How to Have a Calm and Productive Art Class!

It's that time of the school year, friends.

That time of the year when your classes may be a little LESS focused and a little MORE squirrelly. For me, that stretch between winter and spring break is always the longest. This is when the burnout always seems to hit me AND my students.

For that reason, I'm always looking to try a little something new and different this time of year. Something (anything!) to keep myself and the kids engaged and excited.

So, if that's you too, let me share my favorite way to create a calm and motived art class...while also integrating art history! 

When I was in fourth grade, I had a teacher who would read aloud from a chapter book after recess. I don't remember what the book was but I do remember that it was something I looked forward to.

Several years ago, I had a very difficult group of fourth grade students. They were argumentative, loud and VERY unmotivated. I had one boy in particular who let it be known that art WAS NOT his favorite. I began to dread the class.

One day, I spotted a chapter book in my storage closet. I remembered my fourth gade teacher and thought...what if I read to them while they work? I loved it when I was a kid...

When the class arrived, I told them that I was going to read to them and taht they had to work quietly in order to hear. I animated the story with silly voices, sound effects and movement. When the clean up alarm went off, something wild happened: the kids and I were bummed art class was over!

From there, reading became my constant motivational tool. After I gave directions and students were settled in and working, I would read. And that boy who previously wasn't a fan of art class? He asked if he could sit CLOSER to my destk so he wouldn't miss any of the story.

While I felt like I'd hit the art teacherin' jack pot with this new tool in my tool belt, what I still wasn't lovin' was that I could never seem to find THE PERFECT book to read.

You see, I wanted to read an artsy chapter book. Something that would excite them about the world of art and art history. So...I wrote one!

I knew their favorite types of books were the ones where they could decide their adventure. And that's how Find Your Way came to be. It's a Decide Your Direction Art Adventure!

Find Your Way features 7 artists: Leonardo da Vinci, Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo, Augusta Savage, Hokusai, Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet.

There are over 32 endings in the book for countless adventures!

The book is filled with quotes from the artists as well as adventures based on their real life events.

I created over 80 illustratios to help bring the book to life for your artists. 

Also included are 7 biographies on each artist as well as 7 art activies.

I wrote Find Your Way while I was teaching. My students weighed in on my first, second and third drafts as I would edit and rewrite in the evenings and weekends. They enjoyed the adventures....and I know your students will too.

But you don't have to read Find Your Way to have an engaged and motivated class. Maybe start with a book or an author that you loved as a kid! I have always found that the best sources for inspiration are my own childhood interests.

Most of all, go easy on yourself, take a breath and have fun. This time of the year is tough! But so are you.

Happy Heart Drawing Game! A Valentine's Game

STOP! Before we dive in, HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR MY EMAIL LIST?!

If you haven't, you might wanna! For the last four weeks, I've been sending out weekly free lessons and downloads! So...if you'd like to take advantage, you might want to sign up. And now...back to the program...

Hey y'all!

I thought I'd share a fun spin on a much-loved lesson, my Chris Uphues-inspired Happy Hearts project!

This lesson is just the thing to brighten these long winter days. My students always love creating a variety of silly faces. AND this lesson comes with some free downloads which makes it even better! Tap here for the free heart face idea sheets.

After I got such a good response from my Roll-a-Snowman download (another freebie here) , I thought I'd create one for this lesson too. This is the perfect way for your students to practice their heart drawing before diving into the lesson. Grab a copy of the sheet here. 

I know one of the toughest things for students is actually...drawing a heart! To remove that struggle, I did create a heart template. This way, you can simply slide it into a sheet protector and let them focus on the drawing activity. 

Free heart template here!

I did share how to draw a heart with simple steps and the rest of the details of this game and lesson in a video too! So...if you need a little break, let me help em out a bit. You can find the video here:

Feel free to use and share in your art making world!

This lesson can also be used as a line review! Did you know I have a huge set of line downloads? Yep! They go with my book Larry the Line. 

And BIG THANKS to all of you for making the launch of my new book The Paintbrush Ballerina a success! I know when you order the book, you receive an email to leave a review. If you have the time to do that, I would so appreciate it. I read each one and it really means the world to me!

Don't forget, that I created a bunch of FREE downloads to celebrate the launch of my book. Be sure and grab 'em. You can find them here and here. 

Have a great week, friends!

Paintbrush Practice with the Paintbrush Ballerina!

