Art Blog #8

Earlier in the semester, we got into groups and picked a children’s book to write a play on. For my group’s book, we chose “Five Little Monkey’s Jumping on the Bed” and turned it into a puppet show. It was a lot of fun to create the parts and make the backdrops and props for our puppet show. After a couple days of working on our puppet show, we presented it to the class so that they could see what we have been working on. The rest of the groups acted out there books, but for ours, we decided a puppet show would be fun and different! I wrote the script which allowed me to be creative and have fun imagining if I were a monkey talking. Drama is so important for students to learn about because it could be used for language arts, social studies, art, and you could even act out math if you become a little more creative. This also allows the students to experience different parts, if could get children the chance to be leaders, or not, be a narrator, and chance to let loose and have fun inside the classroom. It was a lot of fun for me to experience with my classmates, that I can imagine how enjoyable it would be for elementary students.

http://www.teachhub.com/12-fascinating-ways-use-drama-curriculum

Art Blog #7

In class, our professor had us read a novel that we could read to our future classrooms, “Becoming Naomi Leon” by Pam Munoz Ryan is a great story that could be used in different ways. I am focusing on the art aspect of this story, which allows the children to see how difficult art can be, and how such a young girl had a talent for it. Soap carving is a way to connect the story to art and allow the children to experience what Naomi did in the story and what helped made her feel better. I remember reading this book in 6th grade and doing a project on it, and one of the options were soap carving. It was hard then, and it’s still hard. There are so many ways that this book could be used and talked about, but I thought soap carving was what Naomi was great at and which help lead her to her father in Mexico, so it impacted her in a strong way, but like I said before, there are so many different ways to use this in the classroom, but since there are such touchy subjects in the book, it might be better to read it with the older group of kids, and make sure it doesn’t hit too close to home for any of your students. 

https://www.boredart.com/2014/05/art-soap-carving-perfect-beginners.html

Social Studies Blog #8

A couple weeks ago in class, we started our geography unit and did some activities that were a lot of fun that tested our knowledge/prior knowledge. There were around 15 stops around the classroom with a questions about Earth and the names of things. At each stop (we should probably have known almost all the questions) but we all had a piece of paper that was numbered to write our answers down on. We got around 20 seconds for each question and she would say shift or next, to move along to the next question. It was a fun, fast paced game that allowed us to study, learn, and help us remember questions! This would be a great way to help students remember, and it’s like a game to them, because they all have a good time and enjoy it because it is so fast paced, and there could be a little competition and inspiration to get the answers correct! There are so many ways to get the students involved and wanting to learn, and a lot of the time you may have to make it fun and into a game!

https://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/reasons-to-play-games-in-the-classroom.shtml

Social Studies Blog #7

At the beginning of the semester, our professor gave us the option to pick a book (she gave us some to choose from) and then get with a group of students who picked the same group to go over different ways to use this book in the classroom. All of the books were novels or stories about a time in history and someone going through it. The story that I chose was, “Twenty and Ten” by Claire Huchet Bishop, which was a story taken place during the German occupation of France. There were 20 orphan children to be taken to the mountains to live, when one day a man came and asked if they would keep and hide 10 Jewish children there and hide them if the Nazi soldiers come searching for them. Soon enough, the Nazi’s came searching for these children and they had to find a way to keep them hidden and safe. It was such a good story and can be used in a variety of ways in the classroom. It teaches so much to the children and helps them relate and think about what they would do if they were the orphans or of the ten children and how they would react in situations. It teaches them what it would be like, how scary it was for those children and all the other Jewish children at that time. I recommend this book for your classroom, preferably to the older kids, because it is a great resource to dive into and learn!

