Busy Artists

With only five weeks left of the school year, the artists are busier than ever!

Paper pulp bird waiting to be painted.

Face sculpture, made at the construction center.

"We're working together, she's starting at that end, and I'm starting here, it's gonna be lots of different colors."

Three fifth graders proudly display their pocket pouches, made with the pockets of some donated, worn-out jeans.

Ceramics!

Clay is always the most anticipated center of the year. When it is opened, usually in mid-October, all the students clamor for a chance to work there. For some students, one or two turns at the clay center is plenty. But some students can't get enough!

"It's a smiling heart face. I made the mouth and everything stick to it with the scoring tool and the wet clay [slip]. Then I painted it."

"It's two bunnies, maybe the Easter bunny. There's a basket with colorful eggs in it." 

"Teacher! Look! I made gray with black and white. Wanna know why I needed that color? For painting that big rock. It's on a road, can you tell? 'Cause the road has black with those yellow stripes on it. I'm gonna make a car for it, too."

"Do you like the colors I painted my frog? He's in a pond."

Cardboard arcade games

These students may look like they're playing with garbage, but if you could hear their conversation, you'd be amazed!

I showed my students this Youtube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faIFNkdq96U&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

and they were inspired to create their own cardboard arcade games.

These students may look like they're playing with garbage, but if you could hear their conversation, you'd be amazed. They were busily exploring, engineering, problem solving.



Drawing

 "I'm going to hang this in my room. I made it 'cause I love dancing!"

"I learned how to draw faces this weekend!"

"This is a castle, and I'm the princess."



Sewing and fiber arts

This is a quilt made by a first grader. He worked diligently on it for several weeks, then we both decided he ought to take it home to finish it--it's going to be a gift for his soon-to-be-born sister. I was impressed by his determination; many students, especially younger are reluctant to begin a project that can't be finished in one day.



Two wall hangings, still in progress, created by fifth graders.

A yarn and glue person, created by a sixth grader. Not pictured is the removable wig she made out of yarn and a bottle cap.

Another pillow made by a fiber obsessed fifth grader. This is the third or fourth character pillow he's created this year. 

This fifth grader found the perfect item to create a basketball net for the hoop he made to go with his ceramic basketball!

First grade painters at work.

"It's a holder for my bobcat awards [bobcat awards are a student incentive program here at Bountiful Elementary]. I'm putting this on my desk, and every time I get an award, it'll go in the slot at the top!"

"He's a happy man. Not a monster, just a man or maybe a boy, 'cause he's so small, you know?"

"It's a plan for a time machine. I mean, I know a time machine isn't possible, but if someday, maybe it is possible, this is how I think I can build it. My friends helped me. I'm gonna keep this picture, so I can remember how to build it."

"Well, it's a carrot, and a flower. For Easter!"

"Well, it's a picture of my family! My dad, (he's kinda short), my sister, me, and my mom. My mom has a baby in her tummy! It's gonna be another sister!"

"He's 'posed to be spiderman, but I think I messed up on his face, so maybe he can be a different guy? Hmm, I'll figure it out."

"It's a bluebird in the garden. The face didn't actually work very good, but I like it. See? She's in the middle of beautiful flowers."