1st grade monster pinch pots

The first grade curriculum for this 9 weeks calls for the students to make a pinch pot. I decided that we would take the pinch pots and turn them into monsters. I gave each student a ball of clay, and taught them how to create their pinch pots, by sticking their thumb into the ball of clay, and then "quacking" (pinching) their clay, thereby forming a pinch pot. Next, we turned them sideways, and added eyes, teeth, tongues, hair, horns and other assorted parts to create our monsters. After firing, the students painted their monsters. I am in the process of putting them in the display case now. Here are a few of them I thought you might enjoy.

This month's teacher art club... bookmaking

This month for the art club that I sponsor for the teachers here at Lakeveiw, we focused on bookmaking. We made two books, the first an accordion fold book with hard cover, and a flag book. I started the teachers off by having them use shaving cream and liquid watercolor to marbleize paper for the covers of the flag book. Just so you know... this was hysterical...shaving cream was everywhere... and threats of shaving cream facials were volleyed about... but they did a great job. While the papers were drying, we worked on the accordion book, and then the flag book. The teachers had a lot of fun, we even had some student teachers join in. Everyone was discussing how the books could be used in their classrooms. It was so satisfying to listen in on the collaboration that was happening in the room!