https://www.socialstudies.org/positions/powerfulandpurposeful

Social Studies Blog #6

A couple weeks ago we had the opportunity to bring in a shoebox filled with items that if we had to get up and move and could only bring enough to fit in a shoe box, what would we bring? At first, this activity was hard for me to think of what in the world would I bring that could only fit in a shoebox. It was challenging to find those things around my house, but I managed to fill my box with things I feel like I would need along the way. Just an example for what I filled my shoebox with; a small bible, picture of my family, canteen for water, toothbrush, soap, stress away oil, pencil, and a small notebook. These were just some of the items I felt that I would need and a couple were valuable items to me. This could be done in the classroom and would be so much fun for the kids, and an opportunity to see what and how the kids thought when putting together this box. A lesson that could be taught with this activity would be learning about the orphan train and how they could bring only so little, if anything at all. Or when people had to get up and move and leave everything behind. This could go for the holocaust, orphan train, slaves, and so many opportunities to talk about history and the value of our belongings. 

https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/making-learning-meaningful-its-all-about-the-why/

Social Studies Blog #5

A couple weeks ago we had the opportunity to bring in and item, or multiple, that we no longer wanted or needed. These were items that would be thrown away or given to Goodwill because someone else may appreciate it. One man’s junk is another man’s treasure. This was such a great and fun experience for everyone involved. Everyone made a sign with the items they are trading and then on the other side of the sign, we wrote, “Closed for Trading” so that way everyone knew who was still trading their items or were no longer looking to trade. Before starting the trade, the entire class go out of their seats and walked around the room, quietly, looking at everyone’s items that they brought in. This way we can get an idea in ours minds which items we would like to go for. Then when we were trading, we got to accept the trade or negotiate with what we wanted from the other person. I came in with two vases, and left with a picture shelf and a tea holder. This is such a great activity for kids because they can always make something if they do not have anything to bring from home, or you could have all students make something at school, rather than bringing something from home. This activity helps get an idea of how people lived when learning about history, economics, and so on. If people didn’t have money, they could trade what they did have for something they needed. There are so many ways to use this activity in social studies!

http://www.progressiveteacher.in/the-importance-of-social-studies-in-the-school-curriculum/

Art Blog #6

We just completed all four of our art projects a couple weeks ago and got the opportunity to set them up in the classroom for all of our classmates and teachers to see. We used this day and kind of a museum getting to walk around the classroom to see what our classmates have been working on for the past six weeks, and get to hear about what they think of the art they created. I love setting up this museum in class so that way it can be put on display for everyone to see what others have been working on. Children love showing off their creations, and here is just one opportunity to show four different pieces. You can do this with all subjects, not just art projects. You can use it for social studies for projects, english for stories, and so on. We all really enjoyed getting to tell others on how we felt about our work as well and what helped us create our pieces. 

https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/displaying-student-work-2/

Art Blog #5

A couple weeks ago we completed our fourth art project. My art theme was gothic art which was so cool and different than something that I would usually pick to create, but I am so glad I did because it ended up being my favorite piece in the end. To create this piece, I found an outline online of a heart and I free drew it to look very similar. I added the veins and everything to try and make it very realistic. I wanted to add colored flowers to my heart but was stumped on how to do that and live up to what I expected my end creation to look like. I started experimenting and found that cutting out petals and folding them up a bit so they will be 3D on the paper. I chose red and pink flowers, which I think was a good contrast with the rest of the piece. I found this a lot of fun, and found that there are more ways to use this project in other subjects and not just art. I found that you could talk about the lifecycle, the heart and our organs, flowers and their lifecycle, and so on. This project really shows the detail of hearts which is a great way for students to look at and help them remember. The heart could have been labeled as well to help! This project was so fun.

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/38576/how-integrating-arts-into-other-subjects-makes-learning-come-alive

Art Blog #4

In class over the past couple of weeks we have gotten the opportunity to pick a form of art and create it on our own. This art project I chose pop art and I found that one a lot of fun to create. I created an apple, and although I created an art piece on an apple and got the inspiration through teaching, and the pop art form. This piece was full of bright colors and designs. This could also be integrated into social studies and science through plants, and apple trees, and what it takes to create an apple tree/orchard. The art could be more realistic, or use a different kind of art to create apples and learn about them. I really enjoyed this project because it allowed me to bring out my creative side and come up with different colors, shapes, and designs, that created the shape of an apple. There are so many ways that art can be integrated into each subject to make it hands on and creative. 

