February Project: PATTERNS

Project Title:  PATTERNS

Description:

• A review of the definition of the word "pattern".  Patterns have to repeat!  K-1 students laid out a variety of patterns A-B-A-B or A-A-B-C, etc. using foam shapes or wooden shapes.  Kindergarteners glued patterns to boards.  Grade one students glued wooden shapes to cardboard then printed on black paper using white printer's ink.  Colored markers were used to reinforce student patterns.

Vocabulary:

• Pattern
• Geometric
• Shapes
• Reversal (printing)

Resources:

• Book: Pattern Bugs, by Trudy Harris
• Book: I See Patterns Here, by Bruce Goldstone

Materials:

• Cardboard
• Foam Shapes
• Wooden Shapes
• Glue
• Pattern sheets

Examples of Student Work:

January Project: el Greco Landscapes

Project Title:  el Greco Landscapes

View of Toledo, by el Greco

Description:

• View of Toledo by el Greco inspired the introduction to landscape paintings.  Students immediately were drawn to the dramatic stormy sky.  They speculated the story behind this painting.  Wet-on-wet technique was practiced in our skies.  Collage technique reinforced the illusion of depth using diminishing size.

Vocabulary:

• Foreground
• Middle ground
• Background
• Horizon line
• Lanscape
• el Greco

Resources:

• Book: The Knight and The Dragon, by Tomie De Paola

Materials:

• Watercolor paint
• Colored pencil
• Assorted collage paper
• Paint markers

Examples of Student Work: