3s created beautiful worlds after watching the live feed from the International Space Station (so amazing…), which was connected to their classroom studies about maps and globes. We then learned about Indigenous Pottery and how early artists used a coil construction to make beautiful and useful artwork that is deeply connected to the land and family. As fall progressed, 3s used leaves to create a small clay dish and to create a watercolor painting from close observation.
4s have been enjoying choice studio time, which means that they have a demonstration about an artist or art concept and then they behave as artists: they envision, persist, observe, develop craft, express, explore, and reflect. Art educators spend much time thinking about how to cultivate these “Artist Habits of Mind”. Our 4s are in a sweet spot of creating, and it is magic. We practice curiosity about how paint colors work together and what happens if we attach this piece on this sculpture (but it doesn’t quite work, so maybe a different solution…). We talk about Art and Artists and try to notice something that no one else has seen yet. Our Clay, Sculpture, Drawing, and Painting Centers are humming.
5s have been working on woven pouches and baskets. They learned how to build a cardboard loom that folded up to create space for the inside of the pouch. 5s also worked with two alternating weft strands to make a stripe pattern. We opened up the clay center, at first with reminders as to how to care for the tools and materials, then with idea prompts, and finally to create basket rounds (textured slabs with a wiped down glaze). With their clay basket rounds, 5s learned how to soak reed and weave around the basket spokes.