The Virtual Classroom

The Alien Movie

Student animation using a combination of power point and Windows movie maker

The Fight

Student animation

The Plaid Hero

Student animation using a combination of power point and Windows movie maker

I will need to do things a little differently next trimester... I had a hard time keep up with the projects, supplies and deadlines but most importantly the grading... Need a different system. and for some of my middle school kids (who really need more structure) I need to create some different ways to chose projects and different ways to set deadlines.



I am working on updating my online galleries while the kids are working on their final digital portfolio in the form of a power point slide show. We continue to use the online classroom "Moodle" and that is going well. I post all my assignments, instructions, and links on this format. everything digital they turn in here. They can access it from home or from any computer in the school. and they pretty much love anything having to do with the computers.
Here is a portfolio example from last year. The portfolios will be the best way to see the diversity of work that my kids made this trimester. I will try to get a page of them up over winter break.



Also on Moodle The kids have also been doing some fun PAINT assignments from this teacher's website

This is what my district requires for evaluation in the arts. So my rubrics are always based on the 4 C's and I have my students self-grade their work on projects based on these. The creative process is the area that I focus on the most.

Craftsmanship/Technique: The development of artistic skill/control over art tools and materials through deliberation and attention to detail.

Composition: Intentionally organizing Art Elements using the Art Principles to create a visually unified design.

Communication: Applying art knowledge and skill to express, identify, and evaluate ideas and feelings in artwork.

Creative Process: An approach to solving problems and expressing ideas in unique and personal ways.

The Creative Process includes the following steps:

Develop Your Perceptions: Thinking about Experience
Recognize your aesthetic responses to the world
Pursue your interests through study, play, and work experiences
Foster relationships that strengthen you
Think about and analyze your experiences

Gather Ideas: Thinking of Possibilities
Brainstorm to solve problems
Research to look for ideas in the work of others
Think about and discuss your ideas
Write and sketch your ideas

Practice: Refining Your Work
Select ideas for development
Create detailed sketches/drafts
Organize materials and plan time to use them
Practice techniques
Get suggestions and help from others

Create: Making Your Product
Select your best idea for development
Plan your time to meet deadlines
Utilize techniques well
Revise work as needed to achieve goals of your project
Finish your work

Present: Sharing Your Work
Respect your work and the time and effort you put into it: don't bend, fold, smear or crush it.
Mount/mat your work for display
Show your work to friends and family

Reflect: Evaluating Your Work
Self-evaluate your work honestly
Reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the work
Think about what you learned
Think about what you need to learn/do better to improve your work

Projects happening in my room...
8th grade:


SEWING: I have my (adopted)son in my class this year and he is working on creating his own patterns and sewing stuffed creatures. His sewing (he just learned a few weeks ago with a short lesson from me) has been inspiring others. The sewing machines I salvaged from the defunct home ec classes aren't working right and need an over haul so they have all been working by hand. Although this takes much longer for them I think they are enjoying it. It is like an old fashioned quilting bee with a table of kids all sitting around sewing on their own individual projects. I had a small quilt throw with pictures of friends transferred and decorative stitched names by one girl, another is making a "hot topic" style top, Two others created a tube style dress and painted it in the style of an artist with my fabric paints. They all look great and have required little assistance but for a minute lesson here or there... I promise pictures soon!

PAINTING: I have had several girls painting chairs some as personal icon thrones and some in the style of an art movement. Another girl brought in her mom's bedside stand and repainted it with a very well done sun and moon theme. I had some boys painting a huge graffiti style banner for our upcoming Veteran's Day assembly that says "Thank You Veteran's" in 2 foot high funky bubble letters.

DIGITAL: I have kids working on digital art and soon some animations will get started.



OTHER: A full size paper mache' soccer player was just added to the hall display case. and the principal wants to 'commission' a school mascot that could travel the school to classes that win awards for citizenship. Unfortunately we are the "north stars" so a mascot will be hard to come up with.... Some Mosaic designs are getting started to use up my bulk of pottery shards.

6th and 7th Grade:
POTTERY: Several classes have earned the opportunity to do pottery. I have them learn pottery terms and concepts and they must pass a test with 80% or above in order to do clay. (usually...I do make an exception now and then) So I will be unloading my final glaze load of these projects Monday Morning!

DRAWING: All students in our school have to set goals in each of their classes. Most of my students set the goal to improve their drawing ability. So many of my students are working in sketchbooks with books and photos as resources, to draw faces, animals, cars and insects.

ALL GRADES:
DIGITAL: I have kids working on digital art and soon some animations will get started.