Soaring with Similes!

You can probably tell that I've been enjoying my summer recess - considering I haven't posted anything since school let out!  I do have a lot of great things to share, however, and now that the dust of summer excitement has settled, hopefully I'll have some time to get things out there.

This "Soaring with Similes" bulletin board is my favorite bulletin board of the year. As you can see, I've posted it on my super-sized calendar, which I keep up all year long and update once a month with a quick art project.  I've also posted it on it's own bulletin board in the past and had it up in the hallway during the week of Parent-Teacher conferences as well.

After teaching a lesson on similes, I have my students decorate a kite (see below for template) and write a sentence about their kite using a simile.  You could have the students write their simile sentence directly on the kite or print them separately to post near the kites.

Here's the fun part: Take photos of each student as they imagine interacting with their kite. Many students choose to stand, holding an imaginary string, but several others get creative (i.e. flying away on a kite string, riding ON the actual kite).   I do allow students to plan to pose together. However, I've learned that they need to still take separate photos in order for the SIZE of each body to remain proportional to the other students in the class.


Print the photos and have the students carefully cut themselves out.  Allow students to help in the creation of the bulletin board by placing kites, student photographs, and string to create your kite-flying scene.  Students who wanted to pose with a friend can now put their photographs together.

Student 1

Student 1 & 2 on board

Student 2

I've loved using this project because it really motivates slow-moving students to finish so they can have their own photograph up on the wall!



**I used this same bulletin board idea in a younger class for an art lesson on symmetry. It was equally engaging and fun!

CLICK HERE for the printable Kite Template that I've used in the past.  (Credit to Crayola)

Celebrating Art Contest

You know those annoying flyers you get in your mailbox about stupid writing or art contests your kids can enter?  Don't throw them away.  They make excellent fast finishers.

When my high-achieving students finished with their independent work and come ask, "What do I do now?" - my usual response was one of the following:

1. "Go read."
2. "Go write in your journal."
3. "Go draw or color."

How lame is that? Even students who enjoy reading, writing, or art aren't going to be motivated to do anything worthwhile.  That's where a contest comes in!

When I get word of a new contest, I announce the guidelines and possible prizes. (I've noticed that kids are definitely more motivated when MONEY and/or iPODS are involved!)  You'll also need to be sure to set the expectation that this a Fast Finisher project and should only be worked on if all required assignments are completed.

This year, ten of my students entered the Celebrating Art Contest and a few entered the Poetic Power Contest.  All of a sudden - students are proud of their work and excited to have time to work on independent projects.   Now the question isn't, "What do I do now?" - it's "When's the deadline?"
 

Lion, 2011, chalk

Just last week, one of my students received a postcard in the mail - informing her that her chalk drawing "Lion" would be published this fall in a hardcover coffee table book of elementary art.  I'm obviously proud of her as an artist, but equally proud that I thought to give her that opportunity.