Hey, friends! I'm coming to you today with my very favorite fiber arts projects! Teaching fiber arts is one of my very favorite things to teach, along with clay. This summer and fall, I put in HOURS creating THIS BOOK which will be due out this coming summer: You can preorder yourself a copy here if you are interested! But if you just can't wait, I thought I'd share some of my very favorite fibers projects right here today. Be sure and follow the links to the lessons as nearly all of them have how-to videos that are perfect for you and your students. Let's start with sewing! 1. These GIANT pizza pillows were such a hit last year with my students that I knew I had to do it again. Because I was wrapping my fibers book this past fall, I decided to kick off the school year with fibers. Usually, I'm all about fiber projects in the spring. This is how we displayed the pillows at last year's art show! This year, we also made both emoji and donut pillows (size: HUGE) but for details on those, you'll have to scoop up my book. 2. If you are looking for a beginner sewing project on a smaller scale, you might wanna try these stitched monsters on for size. My kids used Smart Fab fabric for the bodies but felt would work just fine. If you are curious what types of needles and thread I recommend, be sure and check out this blog post as well as the others where I break it down for you. 3. I learned embroidery from my grandma when I was in elementary school and I LOVED it. It felt so good to learn something so "adult" in my mind: creating a picture with needle and thread. I love sharing this experience with my students now too. You can read all about this Our School Has Heart fiber art's experience right here. This year, I decided to live dangerously and introduce embroidery to my second graders at the start of the school year...when they are still first graders, really. It was a bumpy start but they got it and loved it. This lesson can be found in my book but I did create this video a while back to help you troubleshoot stitching with kids: Actually, the above video was created for AOE during one of their online conferences! This is a couple years old but does walk you thru a lot of important details of all things fiber arts and kids. And here is my troubleshooting embroidery with kiddos video. I hope you find them helpful! 4. For even MORE details on sewing and embroidery, along with a book I strongly recommend, visit here! 5. Needle felting with kiddos is not something I do very often...but I do enjoy doing it! If you attempt needle felting with children, I'd make certain it's with a group of kids that understand the dangers of the needle felting tool and are responsible enough to handle it. As y'all know, I LOVE needle felting and have put in countless hours stabbing stuff. If you are interested in learning more about needle felting, start here. 6. One of the most popular lessons on this blog has been my string art lesson. This is based on a project I did in 5th grade and LOVED. My students have loved it just as much. I've created videos to walk you and your kids through this lesson so be sure and check out this blog post AND this blog post! 7. Paper weaving is a must when you introduce weaving to your students. But what to do with the paper weaving when finished? Last year, we made these woven owls and the kids loved them! Both this blog post and the one mentioned above have A TON of videos on teaching first graders (and up!) how to make a paper loom and weave. 8. Circle Loom Weaving has always been a huge hit! I normally do with my second graders in the spring but this year, I did it with third grade in the fall. I can't tell you how many videos I have on this! Be sure and check this blog post out if you have any questions about getting started. 9. Have you ever tried CD or Embroidery Hoop weaving? So fun and easy! Last year, my second graders tackled CD weaving instead of plate weaving. It was a great way to upcycle those stacks of CD's I'd been accumulating. This type of weaving takes less time than plate weaving as you don't have to spend two art classes painting the plates. They also look super pretty in the window when light hits the CD. Video and lesson details here! 10. Whenever I get stumped for a lesson, I just think back to the things I enjoyed creating as a kid. I remember the summer I spent at a vacation bible school learning straw weaving. So fun! My kids love this one too. Details and video here! 11. Want a lesson that packs a huge punch? Tree weaving teaches landscape painting, weaving and so much more! This lesson of mine has been another huge hit on my blog. I have many videos to walk you and your kids through this fun technique. You can find it here. 12. I have yet to meet a kid who didn't love making Ojos de Dios. Why not try expanding on that love by making BIG God's eyes?! We did that here! 13. Pouch Weaving used to be one of my all time favorite things to teach. Because it is complex, I created an entire series of weaving videos for you and your students, including how to create that cool cord. You can find the beginning of the series here. 14. Got yarn? Then you and your kiddos can yarn bomb! What a great activity for your early finishers too. 15. Shibori! I love shibori dying and so do my students. I created a video that explains EVERY one of these folding techniques and you can see it here. So, truth be told: I've been blogging for seven years and teaching for twenty. I KNOW I've left some great lesson links and videos off this list accidentally. So, you are wanting more, give my name and whatever type of fiber project you are interested in a google search...or search in the bar on the side of this blog. Because there are just so many fun fibers lessons out there. AND stay tuned for my book where there are even more!
