"Three Birds" Kindergarten

The kindergartners finished their sketches (see November 3rd post) and are working on their paintings. They start by sketching a cardinal, a goldfinch and blue jay with a pencil. Then they outline it, and add branches for the birds to perch on.

The students then move on to watercolor. They paint each bird with its primary color, and then paint the sky blue. They save the branches and leaves for last, since brown and green aren't primary colors. Some students who finished early even added nests with eggs.

"Dinosaurs" 1st Grade

The first graders created dinosaurs with textured skin by layering pieces of constuction paper (see Oct. 20th post). When they finished, they drew backgrounds on watercolor paper and glued their dinosaurs onto them. They finished their pieces by painting the environments.

Here are a couple finished dinosaurs that are being displayed in the classroom.

"Ornaments" After-school

Students from throughout Arizona created ornaments for this year’s Capitol Christmas Tree. Over 5000 ornaments will adorn the 85 foot tree in Washington, D.C. Simis fourth graders signed up to participate in after-school sessions to create their ornaments. They all worked off of a similar theme, using sun shapes to represent their home state. They built armatures using newspaper and tape, and then covered the surface with papier-mache. Once they were sturdy and dry, they painted their sculptures using acrylic paint.

With only four sessions, many of the students came in for extra time to meet their deadline for entry. The pieces turned out great and really reflected the student’s hard work. When the ornaments are finished being displayed, they will be donated to charity.

"2-Point Perspective Cars" 4th Grade

The students first project taught them how to create 3-D lettering using one-point perspective. For their second project, they used 2-point perspective to help them draw a car. They created 4 lines that matched up with a vanishing point. One for the top of the car, one for the headlights, one for the front, and the last for the side. They drew their car shape using the grid lines to guide them. They started with two sketches, and moved onto a final.

They added detail and design to their car to make it unique.

The grid they used helped them draw the car from a 3/4 view. From this viewpoint you can see both headlights and two wheels, unlike a portrait or profile view.

The 3/4 view creates an almost 3-dimensional feel. To enhance this, students created a light source on their paper. Where the light hit the car, they created white highlights to mimic reflections. In the shadows, they modeled color from dark to light.

When they finished, they neatly cut their car out and mounted it on a black paper. They created a white outline on the edge of the car to help define its shape.

"Three Birds" Kindergarten

Kindergartners have begun their second project of the year. They are preparing to make a watercolor painting by practicing sketching birds. They learn how to lightly draw the shapes of the birds, and then add the details. When they are happy with their sketch, they will outline their pencil drawings with pen.

The students are learning to draw three different types of bird. The cardinal, goldfinch, and blue jay each match one of the primary colors. The students will use crayons to match each of their birds to its correct color.

When they are finished with their sketches, they will begin their paintings.