Human proportions 5th and 6th grade

 Looking at and drawing a proportional human skeleton. Spot light artist Jean-Michel Basquiat 

Mr. Bones hanging out with Picasso 

Little Shrines

Little shrines...Day of the Dead Cultural exploration, artists that inspire, how does this tradition connect to North and South American history and World influences?
Connecting to classroom Social Studies themes

Day of the Dead alters- building on previous knowledge create a small clay “sugar skull” form, collage, sharpie and assemblage to create a 3-D frame to display and create a cohesive design. Form and function
Engineering/ Art connection

Dem Bones

Leg bone connected to the hip bone...
Working with a pre printed skeleton, students cut and assembled the
form and added Day of the Dead details.

Foil Day of the Dead Project

Students created their own skull pattern and transferred their design on to a foil surface.

4th grade, Sugar Skulls

6th grade Little Altars

This culturally connected project, builds on 6th grade world history standards and connects to Common Core objectives, allowing for lots of discussion, observation and hands on learning experiences.

6th Grade Day of the Dead Alters

2 part project

Meet Mr. Bones

This two part project blends Science and Art. What does a skeleton look like? How many bones are in an adult human skeleton? What is the biggest bone in the human body? What is the smallest bone in the human body? Using imagination and observation, discussion and hands on direct drawing students are introduced to the marvels of the human skeleton.

Drawing Mr. Bones:
We fold the pre-cut long black construction paper in half. Using white color pencils, white charcoal pencil or white crayon, students draw a skull at the top, pelvic bone on the fold line and two feet at the bottom. Now the job is to connect these parts. Using red light green light/direct drawing we build our Mr. Bones together step by step. Here are a few examples of the end results. I also send home a skeleton information hand out so that the artists can continue their studies.

Mr. Bones Observed

Day of the Dead 3-D table shrines

The 6th grade students created these wonderful 3-D table top shrines over 3 class sessions.

We used or re-used small card stock box lids with pre-cut diamond windows  that were donated to the art room years ago as the frame base. Session 1, Using visual supports/table handouts the artists decorated their alter-frames using tissue paper and construction paper and white glue.. In session 2 they made small skull bead like forms out of air dry clay. They could add buttons/jewels/beads and or feathers to the clay skulls at this point or wait to add embellishments after the drying period. The last session was devoted to pulling all the parts together and running a wire through the skull so that it could be hung inside the box. Clear "sugar" glitter was the icing on the project!

Clay skull forms dry on wooden sticks turn to losen

Completed frame forms

Fitting the skull into the frame/alter



a view from the top



the finished pieces

Day of the Dead

In honor of this cultural celebration 4th and 6th grade students are creating projects connected to this event.

Using a Sharpie to layout the details

4th grade students add details to skull



 4th graders drew and cut out (on newspaper) a large skull shape. This was painted with white tempera paint allowing some of the type to show through. This process is to reflect on the actual construction of paper mache skulls used to celebrate the day of the dead. Cardboard panels were given to each student and one sheet of foil. They covered the board with the foil leaving the surface as smooth as possible, names on the back of the board. The skull was glued in the middle of the foil area-this will provide the frame/background for the skull.

Part three is adding color and embellishments to both the sugar skull image and the background/frame. Artists used color sharpies, buttons, sequins and other decorative elements to complete these festive pieces.







Black and white skulls on silver foil panels

 

working at tables to add color and detail