PreK Sunflowers

Today we practiced our circles and ovals in the PreK classes. We had real sunflowers at our tables that we were able to touch and feel the different textures. We were also able to practice our coloring skills as we worked on filling in our "white spaces" and coloring in one direction. We decided to bring our work home so we could share with our families what we learned about shapes and sunflowers!

PreK A

PreK B

Getting a glimpse!

While I was preparing for our open house on Wednesday, I thought I'd take some pictures in case you don't have a chance to stop by!

What time does my child have specials?

What kind of personal responsibility do we work on in the art room?

What are the expectations? During the first few days of school, the students and I will work on our Peace Promises and come to an agreement about how we want to be treated in the classroom. This is a great community builder. It also helps give the students a voice in the classroom environment.

Open house info

About Mrs. Nienhouse:  I graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2007. My husband and I have two beautiful daughters (twins- Scarlett and Violette) that will be three years old this November! I love to read and draw. My favorite place in the world is Scotland and the craziest thing I have ever done was going skydiving! I can’t wait to start creating some fun artwork this year with all of you!

Classroom Expectations:

In art we have three main expectations for all students:

• Be safe.
• Be responsible.
• Be respectful.

THE ART CURRICULUM:

We will be starting the year off with a review of the art elements of line, shape, color, form, texture, value, and space. Throughout the year, many projects will be focused on giving children experiences with each of the above art elements. Upper grade levels also focus on art principles such as pattern, movement, balance, emphasis, unity, and movement. 

Each year, the art teachers in Hudsonville focus on a new culture. This year’s focus will be Asia. Each grade focuses on a different aspect of the culture’s art so that all students can be exposed to a variety of styles and concepts from that culture. 

Art history is also a large component of our curriculum. Each grade level focuses on learning about the lives and work of historical as well as some contemporary artists. This year, each grade will be learning about the following artists: 

Kindergarten: Piet Mondrian, Eric Carle, Joan Miro, Paul Klee, Jim Dine

1st Grade: Gustav Klimt, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, James Rizzi

2nd Grade: Henri Matisse, Faith Ringgold, Joan Miro, Henri Rousseau, Vincent Van Gogh, 

3rd Grade: Frida Kahlo, Leonardo DaVinci, Jackson Pollock, Jim Dine, Andy Warhol, George Rodrigue

4th Grade: Wayne Thiebaud, Heather Galler, Wassilly Kandinsky, Edgar Degas, Alexander Calder, Mary Cassatt

5th Grade: Chihuly, Salvador Dali, Georga O’Keeffe, Friedrich Hundertwasser

Finally we try to have each grade level have experience a variety of materials and genres. Some genre choices include: portraits, landscapes, cityscapes, architecture, cartoons, realism, abstraction, and figure drawing. 

Please check out our website for updates on what’s happening in the art room. There are some days when learning might not involve an actual "product that goes home", instead there is an experience that helps strengthen or prepares the students. Blogs are a great way to capture these moments so please check often!

www.artwithmrsnienhouse.blogspot.com 

Thank you!

Mrs. Nienhouse

cnienho@hpseagles.net

Getting ready for a new year!

As I was preparing for the new school year I found a picture on the good ol' internet that made me chuckle. Thank you www.fatcatart.com for making my day! All the things I love... Sushi, kitties, France (baguettes and berets hehe) and painting. Little known fact about me is that I was born in France and I have duel citizenship! 

Tints and shades with 3rd grade

I found this picture on my phone and thought I would share it. This was in February when we worked on our Tints and shades!

5th grade Showcase

When I asked my students "what is art" or "How does art make you feel?" Some answers were...

Sebastian-

"When you draw you go on an imagination adventure"

Bryson-

"I like art because if you make a mistake, it makes it unique."

Sawyer-

"Art is a time where you can relax and there is no such thing as a wrong answer."

Marilyn-

Art is a great stress reliever. Whenever I don't feel good, art makes me happy."

Over the years I have tried to reinforce the students with the idea that it's ok to make mistakes and to problem solve creatively solutions to change our accidents into "beautiful oop's" which is based on a book I read them at the beginning of the year. Students could choose to work collaboratively to foster teamwork or independently. Many students spent hours of their lunch recess time excitedly working on their projects. Here are a few pictures of the set up before parents arrived.

2nd grade murals

I thought it might be nice to have second grade paint some summer time murals.

....bring May flowers!

Who said assessments have to be boring! It's the end of the year and it's time for me to assess everything we've learned through the year. From how to make shapes and lines to describing styles of art and the grade level artists, I try to find ways to creatively check for knowledge. Here are some of my Kinder tulips that look adorable but also show me the ease for some students to make ovals, curved lines, angle lines, straight lines, and the motor control to color in one direction and color in a confined space. It might not seem like much but for students in kindergarten who at the beginning of the year might not have had the confidence ( wanting me to draw it for them or afraid to try) or the control to do all this, to now create a picture with ease and understanding of all the vocabulary terms makes me so happy. The simplicity that we learn at this stage will be the foundation for them to build upon in future years and if you've ever been to one of Hudsonville's district art shows, you will see the amazing work we are building up. 

May the 4th be with you! ;)

Happy Star Wars day! I mean May 4th! Today 3rd graders made R2D2 and had a blast doing it. We used geometric shapes and chalk pastel for the lasers. Thanks to the blog dripdripsplattersplash.blogspot.com for the great lesson!