Kindergarten Inca/Aztec Sun Mandalas

Kindergarteners looked at mandalas from several cultures, including Mayan and Incan calendars from Ecuador as well as rotationally symmetrical forms found in nature.  Using oil pastels on paper plates, each student started with a sun face in the center for Incan sun god, Inti.  Moving outward, they created colorful patterns in concentric circles with wonderful results!

Kindergarten's Lascaux, TGS

Kindergarteners learned about the earliest known cave drawings in Lascaux, France (which, scientists believe, were made by female artists) and looked at the colors, symbols, and animals represented in these drawings.  Students created their own cave-like drawing surface by crumpling brown craft paper until it was soft and wrinkled, then drew some of the symbols and animals they observed on the walls of the cave in Lascaux using white, black, ochre, and brown pastels.   

A Visit to BMAC for Kindergarten and First Grade

Last week, kindergarten and first graders visited Brattleboro Museum and Art Center to see an exhibit on Red Grooms.  Museum educator Susan led some great discussions about the artist and his work, and students had some wonderful observations!

After looking at the artwork, students used colored paper to experiment with shape layers and these compositions are now hanging in the Lower School hallway.  

She also read a great interactive book, Press Here by Herve Tullet, which the kids really enjoyed.  

Beautiful Oops-ing in Kindergarten

One of my favorite books to read to kindergarteners is Barney Saltzberg's Beautiful Oops.  Besides being a great interactive and multi-surface board book that is really fun to read and explore, t's a great reminder that projects may not go as planned, but often "mistakes" are the catalyst for something even more exciting.  Developmentally, kindergarteners are just starting to compare their work to how they think it "should" look, so it's a good time to introduce the idea that an "Oops" can be a new creative starting point.

I gave students construction paper with holes cut out, and offered them several materials to work with, including tissue paper, pattern-paper scraps, glue, tape, scissors, string and pipe cleaners.  They made some incredible creations that will soon be gracing the hallways.