What is one of the top sources of student engagement and motivation in an elementary classroom you ask? Student choice! Therefore, in the art room, students are free to choose and develop their their own ideas, ideas that are personal and relevant to them. This freedom of choice helps students take ownership of their projects and become more motivated to try harder and get better. Students in all grades are currently working on one of their choice based projects. This means that students at each grade level learn a particular art skill or concept, and then they have to incorporate that skill/concept into an artwork of their choice. They can choose the subject and media of the project, as long as it incorporates the learned skill. Giving students choice in subject and art media allows their creativity and problem solving skills to shine through. They have to plan their idea, coming up with a solution as to how to incorporate the taught art skill into a personal piece of art. All artwork turns out unique, however, the process of problem solving, planning, creating, and revising, is valued more than the end product. In the images below, you can see the unique artwork that students in all grade levels have created using their own personal ideas/personalities.
First grade students learned about 3-dimensional lines and balancing an artwork when they created their paper line sculptures. They practiced their cutting and gluing skills, not to mention their patience while holding their paper strips down until the glue sticks.
Second grade is working on using warm and cool color schemes in a painting, drawing, or collage.
Third grade created choice artworks showing tints and shades. They were able to use the painting or drawing centers.
Fourth grade is learning about texture and can use the drawing, painting or collage centers to create an artwork with varying texture.
Fifth grade is learning how to shade with paint or drawing materials.
Sixth grade is split; one class is working on one-point perspective, the other class has an Ancient Greek Olympics theme.
You can see some of these original projects hanging in the upstairs of the Woodridge Public Library until December.
Second grade is working on using warm and cool color schemes in a painting, drawing, or collage.
Good post it provides freedom for students to be free and developed new skills takes responsibility and work as per their interest. Eye Level Bolingbrook offering good guidance and motivating at staring of their education which ultimately shows the best result in future.
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