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!

4th Grade-Jim Bachor

I am currently trying a new lesson with my 4th graders. The class sizes are really big this year so I can't do projects that are too extrenous. I also am low on storage space due to construction at my school. I had heard of this artist named Jim Bachor, who fills pot-holes on the streets of Chicago with beautiful mosaics. I work with glass personally and make mosiacs myself, so it is nice to relate to someone. A lot of Jim Bachor's work is images of food (popsicles, chips, and drinks). I thought it would be cool to have my students make their own works inspired by him. I found a Good Morning ABC video, where they interviewed Jim Bachor about his work. My kids thought it was soo cool.

Materials Needed
Colored Pencils
9x12 drawing paper
9x 12 grey construction paper
Texture Plates
Pencils
Rubbing Crayons


Day 1: I had the students begin to do two sketches of certain food items that they would want to draw for their own personal pieces. As they drew, I encouraged my advanced students to start practice shading and adding value to their sketches

Day 2: With the practice of drawing their particular food items, I talked about value and shading again. In this instance, I had my students complete a value scale to help them practice shading (from light to dark). With my teacher example I made, I showed how students should start layering their particular food items. When they completed their value scales, I gave them a piece of 9x12 drawing paper, and their sketches from day one. They were to enlarge one of their drawings for their final on the 9x 12" paper.

Day 3/4: The students continued to work on their large food drawings onto a 9x12" piece of paper using colored pencils. I reviewed value and contrast with them. When finished sketching their food, students used texture plates and Crayola ColorSticks (white, grey, and black) to create texture on a gray 9x 12" construction piece of paper to make it look like pavement. Students cut out their original sketches and glued it on.

4th Grade-Underground Railroad Freedom Quilts

Materials Needed
12x 12" Black Construction Paper
4x 4" various colors of construction paper
3x 3" various colors of construction paper
metallic markers (optional)
colored pencils
glue
scissors

For Black History Month, I decided to try Freedom Quilts with my 4th graders. The Underground Railroad actually ran across here in the state of Maryland, therefore I thought this would a great topic! Harriet Tubman was born on the Eastern shore of Maryland as well, so I wanted to focus on famous African-American figures from the area. Freedom Quilts played a significant role in the Underground Railroad because they served as signs/signals for those runaway slaves that were running away towards their "freedom." I discussed this on the first day and showed students the different signals used on the freedom quilts, and what they stood for.  ( see below)



Students looked at this handout and filled it out to help plan how their designs would turn out


Day 2/3-Using their handouts, I had the students fold their 12x 12" pieces of black construction paper two times to make 4 equal  6x6" squares.  I gave students several different colors of  4x4" squares to start creating their chosen signals. I demonstrated how they could fold the 4x4" squares diagonally to make triangles. I also gave students 3 x3" squares in case if they wanted to layer different colors on top to add more color. They were also allowed to use metallic markers to add some more "pizzaz" if they wanted. The students seemed to really enjoy this project!

4th Grade Dream Catchers

Here is a lesson that I have done several years in a row and it has always been successful. When I came to my school 4 years ago, there was lots of yarn and CD's left by the previous art teacher. I had done it with sixth graders, and decided to try with fourth graders. The prep for the lesson does take some time though.

Materials Needed
-Multiple colors of yarn
-Plastic Needles
-Scissors
-Beads (if you want)
-hot glue gun
-feathers

History of Dream Catchers
 I talk about the significance of Dream Catchers within the Native American Culture. I talk about how they are  traditionally they are often hung over cradles as protection.^[2] It originates in Ojibwe culture as the "spider web". Native Americans believe that the night air is filled with dreams, both good and bad. I also talk about Radial Balance, and how students are creating radial balance because they start weaving from the center on out. I also go over the process in which weaving is done. The CD serves as the "loom" for our dream catcher. 

In order to start this lesson, I prep the CD's looms for students. I take a big ball of yarn (any color) and weave around the loom 13 times. It needs to be uneven for the weaving process to work.

When starting to weave, I tell students to cut a piece of yarn, at about an arm's length. I call them up by table and then they choose the color they want. Some years already pre-cut the yarn for students so they can just begin immediately (It depends on what works best for you). They must tie the end of the piece of yarn to the actual loom in order for it to stay on. Then, they thread the needle. They put the yarn through the eye of the needle, and tie a knot.

The next step is start weaving around the CD. Students are weave over and under each "spoke" of the loom. I tell students to keep going around until they run out of yarn. Then they do the same process again. Students who catch on quickly can put beads on their looms. They take 1 bead at a time, and put it through the needle and continue to weave. I tell students to put beads on every other "spoke" so their weavings don't become " bead city. This process takes about 2 class periods to complete (60 mins).

Attaching the feathers
  At the end of this process, I let the students add feathers onto their dreamcatchers. I tell them they can use 6-8. They place the feathers under the yarn (edges of the CD) and then come to me so I can hot glue their feathers on.