Marin County Teacher of the Year and California Teacher of the Year Finalist

In October 2017, I was named by State Superintendent Tom Torlakson one of the California Teacher of the Year Finalists. I placed 8th out of the top 12 teachers in all of California. It gets even better, I am the only finalist in Norther California! On Feb. 12, 2018 I am invited to Sacramento as an ambassador for the arts and to represent the 1,858 teachers in Marin County. - Can you hear me cheering!!

Like a real celebrity I had a "Teacher or the Year" photos shoot:

Kindergarten: Leaf Prints

Kindergarten students were introduction to watercolor and printing. Students were taught the wet-on-wet watercolor technique - using a water wash on the paper, on which a color is applied while the paper is still wet.

The myriad patterns and textures found on fall leaves, which were collected around campus were transferred by placing wet leaves onto a yellow underpainting. Students painted on top of the leaves with a variety of colors. Leaves must stay on background until completely dry! The result - soft backgrounds contrasted with beautiful textured patterns from nature!

To create a frame for the leaf prints, students experiment printing with different tools such as corks, forks, tubes, etc. to print a pattern.

1st GRADE: Arts Integration and STEAM: Exploration of Sound

This 1st grade unit of Arts Integration and STEAM support the Next Generation Science Standards of "Light and Sound". Arts integration is an important part of the transition to the Common Core Standard. Bacich school as formed a STEAM team where homeroom teachers, math/science coach, maker teacher and the art teacher meet monthly to design projects to inspire student to think differently about core subjects such as, math, science, through project based learning. This supports deeper learning and thinking by connecting the core subject to an art form while maintaining the integrity of both the core subject and the artistic process.

The STEAM team in collaboration with the 1st grade team guided 1st grade students through a variety of hands-on science experiments. Students have been learning that sound comes from vibrations. They have also learned about pitch and volume. Students practiced math and engineering skills together with Mrs. Yang and Mr. Bessonette to measure and cut the wood for the keys for their very own xylophones. Students were super excited to cut the wood with box saws! It was amazing! Once the wooden keys were prepared, the children worked with Mrs. Libby in the art room to build, personalize and decorated their xylophones in an artistic, aesthetically pleasing ways.These were perfect instruments to demonstrate and explore vibrations, pitch and volume. Furthermore, students grasp the concept that long objects/materials make low sounds, whereas short materials produce high sounds.

2nd GRADE: Color Theory, Color Wheel

Second grade students were introduced to the basics of color theory. Students were fascinated by the connection of art and science and how all the colors in the color wheel can be mixed by using just the three primary colors. Students had the opportunity to mix their very own color wheels using only red, yellow and blue.

Following the color wheel lesson, 2nd grade students were introduced to tints. In color theory, a tint is the mixture of a color with white, which increases lightness, and a shade is the mixture of a color with black, which reduces lightness.

A tint is created when you add white to a color and lighten it. It is also sometimes called a pastel color. Tints can range from nearly the full saturation of the hue to practically white. Sometimes artists add a small bit of white to a color to increase its opacity and covering strength.

Tinting a color also desaturates the hue, making it less intense. Red when tinted becomes pink. Blue when tinted becomes "baby blue." Tints, or pastels, are often thought of as calmer and quieter colors, and are often used for newborn apparel and accessories.

Knowing how to use tint, tone, and shade in painting will help express space, depth, and form and better communicate of ideas.

Students picked a primary, or secondary color as the main hue to paint hills of a landscape. Using white in addition to the main hue, students learned to mix tints, from dark to light to create a sense of space to depict a hilly landscape.

3rd GRADE: Circuits in Art

This 3rd grade unit of Arts Integration and STEAM supports the Next Generation Science Standards of "Electricity". Third grade teachers worked collaboratively with Mrs. Libby, and at the same time received professional development from artist/scientist-in-residence Modesto Tamez. The project provided training for the teachers with the expectation that the teachers will be able to continue independently.

Modesto Tamez's residency at Bacich Elementary school was funded by Artists Teaching Art (ATA) and KSD PTA. ATA is an arts education program developed by the Sausalito Art Festival Foundation (SAFF) to serve students K-12 in both public and private schools throughout Marin County.

Modesto Tamez has over 40 years of experience as an artist, educator and scientist. Modesto has been part of a team of educators at the Teacher Institute at the Exploratorium in San Francisco. He leads professional development with science teachers of all levels. Modesto has had the opportunity to export what he does in San Francisco to many countries throughout the world by doing teacher training in over a dozen countries.

The collaborative, team-taught unit of study consisted of three 60 minutes lessons exploring electricity. Students were introduced to lots of new vocabulary such as: circuit, cell, parallel, conductor, insulator.

Students worked with a partner to build a parallel circuit, light holders and a switch. Out of tag board students designed buildings and structures. Students decided on 3 parts of their city they wished to illuminate. The finished three-dimensional city structure shows a creative, whimsical city on the front side, on the back side, students' technical engineering of building circuits is revealed. This project challenged students in many ways, but up and foremost perseverance was rewarded when students illuminate their buildings!

https://youtu.be/uGrhKga2tlk

Kentfield teacher offers heartfelt tribute to SF

http://www.marinij.com/lifestyle/20171018/kentfield-teacher-offers-heartfelt-tribute-to-sf

4th GRADE: Heart Poster Fundraiser for San Francisco General Hospital Foundation inspired by Pop Artist Keith Haring

San Francisco General Hospital Foundation is partnering with Bacich Elementary School’s 4th grade classes in an art fundraiser.

Under the direction of their art teacher, Ms. Barbara Libby-Steinmann, the 4th grade students will be collaborating in creating large heart-shaped posters inspired by the works of Pop Artist Keith Haring. Student's artwork will be professionally photographed. Students' artwork may be purchased by the parent/guardian or another individual with 100% of the proceeds benefitting San Francisco General Hospital Foundation.

About San Francisco General Hospital Foundation:

San Francisco General Hospital Foundation (the Foundation) is an independent, 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation that provides philanthropic support to Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (Zuckerberg San Francisco General). The Foundation is dedicated to promoting excellence in research, education and care for all at Zuckerberg San Francisco
General. Funds raised by the Foundation allow Zuckerberg San Francisco General to continue its long history of providing compassionate and high-quality health care to San Francisco and northern San Mateo County.

Four grade students were introduced to the works of Pop artist Keith Haring. Haring (1958-1990) was famous in the 1980s for his often large scale art, which was a mixture of graffiti and pop art. He used bright colors and simplistic, cartoon like images, expressing his social, emotional, and political views.

Student recorded important facts about Haring in their art journals and viewed samples of this work. Focusing on Haring's iconic imagery students analyzed a few samples of his works and used "his clues" (color, symbols, and motion marks) to identify, and guess Haring's message to the viewer.

Students sketched ideas to express a message or thought in a Keith Haring style. Students presented their ideas in assigned groups and worked on combining their ideas to create one large scale heart shaped poster. Each group selected one-two students to act as models for their poster. Group members directed the models to lay down onto the poster paper in a specific pose and traced around their bodies. Each group carefully selected bright colors to paint their life size posters. Can you guess the students' message/idea/story they are communicating?