This is a similar representation of the pop art apple I created in class. 

http://www.applepickingorchards.com/blog/

Art Blog #3

In class a few weeks ago we started an art project where everyone chooses one form of art, and we research it a little bit and then go on to continue and complete our own. This is a great way to integrate art into our classrooms through what we are doing in class in any subject. Art is a variety of materials and can be more than paper, paint, and pencils. My first week I chose paper scraps, and found that I could tear construction paper up into small pieces to make a picture. I chose to create a scene in the fall time, with the changes of the leaves and their colors. This could be integrated with social studies and learning about the different seasons. This could be used to separate the students into four different groups and creating a scene of what they think the season they are given to them looks like. When they thing of summer, fall, winter or spring, what do they see? and then they can create a form of art through paper scraps. I really enjoyed this art project, but it was time consuming and could get a little frustrating if you don’t enjoy just sitting their and creating something from scraps.

Here is an example of what other people have done.

https://blog.thepapermillstore.com/20-uses-paper-scraps/

Social Studies Blog #4 Castles

Last week, we learned about medieval castles and we were instructed to make our own. So, we made a castle based in a secluded place,with water surrounding it, needing a bridge to get to the castle. Our castle was made out of card board, construction paper, toothpicks, and popsicle sticks.These were showing how castles were back in the day, with the royal family being in charge. I loved that we used art to create our own and the opportunity to tell the class about our projects. This is so good for today student’s to research medieval times and today’s world and discussing the similarities and differences between the two. There was a group in our class who made a castle and a peasants house from back in the day and they also created the white house and a “normal” house of today. It shows that we still have a leader, and people below him, as well as the houses of today.

This is a great way for students to be hands on and learn about history and have fun with it along the way!

https://en.wordpress.com/tag/medieval-castle/

Social Studies Blog #3 Community

A few weeks ago in class, we talked about what it means to be a community and how to make our students and classroom feel safe and welcoming. We talked about words that are used and can be used to help make the classroom a safe place. We talked about the word respect and how to gain it from the student’s in your classroom. In order to gain respect, you must respect your children. The students aren’t going to respect you if your constantly yelling at them and telling them they are wrong. You must treat them the way you would want to be treated. Encouraging this in the classroom will allow your students to feel comfortable in the classroom with you and their classmates. In order to make a community you must have procedures that allow the children know that you are in charge, which will also help you gain the respect of your students. Below is a picture of words that will help create this environment.                        

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/20-tips-create-safe-learning-environment-rebecca-alber

Art Blog #2

A couple weeks ago in class, we decorated our composition notebook. In these notebooks we record our word of the day and how we are feelings. We keep track of activities and we need these each time we come to class. Decorating these notebooks, was so much fun for my classmates and we got to pick our own fabric, put pockets on them, and decorate them however we want. We all really enjoyed it and it made it ours and we got to add our own style to it.

In future classrooms, I think children would really love getting to put their own personal touch on the notebook. It would be their journal in any subject. But I really like the idea of keeping it as a story notebook or one with how they feel on that day. This will be theirs forever and they could write whatever they want in them. Whether it be make believe, or personal stories, it is their own journal to be proud of.

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/student-journals-efficient-teacher-responses

Social Studies Blog Post #2 9/12

Seventeen years ago, yesterday, was a day that all Americans and people around the world will remember forever. Yesterday was a day that changed the United States and changed history. Yesterday was the day that so many people remember vividly in their mind. Yesterday on September 11, there were loved ones taken from us. September 11, 2001 is a day that we will all remember and it’s a day in history that we, as parents and teachers, need to teach our children about. We need to talk about the terrorist attacks, we need to respect all of those who fought for our lives. We need to talk about all of the sacrifices that took place seventeen years ago. There are so many opportunities to talk about this day in history. We can talk about those who went through it, what happened and why, the civilians, the families, and all of America and how it brought us together.

