Observation during a professional development day

Above was our agenda for the teacher's meeting on
Feb.18th The food was plentiful and this made
me extremely happy.

      I attended my very first formal teacher’s meeting at a local high school in Saint Louis. What I mean by formal is, I was served food, there were lots of people there, administrators lectured. I had a pretty good time. I've  included in my private portfolio a description of the activity that was planned for the morning. Counselors sent each table of teachers a little black bomb (balloon). Inside we found a “unfortunate” circumstance reflecting an actual student that had previously attended a high school else where. There were no real names used of course, but, the events were accurately portrayed. Our small groups were to think and express to each other “how” we were to feel and interact realistically with school faculty. This was very entertaining to a novice like myself. However, the faculty sitting at my table were not nearly as enthusiastic.

      My cooperating teacher met with the English teachers during their workshop, to discuss the possibility of integrating their two subjects in future lesson plans. I developed a new lesson plan during this meeting that included the elements of text features within its objectives. I would never have thought to do so, if I had not participated in this meeting and learned that students attending this particular high school experienced significant difficulties identifying text features. When I was asked if I could realistically create a lesson plan that would teach text features, I enthusiastically obliged my colleagues. I wrote and submitted the lesson, “Song Cousins” after spending my lunch hour in the school’s library typing out my ideas. 

designing brochures for student art exhibits

      Ideally, teachers should directly involve students in the design of their art show brochures, invitations, posters, etc... But there are circumstances when not enough time is left in a teacher's schedule to assign projects like these to their students. I have included in this brief article four generic "art exhibit" graphics that teachers may use freely for their own student art shows. Along with the graphics are sample layouts as well. Feel free to tack on additional, necessary content such as: specific names, dates and times in order to personalize the graphics for your own school art exhibit. 

Sample brochure that includes only three ink colors.

For those of you who prefer bold, simple graphics, read the
Terms of Use before using it folks.

This design is perfect for small, postcard type mailings.

Black and bold with bright, and colorful lettering,
this graphic is perfect for any elementary school art show.
Read the Terms of Use before using it folks.

This design is for a elaborate poster.
Include photos of student work with this design.

This sophisticated graphic would work nicely for any artist exhibit,
read the Terms of Use before using it folks.

Can't afford to print in color? Grey graphics
can still be "eye catching" if designed carefully.

What a way to save cash, use this greyscale graphic
for your next art exhibit brochures. Read
the Terms of Use before using it folks.

four wonders of the world activity

      There are many more than four man-made "wonders"of the world and I have listed just a few below for teachers to research prior to this activity. These particular wonders are man made so they are appropriate for an art class. For this "icebreaker," the teacher will need to print out four distinct locations for each small group students participating in the activity.

• Stonehenge
• Colosseum
• Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa
• Great Wall of China
• Porcelain Tower of Nanjing
• Hagia Sophia
• Leaning Tower of Pisa
• Taj Mahal
• Cairo Citadel
• Ely Cathedral
• Cluny Abbey

      This activity not only introduces students to amazing architecture from across the globe, but it gives them incentive to think about how they might personally relate to art, architecture, artifacts, and their peers. Because the students are expected to interpret their neighbor's opinions and thoughts to the large group discussion, they should be asked to be careful listeners as well as express their own opinions. I have included below, a worksheet. Copy as many as you need for the students in your classroom.

Four Wonders Worksheet by Grimm

All written and jpg. materials copyrighted by Grimm

the photo scavenger hunt

      My teen daughters have played this "icebreaker" game many times during youth activities at our church. The game requires an adult to accompany each small group in order to drive the teens to particular locations. It is also a game that lasts two to three hours, if done off campus. Every team must have a digital camera to play it. The teacher or youth leader supplies each team with a long list of people, places, or things that they must photograph for points. The adults in the team may fully participate in the game as well and at least one team member should also be present in the majority of the photos. The team that returns to the beginning location on time, with the most photographed subjects on the list wins. Timing, practical choices, teamwork and fun are all important objectives of the game. Hopefully, students will learn to build lasting friendships and unique experiences with team members during the game. I've included two additional listings of captions for photograph that will help teachers adapt the game for different circumstances. 

