November 2016 Art Blog

Kindergarten: Tree of Life inspired by Gustav Klimt

Our Kindergarten students were introduced to the Austrian “Art Nouveau” painter Gustav Klimt (born in 1862). Klimt had created many world famous paintings such as “The Kiss” and the painting the Kindergarten students were introduced to called “Tree of Life”. Gustav Klimt painted the Tree of Life, during his Golden Era of as seen by the extensive use of the golden color on this piece. 

Gustav Klimt’s decorative art nouveau stile, with his use of colors and abstract shapes, is full of symbolism and can be interpreted in so many ways.  

^1st GRADE: Polar Bear Portraits

To start this lesson we did a read aloud of the book: White Bear, Ice Bear by Janne Ryder. We also researched some polar bear facts, and found out that polar bears have black skin, and a group of polar bears is called a celebration! 

Using white chalk on black construction paper students sketched a polar bear portrait. Students used the sides of white chalk to rub a round shape for the head and a body.  Two smaller circles made the ears. Students used their fingers to gently blend the chalk to remove any harsh lines that may have been created.  Black oil pastels were used to create the facial features and the inner ears.  Students rubbed a little bit with the black pastel under the head to create a bit of a shadow. Then they cut our the whole polar bear shape. With a tear and paste technique students created a background with icebergs. The final display turned out to be adorable. A celebration of polar bears!

1st & 2nd GRADE: Collaborative Pilot Program: Arts Integration

In August of 2016, Mrs Libby and five classroom teachers at Bacich Elementary school formed a group to pilot Arts Integration. This is a team teaching approach, which this group of teachers applied as a pilot program in addition to regular visual arts classes. 

Arts integration is an approach to teaching that integrates the fine and performing arts as primary pathways to learning. Arts integration differs from traditional education by its inclusion of both the arts discipline and a traditional subject as part of learning (e.g. using improvisational drama skills to learn about conflict in writing.) The goal of arts integration is to increase knowledge of a general subject area while concurrently fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of the fine and performing arts. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts defines arts integration as "an approach to teaching in which students construct and demonstrate understanding through an art form. Students engage in a creative process which connects an art form and another subject and meets evolving objectives."

First and second grade students were introduced to the following arts integration concepts: Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) and Tableau. 

Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) is a method initiated by teacher-facilitated discussions of art images and documented to have a cascading positive effect on both teachers and students. It is perhaps the simplest way in which teachers and schools can provide students with key behaviors sought by Common Core Standards: thinking skills that become habitual and transfer from lesson to lesson, oral and written language literacy, visual literacy, and collaborative interactions among peers.

Teachers coached first and second graders students to add on to somebody else's observation, noticing new objects and things and ideas in the painting. This strategy validates everyone's idea, observation and opinion. Nobody is right nobody is wrong as long as opinions are based on evidence in the painting. 

Tableau s a representation of a picture, statue, scene, etc.by one or more persons suitably posed. In groups of three students viewed a painting. Students were directed to act out the three most important parts of the painting. Student groups took turns in presenting their tableaux. The rest of the class was guessing who was acting out which part in the painting. Students loved this activity, everyone had a chance to participate, move their bodies, take guesses connect to an art piece, make close observations, use creativity, and work collaboratively. 

3rd GRADE: Chinese Brush Paintings

Third grade students have been studying the amazing art of Chinese Brush Painting. Students were introduced to the Chinese prodigy artist Yani, who became famous with her whimsical depictions of monkeys, as well as other traditional Chinese plants and animals when she was only 4 years old.  

After a lot of practice, how to use a Chinese brush and ink correctly, students worked with their subject of choice. The final paintings were painted on rice paper and each student created a “seal/chop” to print onto their finished piece. 

4th GRADE: 

The 4th grade student art show at Artworks Downtown Gallery in San Rafael was a great success. We had a great turn out of students and families admiring the impressive show of bright colored, collaborative, posters inspired by the Pop artist Keith Haring. Thank all for your support. A special thank you to Anna Rochester, and Cathleen Vickers for installing the show. It looked impressive! A huge thank you to Ellen at Artworks Downtown for hosting the show. 

4th GRADE: Robotic Bugs

During the months of November and December, the Bacich Art Teacher Mrs. Libby will be collaborating with a local program called “Sausalito Arts Festival Foundation, Artists Teaching Art”. Modesto Tamez will be our guest artist and together with Mrs. Libby he will be leading 4th grade students in a unique opportunity to design and create three-dimensional robotic bugs.

In collaboration with Mrs. Libby, Modesto will instruct 4^th grade students in building a working model of a simple robotic bug. Student will be able to take this simple plain looking design and make a working plan and experiment to design and build a more artistic and interesting bug. During the last part of this lesson students will have the opportunity to reflect upon their design and process, as well as play with their bugs and observer their movements. Who knows, some bugs might even paint a picture!