Your web browser might not work well with our site. We recommend you upgrade your browser.
/classroom/6629018 Customize URL
On the first day of art class, every class asked me two things: Will we paint soon? Can I use a sharpie? I nodded, because of course we're going to paint and make stellar lines! Then, I winced. How do I give 400 students, ages 5 to 11, these things if I don't have them? How are they going to use messy things and protect their clothes? Most of my students are from low income homes. They keep their few clothes very, very neat. Paint, slime, clay, printing ink and just about everything we use in art gets messy. To make it tougher, we only have one sink. We need aprons! Every student in my class is taught that they have their own aesthetic, but they need the opportunities to explore various materials that will help them develop it. We start with a blank piece of paper, then commit a line to it. They are taught to trust that first line, then the next and the next. Their hand and mind produced it for a reason. We are strengthening coordination and confidence. After seeing how well my students handle pencils and crayons, I know that they are ready for the permanent detail pens. The black pens are waterproof. They work very well with watercolors. Soon, we are going to learn about colors and values. To elevate their brilliant minds, I will also teach my students the science behind their materials. The tubes of watercolors are the best tool for this. They are made of various pigments with unique properties. Each student will receive their own plastic mixing tray to store paint. These paints can be mixed, dried out and then reused until gone. This method conserves paint and will allow students to experiment.
Read more