the various ways in which they can use watercolor paint. Even though I use watercolors in every grade level and I have taught these children since first grade, it never hurts to remind the children, through their own experiments, of the unique qualities of watercolors. To begin, each student received a 12″ x … Read More →
We all long for the ultimate art room experience: a classroom full of respectful students and hitting the sweet spot between artistic expression and a controlled environment. Can this happen on a regular basis? If you asked me on Monday, I would have said absolutely, but after a few high-energy classes yesterday that left me a bit drained, I’m here to say that classroom management is an on-going pursuit. But … Read More →
After launching my Art Teacher’s Curriculum Workbook last July, I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy the pages as you would; dreaming up my art curriculum, recording last year’s successful projects (and not-so-successful ones), drilling down on the projects I need to do and ones that I want to try. Some of those who have purchased the workbook like to keep the files on their computer and plan from there, but … Read More →
A reader asked me how to mix paints the way I do for my art lessons. She asked for a recipe, but I’m afraid to say there really isn’t one. This video shows how I mix paints for my art projects. Of course, not every project requires this amount of prep, and in many cases, its best to let kids mix their own paint colors. But sometimes it helps to … Read More →
A while back, I had a request from a reader asking if I’d ever consider making a curriculum for a PTA art program. The kind when an art volunteer (AKA: parent) picks up a lesson plan, gathers a few supplies and delivers a lesson for her child’s class. I know exactly what she meant as this is what I did for many years before I began teaching art. The teacher … Read More →
I have three Kinder classes this year with one of the classes being considered a Transitional Kinder combo. What does this mean? In California, Transitional Kinders are children who are not yet 5 years old before September 1st. They may be enrolled in Kinder but it’s likely they will take another year of Kinder before enrolling in 1st grade. I think I have that right. Basically, it means I have … Read More →
Curling paper is an annoyance in the art room, but can you prevent it? I don’t think you can eliminate it entirely, but choosing the right papers for your art projects will prevent much of the curling. I use two types of papers for most projects: 90 lb watercolor paper and 76 lb Tru-Ray sulphite paper. You might be surprised that my choice of watercolor paper is only 90 lbs … Read More →