Hey, y'all! To celebrate the launch of my brand new book, The Paintbrush Ballerina, I created two FREE Paintbrush Practice downloads just for you and your young artists! 

I have always found that you can TELL students the do's and don't's of ANYTHING but until they actually put it into practice does it stick. With these two sheets, your students will be able to do just that. Yay!

For over 25 years, I taught elementary art. It didn't take me long to realize that you have to teach students EVERYTHING. So many of them come to us never having painted before! So how to hold, use and care for a paintbrush is part of the art teacherin' territory. 

The method of explaining that a paintbrush is like a ballerina really clicked with my students. You can check out my book here. I share more about it here too:

Last week, I shared over 20 of my very favorite painting lessons in this blog post. But before even diving into those, it may be helpful to start here...with Paintbrush Practice sheets! 

I would recommend using sheet protectors so that students can use these over and again. This is a low mess lesson that would be perfect for:

* Early Finishers! Keep this Paintbrush Practice available for students as a center so can practice any time. 

* Intro to Painting! Students of all ages could use a painting intro or reminder when it comes to using paintbrushes. 

* Short art classes or half days! With it being winter, I know your teacherin schedule can become a mess. With half days, kids behind on projects, field trips and the rest...a day to just practice painting with the lights dim and some soft music may be just the thing to get everyone back on schedule and reset the painting mood. 

And...if you need a little help, I've created a painting video to share with your students. Here ya go:

Have fun and happy Paintbrush Practice!

You can access this free download right here. 

And you can access this one here!

10 of My Favorite Heart-Themed Lessons of All Time!

Hey, friends! Earlier this week, I shared some of my favorite lessons to ease back into the art room. They were all Valentine's themed to give you a jump start on a display for next month. You can check out that blog post (where each lesson comes with a video!) right here. 

Today I'm sharing lessons that are also Valentine's themed (or really heart/love themed!) but there are a little more in-depth and will take multiple class periods. Personally...I love a long project for these long winter days. It means less prep (after the first initial wave of tons of prep, ha!) and gives the kids something to really dig their teeth into. So, let's dive in! Just follow the lesson links and that will take you to the full lesson, video and resources!

Let's start strong with this Candy Hearts lesson that I did with my fourth graders! They loved creating large candy hearts and coming up with a (teacher-approved, ahem) saying. You can check out the lesson and video process here. 

Spring is when I LOVE to dive into weaving so...why not get everyone prepped by doing a paper weaving project? It's a great way to remind your students of the weaving process. Or...introduce them to it! This is a weaving (with a little bit of sewing) project that I did with my first graders. You can check it out here. 

Looking to dive into printmaking in the next couple of weeks? Here's a lesson that I did year after year with my second graders because it was such a hit! We made so many prints that we did some print swaps before adding our cut letters to these pieces. We even framed them with our scrappy messy mats! All the details can be found here. 

Speaking of printmaking, would you believe that kindergarten created these?! We used foam stickers and had a blast. You can check out the lesson here. 

And we then used our printing plates to create THESE! I know, I love em! You can see how we did it in this blog post. 

My third graders FLIPPED OUT over creating these plaster chocolates with puffy paint icing! Send out an email requesting heart shaped boxes now and use them for a display or, do what we did, and make your own! Details here. 

If you are in the mood to bust out the clay, might I recommend these? This project was one I did with my teachers, faculty and staff at my school! It was so fun to come together and create. I did create a video for them to watch and you can check it out here. 

In the mood to try a new art supply? For these, we used Celluclay, one of my personal favorite supplies to use when I create! These were made with an aluminum foil armature and Celluclay on top. You can check out the details here. 

Since these projects can take a while, you'll find you have some students who finish before others. I resolve that a couple of ways: I allow those students to 'assist' other artists by creating with them (with student permission, of course) or...I give them another lesson to do! This was one of those 'early finisher art lessons' that I created. I simply played the video for those kids and they got to work. This one is much easier than it looks! Here's the details! 

If you are looking for a lesson that can ultimately become a school wide collaborative or a mural, check out this one. This is a SUB PLAN! Granted, my sub KILLED it but...I do have the full video for you and your students to view here. 

Marker Print Snow Globes

Well, hello there! As you can see, I am CLEARLY snow globe obsessed at the moment. I shared my first Snow Globe lesson here and then shared a floating chalk print version here. Today I thought I'd share a version of adding color the background with little marker and water.  As a teacher...or a parent who loves to create with their artsy kiddos, these ideas will give you three fun options for completing your snow globes!

