Volunteers Needed

Right now volunteers are underway painting the misfit desks that are stored above the loft in the elementary art room.    A yard sale of the desks are forecasted for late Spring.  The funds raised by the sale of the desks will be used to replace the cracked and chipped art room tables.  In addition to the yard sale, a small number of desks will be auctioned off.  Contact me if you would like volunteer your artistic abilities to this charitable project.
Cell: 712-330-8733
Email: tproctor@spirit-lake.k12.ia.us
I can also be contacted at the elementary art room during the early morning and late afternoon. 

Drawing Practice

The drawings books are available to students that are finished with their art projects.
Purpose: to build students visual vocabulary and hand-eye coordination.  No tracing, is the only rule here. 

Kindergarten Color

This is one of my favorite color lessons that I teach to the Kindergarten!  I demonstrate color mixing with food coloring in cups of water on the overhead projector.  The students fill out a color wheel of their own with markers.  The following topics are covered in 40 minutes:  a review of the elements of art, how to color neatly, primary colors, secondary colors, warm colors, cool colors, neutral colors, how to write the names of colors, Spanish word for each color, sign language for each color, value, what happens when you mix all the colors together, and what do the colors taste like.  My ending performance of drinking the last cup of water usually leaves the crowd stunned.

Art Recess!

Students work at creative centers after they complete their art projects.  Legoland is a new creative center this year.  Currently students are put to task creating robots.  I'll change the robot theme to something else in a few weeks.  Please "comment" if you have any creative themes for Legoland.

Robot created by a 2nd grader.

I was informed that this is a baby robot.  

This model has all the bells and whistles: movable eyes, twistable neck, and a claw-grip hand.

Tux Paint!

Here is a picture of a Kindergartener working on a digital work of art during art class.  Students are encouraged to take turns working collaboratively on Tux Painting after the completion of their regular art projects.  Tux Paint is free and the kids enjoy using it!  You can down load it here at http://www.tuxpaint.org/

Several students in Mrs. Wilson's Kindergarten class worked on this picture.  The title was given by the students.

Mr. Puddles!

A pet turtle is a new addition to the art room this year.  A “naming contest” was initiated at the start of the school year.  A few hundred name suggestions where crammed into a box by K-4th grade students.  Their where many creative names that where given to the turtle.  Some of the more creative names include: Art Man, Shelldon, Swimmerson, and Mr. Proctor Jr.  From all the names given I chose Emma Dykrop’s suggestion of Mr. Puddles.  Here is Emma Dyrkop from Mrs. Tibben’s 4th grade classroom receiving her certificate of naming.  Mr. Puddles is a 2-year old male red-eared slider that enjoys taking long swims by the beach and eating an occasional rock or two. 

Looks like 4th grade will be wrapping up their Victorian Houses in the next two weeks.  Students used pencil, ruler, worksheets, google images, templates, photo references, bleach (yes bleach), q-tips, and oil pastels to design their one-of-a-kind Victorian House.

Looks like someone mowed the grass.

Check out the staircase!

That tall grass is eagerly awaiting for the sun to shine.

Watch, listen, view, read, respond, share!

This is the start of the Spirit Lake Elementary Art Blog!