New Centers

This is so fun! (5 th picture from top) A woven picnic blanket with ramps for the ants. Decorations at the bottom "just because."

Today I opened all centers with the 5th and 6th grades. I introduced collage, watercolor, and stamping to the 1st and 2nd graders. It went relatively smoothly, surprisingly. As you can tell from the pictures there were major messes while the students worked but they did a great job cleaning up.

Week one is over

This was only a 3 day week and I am glad to be done. It was however a great week. It's just hard to get back into the swing of things. I was at my second school today. They are a pretty nice group of kids and all seem to be excited about choice. I only introduced the drawing center this week. The texture plates were a hit, even with the 6th graders.
Next week is a full week of school. I'll be introducing more centers on wednesday. Wish me luck.!

First day

Here is an abstract folder design from a sixth grade student. It reminds me of a Kandinsky. This student is really excited about the possibilities involved in a choice classroom.

1/2 way through day one

Let me just tell you how much I love choice so far. My Students are completely revved up about it. My room is immaculate (no new centers unless this one is clean). They can't wait to open more centers! We are making our folders and they are enjoying decorating them to their liking using only drawing media.

The fifth graders did a journal writing excercise after art, here's an excerpt from one of my favorites:

"It was fun, it wasn't boring to me because I enjoy art. I love art. I live on art. Everyday I have to draw something it is just so fun. Art. Art. Art"

First Day of choice tomorrow

Open house was tonight. We had a very nice turn out. I am pretty excited about starting choice tomorrow. I am going to do portfolios using the drawing center items with all classes after introducing the concept of centers and going over a few basic rules. The students who visited my room tonight highly approved of the changes I've made. I'll try to take pictures of our first day.

Here are more pictures

My desk, as viewed from the door looking left. The Textile center is on the left closest to the camera. I have a puzzle on it right now (Matisse) for Open House.







This is the paint center. There is a cart to the left of this with more supplies.







Drawing center. I hope some students try to draw the plants.









Paper cart on the right. Tool cart on the left.
The shelves in back will hold student artwork until my new cabinets come in the Spring.







This is the "front" of the room drawing is left of the picture and collage is to the right. The cart contains assorted items for the collage center

Yeah! Pictures

I don't have much labeled yet. I also don't have any menus up yet but I'm getting there!

This is what you see towards the left when you look in my door.

Painting center is on the left closest to the sink.
3-d construction is the table on the right.

Oops, I forgot

Well as those of you who know me probably guessed, I forgot the camera. I did however remember the staple gun for the custodian. The room is looking better and I think I have a good handle on what I am going to do this week. I had a pretty bad dream about my first class though. Hopefully it was not prophetic! In the dream my room was not very feng shui (so I new there was something wrong). I am very big into feng shui and its effects in the art room. But, that is off topic. Backt to the dream. After I dismissed the students to do their work mass chaos reigned and I had to give 4 students behavior marks. I rarely give one... I think I am worrying too much.
I have rambled long enough for tonight.

setting up the centers

Well folks I started physically moving things. I set up the room today with the tables in their correct spots for centers. I plan to introduce all of the drawing materials with a folder/portfolio "project" so that thay have somewhere to store their works in progress. I sorted all of the other materials on hand into their respective centers, although right now the materials are on carts. I have a lot of rearranging to do before I can give the items more permanent homes.

If I feel daring I may introduce the 3-d construction center the first day also. My 9 year old son
tested it out today and made a giraffe in a cage, very out of his normal realm of comfort
(with zero prompting from me!). That got me so excited to see what my students will create.
For those of you interested in what I have put at each station I used the following site as a guideline.
http://sugarcreek.newpal.k12.in.us/choice3/centers.htm

I should have some pictures up tomorrow, If I remember the camera.

making the transition to choice

I have decided to convert the art classroom into a choice studio. What on earth is a choice studio you ask? Well, in a nutshell it is a way of "teaching" that enables students to choose between a variety of centers in the art room to communicate their own creative visions. Essentially the choice studio enables children to think and work like artists. They have full access to many different art materials at once. Just like in a real artist studio. If you are interested in a more in depth discussion I have included a few links for your reading enjoyment. I will be posting updates as I make this very exciting transition.
http://knowledgeloom.org/practices3.jsp?location=1&bpinterid=1357&spotlightid=1357
http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/TAB-CHOICE.htm