Let's talk supplies:

* Pizza pan, a sheet of aluminum foil or any non-porous, flat surface

* Paper. I'm using a mixed media paper or one that's a little thicker than copy paper. 

* Black permanent marker

* Water-based markers, I prefer Prang Markers

* Spritz or spray bottle of water

Here's the how-to video:

Just a reminder that you can get my free snow globe downloads here.

What I did find is that the lighter color markers work best...as the darker color markers are a little too dark and may hide the drawing underneath. But the real fun is in drawing a lotta these globes so you can explore a lotta printing. Also...I have found that using one of those misting spray bottles is the best as opposed to a regular spray bottle. AND the pizza pan is from Dollar Tree! 

If you need some drawing ideas, I got ya covered. Tap the link to download and print!

I can't wait to see what you and the artists in your life create! If you do share to social media, please make sure you tag me here so I can see!

I've got a lotta winter videos coming to my YouTube channel soon. So if you need some inspo, the best way to stay up to date is to subscribe. You can do that here. Chat soon!

Let's Play Snowman Bingo!

I know what it's like this time of year...constant interruptions for programs, field trips, classroom parties and the like. It's nearly impossible to keep the kids engaged let alone...keep them on track or start new projects. I found that THIS drawing activity was perfect for my early finishers and for some Winter Centers that keep all kids happy and creating. I created a how-to video just for you and your students AND these two FREE downloads!

Let's start with the downloads! I used these in a sheet protector so that my students could draw on them again and again. I found that the best deal on these protectors was Amazon. You can get a ton of them cheap! However, the plastic IS thinner that the more professional grade sheet protectors made for the classroom. Just be aware of that. 

You can find this free download here. 

And you can score this free download here!

Here's the video:

Now, if you want to take the activity a step further, check out the end of the video to see how we make a work of art out of our drawing! It's super fun. 

And don't forget to check out my OTHER free downloads to create snow globes here!

Check out the kids in action here:

Of course...this fun activity can lead into this big project that I did with my kindergarteners! You can find all the video details and lesson info here. 

In other news...I think I know what some folks are getting for Christmas as I've been shipping out a lot of my books lately! If you are interested in receiving one of my books before the holidays, please consider ordering soon so that they MIGHT arrive in time. 

Art Teacherin' 101 is packed with everything-I-wish-I-woulda-known about teaching art. It has all of my tips and tricks for classroom management as well as discovering just who you are as an art teacher so  you can be your very best. If  you would like to kick off the new year with some new methods to try, this book is for you! 

My new book Find Your Way was written to read to my students as they work. I do this with my second through fourth graders (and on up would work but I only teach thru 4th) and it keeps them focused and working quietly. This book is a choose-your-own-adventure style book where you go on art adventures with 7 different artists! From Vincent van Gogh to Frida Kahlo, Money, da Vinci and more, the reader can decide what adventure to take with up to 32 different endings and over 80 illustrations! Find it here.

As a teacher, I could never seem to find a book on shapes that wasn't too baby-ish. All the books seemed to be simply getting children to recognize and name shapes which...most can already do by the time they enter the art room. However, many don't know the difference between a shape and a form, geometric and organic and how shapes can be used to draw. So...I wrote Alfred the Ape Knows His Shapes and I think you'll love it!

Larry the Line is based on a poem I wrote my first year teaching art. I've shared Larry in many blog posts...before writing a longer version of my poem, illustrating it and crafting it into a book! It's a rhyming book which are always fun to read to students...and, added bonus: they remember the names of lines much better this way! You can check out Larry the Line (and read the 175 reviews!) here. 

Have fun, y'all!

Floating Chalk Print Snow Globe!

YOU GUYS. I can't tell you how excited I am about this one! After I created my first Snow Globe lesson , I started getting all sorts of ideas on how to add color to the background. I thought...what about chalk prints?! 

I first shared the process of Floating Chalk Prints back in 2014 (that's wild!) and you can check out that post here. But really...not much has changed! You'll need:

* A basin of water. And, seriously, nothing but water.

* Freart chalk, found here. Sidewalk chalk won't work...and artist chalk is so expensive and little...this stuff is seriously the best.

* If you are looking for round paper, Prang just created some!