Looking for a fun, easy and engaging art lesson for students in grades k-5 that teaches students about color mixing but with a focus on SEL? This is the perfect arts integrated lesson!
These are my best Color Theory art lessons for kids ages 4-14. They focus on multiple art elements and principles, and embrace the magic of the rainbow.
A Portrait Lesson You Won't Want to Miss That Synthesizes Media Media & Techniques % %
If art teachers had a quarter for every time they heard a student say, "I'm done. What can I do next?"... we would retire early and comfortably. While it takes a bit of extra work in the beginning, it can be really beneficial throughout the year to have some plans in place to help with
This lesson started off by me showing my students a PowerPoint presentation which introduced the Pop Art movement and some of its major artists. I really emphasized that Pop Artists wanted to connect to everyday people, so their subject matter reflected the pop culture of the time (movie stars, advertisements, comic strips, food items, etc.). People saw their work, recognized it, and connected with it (a BIG difference from Abstract Expressionism). Then we began talking about popular things in our culture today - which of course lead to talk of iPods, iPads, video games, Instagram, Facebook, texting, and a slew of other apps I'm sure I'm not cool enough to know about. It hits hard when you don't even know what your students are talking about - I used to know it all! I explained that emojis are also a great example of contemporary pop art because they are super recognizable and relevant to the tech-savvy time we live in. Then we looked at a few different (emotion) emojis and talked about what they meant. Then I asked students what they would mean if they were used in a different context. So for example, the emoji with one eye closed and its tongue sticking out. On its own my students said it meant "crazy." Then I asked them what they thought it meant if it were sent with a text message that said something like, "I hate you." The words on their own sound mean and hurtful, but when sent with the emoji, they become almost endearing - clearly not meant to be serious. Emojis can help to provide context to written words, like in the previous example, or they can be used decoratively in a fun illustrative manner. As visual people ourselves, I think art educators are in an amazing position to teach our students about the power of this type of visual imagery and its effectiveness in communicating more meaningful messages. Once we were done talking about the symbolism of emojis, we began talking about what soft sculptures are. I told my students that they would be creating their own double-sided emoji soft sculptures using felt and yarn. Guys I gotta say - I love it! I used to do an angry birds sewing project with my 5th graders, but decided to change things up this year to keep the project super relevant to my student's interests. They were crazy engaged during this lesson! Prior to deciding to do emojis (and the decision was made pre-happy meal) I was planning on doing Minecraft Soft Sculptures with my kids. If you are interested in that lesson, check it out in my store. :) Also available in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Teaching color theory and color mixing in color wheels with watercolor paints is always an exciting thing to start with when introducing paints to your Middle School students so in this blog post, I will provide you with a simple yet effective art lesson to get your class exploring art making mediums with simple strategies to create an art project featuring an expressive hand artwork that also doubles as a color wheel. Read on to find the steps for creating and the full art lesson and downloadable PDF lesson plan and worksheets.
This project produced “out of this world” results! (OK, Bad pun, I know!) We began this lesson with 3 days of Galaxy Painting using watercolors. The techniques I taught the kids were loosely titled…
Wayne Thiebaud is a fun artist! His depictions of cakes, pies, ice cream, and collections of toys make his art so appealing to children. Second graders just finished some Thiebaud projects. Here are our lollipops, made from model magic and watercolor paints, and our gumball machines!
How I sneak art into my classroom whenever I can. 4th grade art projects in science, math, social studies, Language arts and more!
This cucumber and tomato salad provides a full plate of fresh vegetables, olive oil with spicy flavors of black pepper, red onions, lemon and hot sauce.
Self-confidence is defined as the belief in your ability to succeed or handle a challenge that you may be presented with at a point in time.
The Best Color Mixing Game to Play With Your Students Media & Techniques % %
Looking for a fun, easy and engaging art lesson for students in grades k-5 that teaches students about color mixing but with a focus on SEL? This is the perfect arts integrated lesson!
