Mural at EMMS

Mariesa Greenholt from Appoquinimink High School won the mural sketch contest by submitting her sketch depicting artist mannequins participating in core subjects with swirling colors accenting the words “Education Means More Success”. The middle school students from Everett Meredith Middle School worked on the mural every Tuesday and Thursday from December through May. Students from Appoquinimink High School and Middletown High School assisted the middle school students in March and April with adding value and movement in the artwork. The Mural is located in the hallway right outside the office at Everett Meredith Middle School. As students walk in and out of the school, they walk through the swirling colors and are reminded that hard work will lead them to success. This is an inspiring and energetic addition to the halls of Everett Meredith Middle School.

6th Grade: Tessellations

Tessellations

The word ‘terrera’ in Latin means a small stone cube. They were used to make up ‘tesellata’ the mosaic pictures forming floors and tiling’s in Roman Buildings.

Tessellations are designs which can fill the page, without gaps or over-lapping; to form a pattern that completely fills a space. It’s the simplest form of jigsaw puzzle: all the pieces look alike.

Your tessellation must be based on a shape that will tessellate.

Students also completed a one page paper discussing M.C. Escher, Tessellations and talking about their project and how they made their project.

Students presented the projects to their peers and projects were hung in the hallways for 3 weeks.

 

7th Grade: History Books

Essential Question: How can you create an interesting book about a time period in History using the Elements and Principles of Design?

History Books

When visiting the Library, ever notice how many different types of books there are? Reading books are usually bigger and thinner, while novels are smaller and thicker. Most of them are made by binding one end and adhering the pages to the binder.

This is not the only way to bind books though.

Throughout history, different cultures have made variations of books in many different ways throughout the ages.

Slat books were the first kind of books, made in China. They were made of strips of bamboo that were held together by cord. This is were the Chinese custom of writing from top to bottom began. The books were either rolled up for storage, or folded like an accordion.

Papyrus scrolls in Egypt were made from papyrus which is made from the papyrus plant that grows in the Nile River. The stems are cut and sliced into thin strips which are laid on top of each other in two layers- one horizontal and one vertical. The paper is then pressed together so the paper is bound together.

Scrolls were also used as books in ancient Greece and Rome, but there were no pictures like the ancient Egyptians used. They were just writings on scrolled paper.

History Books

The first part of this assignment will be to research a unique book- like an accordion book, and do a quick presentation on the book, including the background on where the book was made and why it was made. Include interesting facts on how the book was made as well.

A.    Choose a period in history to learn about and take notes on.

Some examples are:

            Ancient Egypt              Ancient China             Medieval Europe

            Ancient Rome              Ancient Greece            Baroque                                                                      Prehistoric Times   Mayan                        

B.     Break that period in history down in to 5 major events or characteristics that happened during that time period and their significance.

***MAKE SURE YOU USE MLA FORMAT TO SITE YOUR SOURCES***

-Need at least 2 book references, and 3 internet sources.

Example: Ancient Egypt

1.   Pyramids Built

2.   Tomb Robbers

3.   Battle

4.   Merchants

5.   Fall of Ancient Egypt

C.     Do a rough draft of how you will illustrate and lay out the books. This should be done on drawing paper.

a.      Make notes on the rough drafts, including citing your sources. Print out pictures and tape or glue them to the rough drafts.

D.    Choose a book layout from the “Book Layout Packet” to create your book.

a.       You may practice the layouts on drawing paper first, then use bigger paper to create the books.

E.     Start illustrating and putting your books together. You may not use pictures printed from internet or removed from books/newspapers/periodicals (magazines) in your books- everything is to be hand-drawn (this is ART CLASS J).

a.      USE Stick Glue, MARKERS AND COLORED PENCILS

                                                              i.      Crayons and pastels will smear.

b.      Use the Elements and Principles of design in your layout.

 

8th Grade: Jazz Instraments

Jazz Paintings

Essential Question: How does music influence Visual Arts?