And that's it! Of course, you might want these free downloads from yours truly...

Get your Snow Globe download here.

And free winter drawing idea sheet here! 

Okay, now...let's get started. I promise...you and your students are gonna love this!

RIGHT?! Out of all the methods I tried for adding color to the background (and I have another fun one that I'll be sharing here and on YouTube soon...I always post to YouTube first so, please be sure and subscribe to be alerted!) 

Whenever I share the process of floating chalk prints, I always get the question "do you have to spray or set the chalk once dry?" NOPE! Which is what makes it even more amazing!

I hope y'all have fun! I can't open my comment section here on my blog, unfortunately, because I get spammed for days BUT...I am active on Instagram and Facebook! BTW...I recently had a fake Facbeook account created in my name and likeness. It's not me! The one I have linked here is my account. So...if you do this lesson in any way, I'd love to see! Please be sure and tag me. 

And...friendly reminder...that if you are interested in receiving any of my books for the holidays, you may want to order super soon! I sign all of my books before packing them up and sending them your way. You can find them here!

Should I Get an Art Room Elf?: Top Three Reasons You Should...and Shouldn't!

Hello, friends. It's that time of year...the time of year when we start seeing (and hearing) a whole lot about yee ole Elf on a Shelf.

I don't know how or where this whole elf thing started but when I saw it's popularity in stores and in the chatter with my students, I started thinking: should I? I mean, I love to have things that engage my students, get them excited, laughing and having fun...could an elf be just the thing? Especially for these dreary winter days. 

So, I did it. I got an elf. Now, not one of those branded ones because I'm a cheapo. No, I found a colorful one at Michaels and thought, yep! I guess I'm doing this!

For YEARS my students absolutely LOVED Esmerelda, our art room elf. I'm here to share with you the pros...and the cons...in case you find yourself contemplating whether or not you too should get an art room elf.

PRO: 

* THEY LOVE IT! All of my students absolutely adored the art room elf. It got them so excited to come to art class, even more than they normally are. During the first few minutes of art, I would greet my students in the hallway and let them know that Esmerelda was in the room. They were to go into the room and look for her...but they had to be quite (she's shy) and absolutely not run. My art room has a lotta space...which lends itself to the occasional sprint. This was a fun way to kick off class. Once they 'found' her, students were to meet me on the floor in our instructional area. 

* NOT ALL CHILDREN HAVE ONE! Students are always abuzz this time of year if they have an elf at home. And they want to talk about it! And then there are the children who don't have one...and often, they don't understand why. The premise is that they are magical...and students are left wondering why they weren't chosen to have one visit their home. So having an art room elf meant that everyone got one! Everyone got to experience a little of the magic. Those students seems to cherish Esmerelda the most. 

* IT KEEPS THE ART ROOM MAGICAL! I found a tiny door at my local Goodwill and added that one year. Students knew that when the door appeared, Esmerelda was not far behind. Some students would ask why I had an elf and other classrooms didn't. Because...art class is magical! Magical things happen here! 

CONS:

* ELVES ARE A LOTTA WORK! Look...having an elf means you gotta do something EVERY DAY. So...prepare your ideas ahead of time. Keep some simple like...drawing on the dry erase board or tipping over a box of blocks. Having a list of ideas really helps because you don't wanna get caught moving it around right as the students are walking in the door. My suggestion: do it the night before. Or...if this sounds like too much, don't do it at all!

* YOU'LL HAVE SOME NAY-SAYERS! Surprisingly, the older kids WANT to believe...or they just want to act wild the first few minutes of art class...but you'll always have some nay-sayers. Just have an answer ready to roll out and don't engage in too many back and forth's. I usually said, "if you don't believe Esmerelda is real, that's okay. Just don't say it too loudly, we don't want to hurt her feelings." And leave it at that. 

* THE KIDS GET A LITTLE TOO WILD! Let's be real...between programs and parties and interruptions to your schedule, you hardly have time to do your lessons. Now...adding an elf to the mix?! Look, if you aren't feelin' this, don't do it! You are the teacher, you get to decide. You do you and, at this point, you do what you can to make it across the Winter Break finish line. Know that I'm rooting for you either way!

Just a reminder: if you'd like my books to arrive in time for a Christmas present for a teacher, a young artist, an aspiring art teacher or a gift to yourself, please consider ordering soon! I'm signing each before popping them in the mail. You can find all of my books here!