Now that the new term is off and running, we have new things to share!
First up is 6th grade with their Peace Flags. Originally from Tibet, the flags have messages on them that re meant for our futures. As the flags tatter and fade, it is said that the message will come true and become part of our world.
The assignment:
Each flag has one wish or word for the world
Each flag has a symbol to represent that word
Each flag has three quotes said by famous people involving their word
Lastly, students wrote a poem to accompany their flag. The poem was based off of Langston Hughes' Dreams and incorporated a simile, metaphor and rhyme scheme.
Dreams
Hold onto dreams
For if dreams die
Life is like a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams go
Life is s barren field
Frozen with snow.
Step one: create the flag
Step two: color flag with sharpies or non-washable markers
Step three: dye the flags
Step four: let flags dry
Step five: hang and enjoy the beauty
These flags were a blast to make and have made Tierney Terrace even more colorful!!!
IF you haven't checked out the library for our 8th grade "Walk in My Shoes" display, please make sure you do! Shoes were awesome!!!!
About a little bit more than halfway through the term and we are finally hanging and displaying these amazing projects!
Let's Start with the sixth grade. Our sixth graders have read the book ChickenSunday by Patricia Polacco. The book is very diverse and has a tradition of egg decorating has has originated in the Ukraine called Pysanky eggs. Although the tradition is usually created with real eggs, we decided to make ours with paper, crayons and watercolors. Our students also accompanied these eggs with a letter dedicating the egg to someone they care about. They explain the Pysanky symbols that they chose for this person through the research they had done. Check out the process and finished product eggs:
Students started with pencil, moved to pen, then crayon for a wax texture and then let the watercolors drain over it.
Below is our wall display:
Next, our 7th grade students have just about finished their self portraits. For a more in depth description of the assignment, visit my previous blog entry! Below you will see some in progress portrait creations:
Students could choose collage, pastels, crayons or any other medium they wanted! Remember, they had to write about their piece as well to really bring their audience into seeing and understanding their identity.
Great job seventh grade! These came out awesome!
Lastly, we have some finished shoes! Students in eighth grade were asked to watch and analyze the documentary, Off and Running. What is it like to walk in your shoes? After writing a creative piece for this assignment, students brought in an old shoe and decorated it to portray what it's like walking in their shoes. Some are very cool! Check them out!
Some shoes had even more on the bottoms! Congrats eighth grade! Some amazing work here, well done!
Until next time, Miss Favs
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Term 3 has arrived and we are busy diving into our new projects. Here's a little bit of what we've been working on:
7th Grade Portraits:
The assignment for these students is to create their own self-portrait image in the way that they see themselves, or in other words, how they'd like to portray themselves. We've been trying to think of a way for students to easily draw themselves because especially for myself, it is easier said than done to illustrate oneself's face. Below you will see a demonstrative video on how we will draw our faces. Some students will still elect to freehand but they are much more daring and artistic than I.
I decided to try this method out myself by starting with a general photograph of my lovely face:
The next thing I did was through a transparency, I traced my face the way the teacher did in the youtube video:
Lastly, I created three different versions of my own self-portrait. One is a sketch. The other is collaged through magazines. The last one is all made out of words.
Students will be required to have at least 8 symbols and 15 words in their self-portrait to show who they are. Pictures will be coming when portraits start flowing in!
8th Grade SHOES!!!!
We have been studying the documentary Off and Running. This documentary is about a young female in high school. Avery is African American and was adopted by two Jewish parents, along with her brother Rafi who is adopted and is bi-racial and her little brother Zay-Zay who is also adopted and Korean. As you can see, Avery does not have the typical "American Family". By stepping into her shoes, we see her coming of age story and how she tries to attempt to find out who she is.
Our middle school students are also at a point in their lives where they are really coming into their own and learning about who they are and where their families have come from.
THE ASSIGNMENT: You are to create your own sneaker/boot/shoe and decorate it with symbols that show the observer of the shoe what it might be like to WALK IN YOUR SHOES.
Pick your shoe: Picking your shoe is more important than digging out an old sneaker that you no longer want. You bought the shoe in the first place... why?
Here's mine:
I chose this sneaker because as an adolescent, I loved converse! I had at least four pairs at one time. I no longer wear these shoes mostly because they are old and the insides are all worn out. I think it depicts me because I like to be comfortable yet fashionable at the same time.
The next step is to paint the sneaker so that I can start from scratch and will be able to decorate the sneaker myself:
As you can see, I will be able to decorate the sneaker as I please. Below you will find my blueprint for my shoe and my plan. Every student is required to draw their own sneaker first so that they know not only the materials that they will need, but also what they need to do in preparation of creating the sneaker.
Students have started their own shoes... more pictures of progress to come!
