3rd Grade Koinobori Fish

It is the middle of May, and I was trying to find something to do with my third graders. I read somewhere about how Children's day in Japan was soon approaching. These Koinobori", carp windsocks, carp streamers or carp banners, decorate the landscape of Japan from April through early May, in honor of Children's Day (originally Boys' festival) on May 5. In Japanese culture, the carp symbolizes courage and strength because of its ability to swim up a waterfall. The Boys' Festival was an event, expressing hope that each boy in the family will grow up healthy and strong like wild carps.

Materials Needed

Liquid Watercolors (assorted)
Oil Pastels
12x 18" paper
Tissue Paper strips
Paint Brushes
Tag Board Strips ( about 1 inch wide)
Staples
Yarn
Wooden Dowels



Day 1# I gave my students some background information on Koinobori, and had them trace the koi fish templates I made. I first gave them a piece of 12x18" watercolor paper which was folded in half. I reminded students to trace their fish against the fold line, so it would create two koi fish. (symmetry). I created handouts for my students to help them know what koi fish look like. Once students cut out their two koi fish, they laid it out and started to add the eyes, scales, and other features using oil pastels. I reminded students that they need to be symmetrical (same on both sides). When students were done I had them use liquid watercolors to add even more color to their koi fish

Day #2-  When my students came to class the next time, I had them glue a tag board strip across the two mouth of their fish. They turned over their fish and added some more decorations to their fish using tissue paper, metallic paper, and metallic markers. When finished they came up to me and I stapled the two sides together (at the mouth and fins). I then  out a piece of yarn (about a foot) through the two holes and tied the yarn onto the dowel rod. 

1st Grade Egyptian Cats

In the winter, I was able to take a trip down to Washington DC and visit the Freer and Sackler galleries, where they had an exhibit on the role of Felines in Egyptian Art. It was really cool to learn about how Egyptians associated their traits with specific divinities. Cats enjoy the sun, so they were frequently associated with the God Re. Because of cats protective instincts, many goddesses were represented as female cats. As a result from my experience, I had my first graders do a quick project based upon this exhibit

Materials Needed
Gold Acrylic Paint
9x 12" Black Construction Paper
9x12" white drawing paper
brown/orange Crayola Color Stix
Texture Plates
Torn kraft paper sheets ( long enough to fill bottom of paper)
Orange/Yellow/Red Flourescent Tempera Paint
Paint Brushes
Pencils
Sequins (Optional)

Day 1#- I talked to my students about the background information about Egyptian cats as described above. Using pencil, students drew an eygptian cat on a 9x12" piece of black construction paper. I encouraged them to draw a small pyramid behind their cat to be used later on. They then used small brushes and used gold acyrlic paint to go over their original drawings.

Day 2#- I spoke to my students about the weather in Egypt. How it is mostly made up of desert, and is usually very hot there. We identified the hot colors on the color wheel, and I also explained how they are analogous colors on the color wheel. I had my students paint the sunset in a circular motion, starting from yellow, orange, and then finally red using tempera paint on a 9 x12" piece of drawing paper.

Day 3#- After the students' background had dried from the previous week, it was now time to put all of this together. I gave the students small pieces of torn kraft paper, and demonstrated how to use color stix and place texture places underneath to create a texture rubbing. This would create "sand". When done with that, they cut out their Egyptian Cat Paintings and (pyramid). I had the students arrange their pieces before gluing down to make sure the perspective was right. First the background paper, then torn kraft paper, and the Egyptian cat on top to make it look like our cats were sitting in the sand! I used some tacky glue and added a little sequin on the cats' crown for fun!

4th Grade Fantasy Characters

It is towards the end of the year, and my 4th grade classes have big numbers. This makes it difficult to do 3D projects since there isn't much space. I lost my big storage closests, so I finding space to even store 3D projects is hard at the same time as well. Some of my kids really like to draw dragons and these other random characters. I tried to think of something that would gravate towards them so I decided to do Fantasy creatures.

Materials Needed

6 x 18" Paper
Pencils
Sharpies (Thick/Thin)
Watercolors
Colored Pencils
Paintbrushes

Day 1#- I introduced Salvador Dali to my students who was famous for the Surrealism movement. This is how I tied in my Art History component for the unit. I talked my students about the creatures they were to create needed to have a head, body, and legs. I gave my students a 6 x18" piece of paper that was folded into 3 parts. This would help kids with proportion and making sure their creature was to scale. (1. Head 2. Body. 3 Legs). I also provided them with a handout of some animal heads to get their imagination started.

Day #2- I discussed Surrealism with my students again, and encouraged them to continue working on the body and legs. Once students finished drawing their actual creatures, I also had them think of the background. What kind of environment would you see most likely see their creature? I distributed both thin and thick sharpies so they could go over their pencil drawings.

Day #3 I had the students color in their works with colored pencil, we recently finished a unit on creating value, so they knew how to create it. I had them color their creature with colored pencil, and then use watercolor to paint the backgrounds. They turned out really well! I would definitely do this project again!