September 12, 2001 is how we need to be as a class, community, and as a country. We came together that day to help everyone in need. We didn’t care about the color of their skin, whether they were democrats or republicans, christians or atheists, we were all there to help in any way we could. There were prayers being said, civilians giving blood, policeman and fireman saving lives, boats bringing people on and off the island. We, as a country, came together as one to help fight for lives and for our country. 

This is so important for our children to learn about and know. With all the hate and cruelty in this world today, they need to know that there is love and community in our country. They need to learn that we are better as one, rather than being divided. 

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-gibbons/the-day-america-came-toge_b_283213.html

Art Blog Post #1  Michelangelo Inspired Painting

Wednesday in class, we had the opportunity to learn about a certain artist and make our own painting based off of their styles. There was an artist that made abstract cats, one that made all kinds of paintings of guitars, flowers, an artist that painted the colors and what she saw when listening to songs, and creating a painting while laying on the floor, inspired by Michelangleo. I chose the Michelangelo inspired painting because it was more free range on what I could make and not so focused on one object. I also thought that it would be interesting and fun to paint upside down and challenge me to do something differently. After studying his paintings for a little bit, I decided I didn’t want to make a scene, or of anything specific. I ended up getting my inspiration for my painting through the colors of a majority of Michelanglo’s paintings. A lot of his paintings were with dark and bold colors, yet in some of his paintings there was light green grass, and he added a little more brightness to his paintings. I started off just making paint strokes with darker colors and decided to mix colors, light and dark, with paint strokes and dabbing at the page. I was very pleased with my end result because I honestly had no idea how it would turn out. At the end of the project, we were asked to name our painting. Since, I based my painting off bold colors, I looked up synonyms for the word bold and “dauntless” was one of the words. Looking at the painting, I decided that is what I would name it because it really fit my inspiration and idea behind my creation.

This project can be so good for students. It would give them the opportunity to choose what interests them most. When giving students a wide variety of artists, there is sure to be one that sparks an interest in the children. If not, you can always allow them to do a little research and find an artist that inspires them and their artwork. This also gives the children an opportunity to be creative and prove to themselves that they can be artists as well. 

https://www.teachstarter.com/blog/8-classroom-art-activities-inspired-famous-artists/

Social Studies Blog Post #1 Cultural Background

Today in class, we went around the room and wrote our cultural backgrounds on the whiteboards. Our cultural backgrounds were made up of our individual lives in one year any time from 3rd grade through 6th grade and what our lives were like. We were to state our grade, our family, and what made us who we were in that year of our life. It was such a learning activity, because everyone has different upbringings, yet everyone had similarities that were good, bad, tragic, exciting, etc. that made us into who we were then and who we are today. 

This activity was a great way to get to go around and learn about each of our classmates lives. We got the opportunity to learn about what they went through and how we would be able to relate to them. It also gives us, as classmates, the opportunity to see how our friends were developed into the people they are today.

From a teacher’s perspective, this activity is great for a first day of school. It allows the teacher to get to know the students and understand how far they’ve come, or not, who to sit together, and understand why the students are who they are, and behave the way they behave. This activity is a chance to a close knit, classroom community that is a safe place for everyone to be. It is an opportunity to make the students who may not have the best home life feel safe to come to you with any achievement or problem, but more importantly it’s so that everyone can feel safe together with a positive role-model to look up to, since you may be a student’s only positive influence. This is a great social studies activity where the students learn about a community and what it is made up of.

https://blog.teacherspayteachers.com/positive-classroom-community-create-sustain/