AWESOME SQUIGGLES

Happy Spring everyone!!!

I am so excited about the project that I have had ALL my k-5 art classes working on- THE AWESOME SQUIGGLE!!!  I learned about this project through a former teacher of the year who teaches 3rd grade at my school, Palencia Elementary (the only 1 to 1 digital school in St. Johns county Florida) and she is a Skype educator expert!  I learned more about the project at our St. Augustine Edcamp that was held at our school in March.

While I wasn't sure exactly how to approach this project, I loved the idea of allowing students the freedom to create meaningful artwork using media of their choice.  Since I post most of my lessons on Youtube to introduce students to how I would approach such an artistic challenge, I decided to make one video using my iPad and the sketchbook app.  (All my k-2 students have iPads) This first squiggle of mine was of an Egyptian girl in the desert.  Then I did another video based on the incoporated study of the artist Juan Miro, and surrealism.

After I had almost all my classes introduced and most started the project, the next step once a student squiggle was finished I had the students or I take pictures of them and publish them to our Artsonia gallery.  https://www.artsonia.com/slideshow.asp?project=1321466

https://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?project=1321466

Then I typed a brief script for students to record their squiggle using an app on the iPad called Chatterpix.

So many students have LOVED the freedom in this project and wanted to choose it for the best piece of art work for our school wide art show.

Our next step is to connect with some great classes across the country and continent to share our awesome work and learn more about others!

https://www.artsonia.com/slideshow.asp?project=1321466

New Year New Goals

As our winter break is winding down, I wanted to take a few minutes to reflect on and make some goals for the new year.  Goal setting is so important and such a powerful way to achieve new and better things.

My Art Goals for 2017:

1. Finish manuscript for my second book; Robot's Artageous Egyptian Adventure.  I actually just finished typing the manuscript in the correct format and my next step is to add the text to the scanned images.

2. Send the completed manuscript/pages to a publisher.   :)  Some of the considerations are https://www.boydsmillspress.com/bmp/contact-us   , Other publishers,  Dial books

3. Start my third Book ROBOT GOES TO CHINA!  I can't wait to start this one because Chinese New Year is coming up!  Chinese New year is on January 28th this year and it is the year of the Rooster!  I can't wait to celebrate with my classes by studying Asian Art and Culture when we get back to school!

4. Meet with my resource team and other grade level teams more often to try to do more cross curricular lessons.

5. Write a donors choose for more Lego- iPads.  I really would love to have a class set of iPads.  :)

6.  NEW SKETCHBOOK!!!   One of my fourth grade students heard me say that my sketchbook was almost full and he went out and bought me a new one!! How sweet, right?  I drew him this and I hope to do lots of sketching/art challenges this year with it.  I have always been interested in figure/portrait studies.  Maybe I can develop a series.

I also have some personal goals for the year.

-I want to work on my art and join more of the twitter chats on Thursday night.

-Work with my son on some academic social goals for school.  He started kindergarten with me with year at my school and it was been a joy and a challenge.   He has an IEP for developmental delays in his social learning.  We also just found out that he is far sighted (even though is an extremely talented artist and excellent reader)  and is being evaluated for any other social/emotional delays.  I want to learn how i can do my best to help him be successful in all areas including at school and home.

What are your goals/resolutions for the new Year!  Good luck!!!