A few weeks ago, I asked my daughter what she wanted to "study about" (to borrow from her terminology)  this upcoming "school year".

 

"Oh, dolphins, monkeys, bats, tigers, sea horses...., " her list of animals continued.

 

Rather than jump from one animal  to the next in our animal study, we talked about where these different animals live and how we could learn about their habitats, too.

 

So, for the next ten months, we are going to study animals, animal classifciation and habitats.

 

I have started outlining our habitat units, working to incorporate animal and plant life, literature, art history,  life skills and geography.  We'll spend approimately 5 weeks on each of the following:  oceans, Arctic tundra and Antarctica, woodlands and forests, deserts, African savannah/grasslands, family pets, lakes/rivers/streams, farms and cities.

 

I’ve had great fun researching various artists and working their art into our science!  This week I want to share some of our plans.. 

 

Before we begin our habitat study, we'll spend 2 weeks studying color and light, becoming familiar with the color wheel.   Another convenient blending of art and science!

(Next week I’ll share a color a light unit I have put together.)

 

In addition to these projects, we are going to use the following art resources to enhance our art history study:

            “Short Lessons in Art History” Phyllis Clausen Barker

            “Artistic Pursuits”, Book 1 Jr. High Level

            Child-Sized Masterpieces for Steps 1,2,3, Level 1” by Aline D. Wolf

            “Child Sized Masterpieces 1,2,3 Level 2” by Aline D. Wolf

 

(The books by Aline Wolf are reprints on heavy cardboard that can be cut out and used for display or matching games.)

 

Ocean Habitat

 

    Artist:

Paul Klee:  primitive and surrealist styles.  Born in Sweden in 1887.  “Fish Magic”

         

 

 

    Project:

 Scratch Art:  On heavy white paper or poster board (non shiny side), drawn an  ocean  scene using crayon (bright colors).  Cover all of the paper.  Next, paint over the entire drawing with black tempra paint.  Let dry overnight.  Using a toothpick or wooden skewer (can be purchased at a “dollar store”), scratch off the dried paint.     

 

  Artist:

Paul Matisse:  fauvism.  Fauvism is french for "wild beasts". This style of art was called fauvism because the paintings had bright and unusual colors. The subjects in the paintings were shown in a simple way, and the colors and patterns were bright and wild. He was born on December 31, 1869 in Le Cateau Cambresis, France.   “Beasts of the Sea”.

 

 

    Project:

Matisse-like Art:  Cut out various shapes from colored construction paper.  Arrange them on a heavy piece of paper or poster board.  Glue into place. 

 

  Artist:

Pablo Picasso:  Cubism and expressionism.   When he painted in cubism, he tried to show the dimensions of the objects in his paintings by painting square, hard shapes.. When he painted in the expressionism style, the shapes were round and soft.  He went through a time during his twenties when he used the color blue a lot.  As in this painting “Lobster and Cat”

 

 

 

   Project:

Cubism in Blue:  Using watercolors and only the colors, blue, white, black, and brown, paint a picture using  more squared-off shapes.

 

 

African Savannah

 

    Artist:

Herni Rousseau:  Surrealist style. (Real objects that were painted to look strange or unreal).  Born in France in 1844. 

 

“Jungle with Lion”

 

 

Project: 

Surreal Art:  Using colored pencils and heavy construction paper or art stock,

      Visualize animals on the African savannah.  Think how you can make them look mysterious…as if you are seeing them in a dream.

 

Artist:

      Antoine-Louis Barye.  Sculptor and painter. 

 

      “Elephant”

 

      

     

   

Project:

      Clay sculpture:  Using clay a “heavier” clay (purchased through Miller Pads and Paper) and sculpting tools (“popsicle sticks”,  tools from Play Doh set) sculpt an African animal. 

 

Forest/Woodlands

 

Artist:

     Alexander Calder.  American painter and sculptor.  He lived from 1898 to 1976. His father and grandfather were sculptors.

 

    “Little Spider”

 

    

 

Project:

 Rock and Wire Sculpture:  a  heavy rock, 18 gauge wire, 24 gauge wire, scissors, needle nose pliers, wire cutters.  

 

Take a nature walk and try to find a heavy rock to use as the base of your sculpture.  Does the shape of the rock look like an animal?  Perhaps it will be an inspiration for your woodland sculpture.

 

 Bend heavy gauge wire round the rock.  Leave a piece of wire sticking up as high as you want it to be.  You’ll then add other pieces of wire to your sculpture from this one piece.  Begin adding on to your mobile by twisting wire shape arms from which other wire forms can dangle.   

 

If you want cut triangles, squares and circles from poster board or heavy construction paper and hot glue them to the mobile.

 

Don’t forget to “balance” the mobile, too.

 

An alternative project for younger students:  Marshmallow and toothpick standing mobiles.  Use 4 toothpicks and 4 large marshmallows to make a square base.  Then, using large sized marshmallows and tooth picks, create a standing mobile.

 

 

Artist: 

      Franz Marc: German Expressionist painter.  He lived from 1880-1916.

 

“Forest with Squirrel”

Project:

      Using heavy, black construction paper and colored chalks, create an expressionist picture.  In expressionism, the artist is not trying to make the picture look like the exact objects.  The artist paints a picture to express a certain feeling.  Think of a woodland forest, the animals and plants you find there.  Then, create a scene in your mind.  How do the animals feel?  Are the animals happy?  afraid? sleepy?  running wild?

 

See you next week on the Front Porch!

 

p.s.  For those bloggers who read my "Refrigerator Art" post, this is a piece by Henri Matisse.

 

Michelle

      Michelle and her husband, Rick, live in a teeny town in the southeast, where they have homeschooled for 8 years.  Michelle helped start Treasure Box Press, but has since “retired”.  She is the Judge Advisor for the North Carolina FIRST Lego League.  Visit her at www.homeschoolblogger.com/eyecorn.

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