Here’s an easy way to make math time more fun!
Integrate math, art and writing to practice ANY math skill through the whole year!
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Here’s how it works:
Choose a math skill to practice. (ie: Addition Doubles)
Use the built-in spinner to choose a number to double. (ie: Spin a 2)
Write the equation in one of the spaces provided. Find the answer. (ie: 2+2=4)
Use the answer (4) to choose which doodle design to use on the Doodle Chart.
Use that design to [Read More…]
Do your students love directed drawing? Mine do!
Read all about how I use directed drawing and writing prompts, and even directed drawing VIDEOS with my class!
DIRECTED DRAWING VIDEOS
Using Directed Drawing videos is a fun new way to practice drawing with your students! It saves a lot of teacher time by being no-prep – just give students some paper and pencils, press PLAY, and students draw along with the video! You can pause whenever you like, and replay the video at [Read More…]
We made these cute little geckos in our classroom during art time, and they turned out so well that I’ve made another simple tutorial to show how easy it is!
You will need green and black paper, glue, scissors, and chalk pastels (similar to soft chalk). You could change the colors to suit what you have available.
If you’d like to see more step-by-step photo tutorials, you can choose from these huge collections of art lessons for elementary classrooms. Each has lots of [Read More…]
Do your students love directed drawing? Mine do!
WHY DIRECTED DRAWING?
There are lots of reasons to try directed drawing with your students! Here are a few skills and benefits:
practice with following directions
practice close attention to detail
fine motor development
increased stamina in focus and attention
self-expression and communicating ideas
growing skills in drawing and appreciation of art
perfect for celebrating seasonal content and decorate the class
an easy writing center to switch out each week
a fun activity to do at home! Send the link to parents and [Read More…]
Do your students love directed drawing? Mine do!
WHY DIRECTED DRAWING?
There are lots of reasons to try directed drawing with your students! Here are a few skills and benefits:
practice with following directions
practice close attention to detail
fine motor development
increased stamina in focus and attention
self-expression and communicating ideas
growing skills in drawing and appreciation of art
perfect for celebrating seasonal content and decorate the class
an easy writing center to switch out each week
a fun activity to do at home! Send the link to parents and [Read More…]
If you’ve read many of my posts, you’ll know by now that we integrate almost all of our content areas in class. Rarely do we let an opportunity for writing go by, and using our own art is so motivating!
But we do keep it simple! For example, we recently studied the art of Ted Harrison, who painted in the north of Canada. His colorful but simple images are perfect to study with elementary students.
We googled his artwork and simply talked [Read More…]
Increasingly, integrated learning is becoming fundamental to teaching. Many schools are moving away from the traditional “single subject blocks” model to a multi-subject, project-based model.
Here’s a quick video from Edutopia to explain the benefits of this approach.
Click for Introduction Video
Project-based learning is perfect for this kind of approach. Why? Within each project there are multiple problems to solve. Each problem is drawing from knowledge of various subject areas.
Our school adopted Genius Hour as another way to facilitate project-based integrated learning. [Read More…]
Today I am sharing the steps involved in making this lovely, but simple, winter dove. Just follow the pictures below.
I always have lots of extra supplies handy because my students always want to make an extra dove once they grasp the process. And why stop at white doves? The birds look wonderful made with colorful paper and tissue as well.
*Teacher Tip: For younger students, show them how to fold the bird’s body in half (so the beak touches the tail) to [Read More…]
