Birch trees

The second graders have been working hard to create some realistic looking birch trees.  They used a square of cardboard and black paint to create the birch trees. They then used 3 colors to create the ground and 3 colors to create the sky.

Two solutions to the same problem

Sometimes when children are finished I give them a challenge called the squiggle.  Basically I draw some kind of line or lines on a paper with a black marker.  The challenge for the student is to take that line and turn it into something.  I decided to give these two students the exact same squiggle and told them not to let the other see what they were turning it into.  You can see my darker lines in both and you can also see the two different solutions to the same problem.

Flower pot

Second graders are starting work on a flower pot.  The flower pot has tabs on the side so that the students can glue it onto a larger paper. The pot will be glued on so that it bows out from the paper making it look more 3 dimensional.  

Stained glass leaves

Second grade has studied trees and leaves in their science class. In art we talked about shapes of leaves and their parts. The students drew large leaves then put glue on the lines. After the glue was dry the students colored in the spaces created by the veins of the leaf with hard pastels.

Blow and Splatter painting

Second grade used watery brown paint and a straw to blow the shape of a tree trunk and branches.  They then used toothbrushes dipped in red, orange, and yellow paint to create a fall canopy on the tree.

Room 23

Starting some fall trees.  What color would you make the leaves on or around your tree?