Sunday, August 14, 2016

Art Is Out Of This World!

It's that time of year again. All over the nation art teachers are getting their art rooms back to being AWESOME!  

This summer I was so much inspired by the website The Art of Education!  I attended their Art Ed Now National Online Conference and I also started listening to their Podcast, Art Ed Radio.  This summer was just one big fireball PD summer for me and my art room and lessons are going to show it!

I recently read an article on The Art of Education called How to Grab Your Students' Attention by Branding Your Classroom. The article suggests to choose a theme and use images from the theme throughout the room in decor, props and classroom management plan. I was looking for a way to catch the attention of my students and when I read this article I could not pass up the opportunity to change the face of my classroom.

I chose the theme "Art Is Out Of This World!"  Anything "outer space" fits this theme!  I collected a bunch of toys and decor of my own two sons that fell in the outer space category, and created an arrangement in the display case outside my art room door.   I created posters and space decor to put up around the room. The poster pictured above is on my door.  Below you can see it in its entirety.

I knew I wanted to use an alien image and I started to create an original one.  However, I decided on the Toy Story alien because my original designs were unfamiliar and weird.  I don't want to creep out my students, I want to make them smile! 
Everybody knows and loves this guy!

This is my behavior management system.  I changed the look of it but the way it works is the same tried and true method I've been using for a few years now.  The class begins with three points.  Misbehavior or a loud noise level will cause the class to loose points.  At the end of class if they still have three points the class moves their clip forward a space on the "game board".  When the class gets to the rocket they earn a reward day.  Reward days are free days with art stations!

 Rocket table signs!

 Each table has a comet the color of the table sign.  Every week a different color comet will be displayed to show what table is the "helper group."




I had fun making all of the space art to hang up!  I hope my students enjoy it as much as I do!

Until next time...