 

            The Jazz Age (also known as the Golden age or the Roaring Twenties) was a feature of the 1920’s when Jazz music and dance became popular. In the 1920’s- everyone seemed to have money to spend.

The young set themselves free especially, the young women. They shocked the older generation with their new hair style (a short bob) and the clothes that they wore were often much shorter than had been seen and tended to expose their legs and knees. The wearing of what were considered skimpy beach wear in public could get the Flappers, as they were known, arrested for indecent exposure. They wore silk stockings rolled just above the knee and they got their hair cut at male barbers. The President of Florida University said the low cut gowns and short skirts "are born of the devil they are carrying the present generation to destruction".

Aaron Douglas was an African American painter from Topeka, Kansas. Douglas was heavily influenced by the African culture he painted for. His natural talent plus his newly acquired inspiration allowed Douglas to be considered the "Father of African American arts." That title led him to say," Do not call me the Father of African American Arts, for I am just a son of Africa, and paint for what inspires me."

Douglas was an important part of the circle of artists and writers we now call the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned the 1920s. The Harlem Renaissance helped lay the foundation for the post-World War II phase of the Civil Rights Movement. Moreover, many black artists who rose to creative maturity afterward were inspired by this literary movement.

VOCAB:

Analagous colors: next to each other on the color wheel. These colors will have a common base color. For instance: blue, blue-violet, and violet. Another example is yellow-green, green, and blue-green.

 

Learning Center: Art Memory

Art Memory Cover Artwork

Art memory is designed to engage students in identifying and associating artist names with a well known work of art that the artist created.

The students lay down the cards face up and have 30 seconds to memorize the names of the artists, or the paintings. Then the students flips the cards over and picks two cards to flip over. If the cards match the student will leave them face up. If the cards do not match, then the students flip them back over and try again. When playing multiple player, the students stack the cards that match next to them to see who can get the most matches.

This learning activity can be played single or multiple players and is for ages 6 and over.

Students engaging in Art Memory

Learning Board One- Artists and Famous works of Art

Learning Board Two: Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

Learning Board Three: Artists and Famous works of Art

Learning Board Backing

Guess Who: Artists

First Graders playing 'Guess Who' with Artists learning game insert

Guess Who Artists is a Learning Center that can be utilized in the classroom to get students to actively participate in learning Art History as well as effectively evaluating works of art.

Utilizing this game in the classroom has shown positive results. Many of the students are familiar with the Guess Who game already, which cuts down on the instructions and limits classroom interruptions.

Students engage in interviewing other students by asking questions about paintings to figure out which artist the other student has chosen. The students ask questions like "Does your painting have a person in it?" or "Is your artwork a painting?". The game gets more involved as we learn about different artists throughout our curriculum.

Blue Game Board for 'Guess Who'

Red Game Board for 'Guess Who'

This Game was a part of our workshop at the PAEA conference on October 21st 2011 in Gettysburg Pennsylvania. The art educators who attended the conference loved this game!!!

PAEA Conference 2011: Learning Centers

Dr. Meg Barney and Crystal Benoit

 Meg Barney and I hosted a workshop at the PAEA conference in Gettysburgh PA on October 21st from 3-3:50 to learn about and discuss Learning Centers. 

This presentation went over the different types of Learning Centers, why they are important, how to start a Learning Center in your art room as well as much more!! We also had learning centers available for Teachers to utilize and measure their effectiveness and discuss the value of having them in the classroom.

Below is an Overview of our Powerpoint Presentation.

Overview of Presentation (20 Minutes)

•               Permanent Learning Centers

•               Temporary Learning Centers

•               Why have learning centers?

•               Getting Started

•               Meeting Standards

•               Incorporating Special Needs

•               Logistics

•               Direct Application

20 Minutes to Utilize Learning Centers

10 Minutes for Q&A

Please email me at mrsbenoitart@yahoo.com for any questions or concerns!!


Learning Center Details