This art sub lesson plan integrates art and math. Great for Mothers Day or Fathers Day.
Art Ideas for Artists with Limited Hand Mobility Even though an individual may have severe limitations in using their hands they...
Free blank food label lesson sheets you can download and print for you, your client or class. Each sheet contains a blank food label that you can...
6 Games Perfect for the Art Room % %
Hi all! Here are some projects up and around the hallways these days. Kandinsky trees using printmaking & overlapping. First grade project working on cutting gluing & tracing tree template. Paul Klee 'castle & sun' third grade project using oil pastels, color schemes and watercolor resist. Kindergarten gum ball machines looking at Wayne Theibauds ' three machines' - students practices cutting skills, placement & filling the area. Sunrise fall trees- by grade 4. Students worked on tints & brush control. I saw a painting similar on Pinterest so I modified it for elementary. City skylines but grade 4. This project was the follow up from mixing tints in the sunrise to making shades in a sunset. The kids really enjoyed the control to mix their own shades. A little bonus activity for students who finished early! I found this how to draw page at ' art projects for kids' thanks! We also watched a short clip in the importance of Thanksgiving and took a virtual tour of the Mayflower. By grade 3
There’s a reason children are encouraged to draw and paint at a young age. One of the most important reasons for this is to develop the critical motor skills.
Ready to liven up your elementary art curriculum with fun Valentine’s Day art projects? This Chris Uphues art lesson with hearts will boost student confidence and creativity. Kids will be delighted by his pop art heart murals. Moreover, they’ll connect with his personal style of adding cute doodle faces to t-shirts, patches, and posters. And, it’ll help time-starved teachers like you create lesson plans based on pop art painters like Chris Uphues. During this art project, your class will learn how Uphues creates engaging public art. They’ll understand the difference between geometric and free-form shapes. And, they’ll learn two easy ways to draw a heart. Students will create a pop art drawing of hearts with markers using the step-by-step guide and PowerPoint. Plan lessons for students about contemporary artists and art appreciation in a way that excites them. Finally feel confident in your art curriculum and be organized and prepared to teach art! WHAT'S INCLUDED Can I be honest with you? Art history can sometimes be boring for kids. There, I said it. Teaching about artists and cultures doesn’t have to be a snoozer, though! I’ve designed 3 different ways for students to attempt this Chris Uphues art project. All will engage kids to create! Choose which way works best for your classes: Roll a dice game to add randomness to your student’s artwork “You Pick” art worksheet for kids to choose their own elements Digital spinner wheels, so kids can randomly pick elements and you can integrate technology in the art room Printable dice template in case you have no dice 2 Printable Heart Template & Tracers, to make setting up the drawing easier Step-by-step picture directions to guide students through the art process Drawing practice worksheet, for kids who want to sketch out their ideas Chris Uphues Artist biography about the life and work of this American street artist and graphic designer, so you don’t need to research “Big Ideas” reflection worksheet where students write about their art process Self-assessment worksheet so kids can think about how they performed during the project Art grading rubric which assesses expectations, craftsmanship, work habits, creativity, and clean-up 8 “I CAN” Statements aligned to the Studio Habits of Mind to use during instruction or post on your bulletin board 4 Art exit tickets with quick, thought-provoking prompts Art history coloring pages to keep kids inspired by Chris Uphues’ hearts outside of the art room YOU WILL RECEIVE 1 Non-Editable Printable PDF (Chris Uphues Hearts Art Project) 1 Non-Editable PowerPoint 5 Digital Spinner Videos (downloadable, and links to them on Google Slides and YouTube) Paperless Google Drive Digital Resource WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ We used this activity as part of our Valentine's Day party. It was fun. My fifth graders loved to draw their faces. Great resource! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A great resource! My students and I had so much fun creating this art project, and the work they created was so cute and made the most adorable bulletin board display. I cannot recommend this resource enough as it is truly fantastic! Thank you! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I have used this resource many times! My students have found Chris Uphues to be a fun, engaging artist and the visuals provided in this lesson are really user friendly for my classes. YOU MAY ALSO LIKE Peter Max Art Project Paul Cezanne Art Project Van Gogh Wheat Field Art Project Created by Amie Bentley, © Glitter Meets Glue Designs, LLC
