Reflections Contest

Our afternoon of “Reflection Fun” is scheduled for Tuesday November 5^th 3:50-4:50 pm in the Health Room across from the library. We have a PTA meeting scheduled at the same time so we are urging parents to come to the PTA meeting and have their kids do an entry for Reflections at the same time!

Art moms, please remind kids about the contest and if it works out with your art time, give them a chance in the classroom to submit an entry.  The kids are welcome to submit as many entries in as many categories as they want to!  

Gelatin Printing--how did it go?

Gelatin printing in the 4th grade was a great success! We did some explanation of printmaking terms, showed some examples of printmaking illustrations in children's literature, and had the kids cut out their own stencils. We watched these two videos by Linda Germain on youtube, and went over the process. I took lunchtime to lay everything out on the kids' desks: white construction paper and orange sulphite paper for printing, newsprint to absorb ink and moisture on the gelatin plate, gelatin plate, brayer, piece of glass for ink, paper towels, and an assortment of leaves from nature. The students were in pairs and took turns (and even helped each other). They were quite prolific and each made at least six prints. We got out more scraps of construction paper in different colors and sizes and they went to town! It was a great project. Everybody was successful. Students selected a couple of their favorite prints to keep in the art portfolio and got to take home the rest.

Gelatin Printing

I have made 16 gelatin plates for art (4th grade, 2 students sharing each plate) this Friday using Linda Germain's excellent instructions. Will post pictures when we're done, but just wanted to give all the art parents a heads-up that you are welcome to use them for art in the next couple of weeks, because they will stay good in the fridge for a while. To see more about gelatin printing, here are a few helpful videos. I like this project because I think every student will be successful and the results are varied and beautiful. We will be printing with found objects, items from nature, and stencils the students make out of paper (halloween scenes, maybe?). Should be a good time, would love to spread the wealth! The school has all the brayers, printing ink, paper, ink blocks (sheets of tempered glass), that you will need. I'm thinking this would be a great class for grades 3 and up. Maybe a savvy 2nd grade could pull it off. Email me for dibs on the gelatin plates.

Why are there "Art Parents" at Andrus?

David J. Skorton, president, Cornell University, gave a good answer to that question in an article he wrote titled The Arts Are Essential.

In that article, he states, "If science and technology help us to answer questions of "what" and "how," the arts and humanities give us ways to confront the intangible, to contemplate the "why," to imagine, to create."

Unfortunately, with budget cuts, increased focus on core curriculum, and standardized tests, there are few opportunities left for traditional classroom teachers to incorporate art education.  Luckily, at Andrus Elementary, the value of the arts is embraced and parents are allowed to supplement the required curriculum.




Another excellent description of why concerned parents are joining forces to help with art lessons comes from a speech given by author and creativity expert, Ken Robinson. Please take 20 minutes to view his talk from a TED conference in 2006.  He emphasizes the idea that all children are born with exceptional creativity, but that the current education system stifles that.