Document Camera and Demo Mirrors

I am quite lucky to have both a documentation camera and a demonstration mirror in my work environments. 

 

 

The document camera actually belongs to our school library.  Lucky for us (I share my middle school room with another art teacher) the documentation camera is rarely checked out so we get to keep it in our room all year long.  I cannot imagine not having this tool in our classroom.  It makes demonstrating to 25 plus students so much easier!

 

Here is an example of me using a document camera with my middle school students.

At the elementary school, I have a demonstration mirror.  When students come to my room there is a carpet area for them to sit at.  I then sit at the desk and demonstrate to them the steps for the day.  This snazzy tool has been quite helpful for me and the students think it pretty cool to be able to come to the mirror and demonstrate something to the class.  The only set back is that it is a reflection, so you have to be careful if you trying to have students do something specifically on the right or left side of their composition.

What are the cool ways you do demonstration in your classroom?  

Demonstration Mirror



Students sittting on carpet area viewing the demonstration through the mirror.

In Art I Can...

I have my "I Can..." statements presented on a dry erase board.  Placing magnets on the back allows me to move them around with ease and to pull them off quickly if they are needed for closer viewing. Using a dry erase marker makes it easy to change the statements with a swipe.  I try to underline vocabulary that is relevant to the lesson and double underline or place a box around the artist being discussed.

My "I Can..." statements are left up for the entire lesson.  I do not change the statement day to day. With seeing multiple sections of the same grade on different days, I find it much easier to list all the statements for the entire project versus changing it every day.

Do you display "I Can..." statements in your classroom? What are ideas that work for you?

Youth Art Month 2015

Zentangle Inspired Landscapes

Second Grade Lesson
3 Class Periods

Zentangle Landscape, Second Grade Art Lesson

Zentangle: an abstract drawing that uses repetitive patterns.  The idea of a zentangle is to concentrate on the process and fun of line making rather than the overall outcome of the design.

Day 1

Each student selected a 9 x 12 inch piece of construction paper.  Students were shown how to create a border for their composition.  Parts of a landscape were reviewed (foreground, middle ground, background, horizon line), ideas were brainstormed together on types of landscapes that could be created.

Students drew landscapes lightly with pencil and then outlined with a sharpie marker.  Students were instructed to keep ideas simple.

Day 2

On this day students were introduced to zentangles.  A sample zentangle handout was provided for the students as well as demonstration on how to create several different types of zentangles.  

Using a pencil, students set about placing zentangle design within the landscape.  Finished designs were outlined with a sharpie marker.

Day 3

Students finished up any areas that they felt needed more zentangle designs.  Colored pencils were then incorporated in the finishing touches for the composition.

Student Examples

View Finder Dinos (2015)

Fourth Grade Lesson
Two Class Periods

View Finder Dinos, Fourth Grade Art Lesson

Here are a few examples from this year of this wonderful project.  If you would like to see last year's examples or know the details behind the lesson check out my post from last year: View Finder Dinos

I am quite pleased at how well the students take the time to look and draw for this assignment.