Here Goes! Bring it on 2013-2014!

Alrighty...today's the first day back with the kiddos!  Yesterday, as I finished everything on my original to-do list, I kept finding more to add to it!  I was at school until almost 5:00...but finished everything that was pertinent to finish for today!  Here's one last look at my two classrooms, both of which are cleaned and organized!

High school door and art room...the walls are still a little bare for my liking, but I'm sure that will change in the next couple of weeks or so!

 Elementary door and classroom...most everything has been kept the same since last year, just because I knew I was taking on the second classroom.  This room is a little unorganized over at the counter sinks, but that will be rectified at the end of the day today!

 I always like to do a first day project with the kids.  Now that the elementary students have had me for three years and art room procedures haven't changed much since last year, we'll have more time to do a mini mini art project on the first day.  My 2nd and 3rd graders will be doing oil pastel flowers to add to the VanGogh vase!  (Project idea found on Pinterest at Becker Middle School's blog.)  To make this a quick project, I printed off four different flowers and the students will get to choose one or two to color during class.  This will be like a review for my 2nd graders because they were in 1st grade last year and did oil pastel pumpkins and oil pastel snowmen!

This board is another direct "borrow" from We Heart Art.  Granted, I don't have the really cool zebra print paper for my bulletin board... ;)  I LOVED the idea to do Post-It notes to fill the board...I'm going to do this with 4th, 5th and 6th graders.  They will have to do an "Art Is" and an "Art Isn't" post-it note to stick out on the board.  Then, they will have to illustrate "Art Is" and fill in the blank with one word.  I'll pick some of those to put up in the black areas.  Can't wait!

And here is my Artist of the Month board.  This isn't an actual bulletin board...I stuck a piece of fade-less art paper on the wall with packaging tape, and then used paint splatter duct tape around the edges for further hold.  I did this last year as well and the duct tape stuck ALL year long and didn't leave any residue when I pulled it down!  

I have two paint cans for every grade level and each month I will pick two students who deserve to become Artist of the Month based on behavior, creativeness, helpfulness, etc.