This spring kindergarteners are learning to fold, roll and bend paper into colorful paper sculptures. They are also making 'water color and crayon resist' under the sea paintings with a manatee as the star attraction.
Kindergarten in the art room is a time of exploring materials, learning about shapes and colors and how they work together. The children are introduced to looking at art and learning about artists. Fine motor skills are developed through cutting, playing with clay, coloring and using a paint brush. Illustrators and artists are introduced as part of the art activities.
In the autumn the children looked at the book, Have You Seen My Cat by Eric Carle and along with this, the story Henry and Mudge Under the Yellow Moon. We tied this into a collage of Southside Panthers under the yellow autumn moon.
At the start of the year we look at the reproduction, Head of a Man by Klee and make a 'Mr. Shape Head' picture. We use the illustrations of Leo Lionni to inspire chameleon pictures, and the work of Eric Carle to guide Southside panther pictures.
Students follow step by step directions to make pictures of bears, clowns, and still life pictures of flowers.
Students learn that art can be three dimensional. They view reproductions of crowns and masks. They create crowns, 3-d paper playgrounds, and paper masks.
We used air dry clay and Model Magic to make sun faces to hang on the wall and little clay bowels. Texture is created by rubber stamping the clay. You can purchase air dry clay and Model Magic in local craft stores and continue to help your child develop the fine motor skills that manipulating doughy clay like substances provides.
As we move through semester two, the children are looking at the works of famous painters; Picasso, Cezanne, and Rousseau and paint tempera and watercolor paintings. We will also be painting Beatrix Potter 'Peter Rabbit' watercolor rabbits, and making 'manatee under the sea' pictures for a nature theme this spring.
During clean up in the art room children view five to ten minute of art related video clips. Recently they have seen photographer William Wegman's 'ABC Dogs', 'I Can Fly, Kids and Creativity' and 'Star, My World Gallery'.
Because of schedule considerations, activities may or may not include or be limited to these exact activities and may go in different order for different classes.