Miss French Fry is Missing.

We've all done it.  Been sick as a dog and struggled to get through a day of teaching because it's easier than typing up sub plans.  It's ridiculous, but totes true.  I have literally had days where I've gone to work running a fever hotter than my H-E-double hockey sticks glue gun infamous for burning off my fingernails and hallucinating (seriously, I saw birds flying around my Art Room Disney Cinderella style).  But, I toughed it out, because hey, sub plans STINK.

This is about what I look like on the days I'm sick at school.  Miss Viola Swamp to the core.

So, enter stage right: THE SUB TUB.

I don't usually have subs continue current lessons my kids are working on, because the subs in our district are always kind of a gamble (and not in the good kind of Vegas-y way).  Seriously.  I have had subs go into my closed cabinets and use acrylic paints and fancy nancy watercolor paper as free draw activities. Ugh.

Here's what my bin contains:

• The Art Room Sub Binder:  this is the master plan of the Art Room and contains classroom information, the schedule, map, supplies list, rosters with pictures, seating charts, and allergy/special needs notes with a sign-in sheet
• 2-3 SIMPLE typed out lessons with images and books for grades K-5
• just-in-case coloring sheets for fast finishers

This sub adaptation was inspired by Deep Space Sparkle.

If you haven't found the Anchorage School District Art Sub Plans yet, check them out.  Bless the Alaskan school district that published these plans to share with art teachers.  The plans are ABSOLUTELY amazing and I have used quite a few as inspiration for my own Sub Tub.

And in the meantime, stay healthy and classy Arties.  Can't tell you how many times I have been sneezed on directly in the face or witnessed a little friend secretly wipe their little boogies on the Art pencils.  Stock up on your Emergen-C by the crateful my friends.

What Does the Fox Say?

If you haven't seen The Fox by Ylvis, you should probably get out of your den and check it out.  This video went viral back in September and features the Ylvis brothers, a young comedic Norwegian team who writes poppy, parodic ballads.  I'm not gonna lie, the first time I heard the song, I was OBSESSED.  It is catchy, fun to dance to (as much as an uncoordinated art teacher can), and the music video absolutely rocks.  Just wait until you get to the part with the fox who scats at the end (scats as in jazz singing, not the animal dropping type of scat...just thought I'd clarify).

Foxes have become the "it" animal of the fashion world.  Owls were SOOO last year.  I have seen foxes pop up on everything lately, even my tissues boxes!

How cute is this sweater dress one of my students donned during our fox art lesson?

I was bitten by the fox bug and was struggling to find inspiration for a fox art lesson all over Pinterest, but to no avail. So, I combined some of my favorite art materials and techniques and came up with a lesson plan.

Materials:

• black construction paper
• white construction paper
• rust, white, and black oil pastels for the fox
• pencils
• oil pastels
• scissors
• glue
• tempera paint
• painter's tape
• black paint
• cardboard pieces

We spent about 2-3 60 minute art classes on this lesson.  I introduced this project by reading aloud One Fine Day by Nonny Hogrogian.  This Caldecott-winning book from the 1970's features gorgeous illustrations to retell an Armenian folktale.  My students were enchanted by the illustrations.

Check out some of these foxy little guys below, though there is one BIG rule while doing this project.  You MUST play "The Fox" by Ylvis while the little artists are working.  The kids were so darn happy while making their masterpieces.

Love this one with the little fox den in the background.

Connect the Dots, Kandinsky Style.

So, I have a polka dot problem.  Possibly an addiction. While I was pulling out an ensemble for the school day in my fuzzy pre-coffee state, I was overwhelmed by the amount of polka dots in my closet.  And I did ask myself, is it right, or is it wrong?  And I said to myself, my god, what have I done?!  (if you don't get the allusion to Talking Heads, shame on you).

Anywho, back to the dots...

So many dots, so little time.  Like so many art teachers, I love The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds.  His beautiful illustrations and the art teacher's sage advice to "make a mark and see where it takes you" is down right inspiring and lends itself perfectly to all things Kandinsky.

I recently came across this adorable circle painting lesson here on the site Small for Big.  The lesson of course borrows inspiration from Kandinsky's Squares with Concentric Circles.

 

Since I can never get enough of good ol' polka dots, I always do some variation every year, usually with my little Kinders.  This year, our project continued our study of cool and warm colors.  I started with an introduction to Kandinsky's work and looked at multiple pieces.  After setting up each table with the following items, the Kinders waited for directions...

• pre-folded 12" x 18" watercolor paper
• Sax liquid watercolors
• brushes
• water pots
• tray to hold the materials
• great listening ears!

To ensure each composition contained a variety of colors, my students were given directions to turn on their listening ears as I gave steps to use a "warm color of sunshine," or the "cool colors in the ocean."  Here's a sneak peek into some of their pieces...

 

I love all things the little Kindergarteners make (just not always the messes they make), but what made my day was having a parent tell me her 5 year old came home bubbling non-stop about Kandinsky and his dots and lines and EYEBALL ART (he meant abstract art by the way).

Now go and make your own EYEBALL art, I dare you!