1. giant food
2. justice will prevail
3. friendly police officer
4. evidence of a flood
5. coffee, need we say more?
6. not very smart
7. rest stop
8. food court in the mall
9. peach pits again?
10. keep brushing
11. invented by Romans
12. the best menu in town
13. neon glow
14. bad timing
15. the thing is dedicated to...
16. pealing plaster
17. i found it inside the museum
18. i think this was first built by Egyptians?
19. gum in the parking lot, gum on my shoe
20. bird feeder
21. dedicated baby sitter
22. the wrong side of the tracks
23. a haunted house
24. an interesting grave marker
25. a room with a view
26. one hot ride
27. city hall 
28. fountain
29. graffiti 
30. paved with bricks or cobblestones
31. archway

The photo scavenger hunt on campus must be approved of by the school principle. Students must be trustworthy and careful to keep noise to a minimum while walking through halls where classes are still in session. After reviewing the results, teachers may decide to display the top three team photos in an exhibit.

1. an unusual view of the school lockers
2. deep knowledge of truth
3. employees working in the cafeteria smile, when students aren't present
4. secretaries rule, students drool
5. an empty turf
6. the haunted hall
7. something suspicious
8. sound mind and body
9. my teacher wants texture . . . again?
10. emphasis, lighting
11. ladies man
12. fever
13. from below...
14. school spirit
15. a dedicated student
16. just passing through or hall pass

The photo scavenger hunt in the classroom requires students to solve problems with limited space and it also challenges them to interpret photo suggestions creatively in order to take interesting pictures. Teachers and peers should reward creativity to the winners; the winners of this challenge may even be determined by a show of hands or the loudest applause.

1. "seeing double" portrait
2. textured and tacky
3. random collection
4. a bug's life
5. as seen from above
6. take a picture of me and you'll be sorry
7. you'd have to be starving to eat this
8. photos don't lie
9. against school policy
10. my perfect teacher
11. o.k. this guy is...human?
12. get me out of this place

the never have i ever...game

       Give every member of a small group ten objects. These objects could be paperclips, pencils, crayons etc... Place a large paper bag in the center of the group. During this game, one student is selected from a circle of friends to speak aloud random activities and events. These activities and or events may be normal or ridiculous. Each person sitting around the circle must admit truthfully to having done or seen the particular event read aloud and then toss one object into the paper bag. The object of the game is to keep as many of the ten possessions as possible without lying. Other team members may tattle on their peers and offer up proof of their participation in an event or proof of the persons observation of a person, place or thing if they wish. The narrator who is listing the events or actions must try to list those things in which he is certain some of his peers have done or seen but also to list things that only a few people are most likely to have experienced. The person who stays in the game longest and who has the most objects wins. Below are just a few examples of statements that could be read aloud during the game. The teacher may decide to play the first round of the game as the narrator so that the students will better understand how it should be played.

• Never have I ever ridden a roller coaster.
• Never have I ever searched for a missing dog.
• Never have I ever flown in outer space.
• Never have I ever visited the Grand Canyon.
• Never have I ever watched a scary movie on the television.
• Never have I ever shared my french fries with a gold fish.
• Never have I ever turned my homework in late.
• Never have I ever drawn on the wall with a purple crayon.
• Never have I ever made an A on a test.
• Never have I ever showered with my cloths on.
• Never have I ever kissed my sister on her forehead.
• Never have I ever eaten oysters raw.
• Never have I ever stapled papers together
• Never have I ever worn pretend butterfly wings.
• Never have I ever asked my mother for a dollar.

tell two truths icebreaker game

      In this game, students are introduced to one another and then each student will tell two facts about himself, plus one more piece of information that is not true. The student should act sincere and should not speak this information in any particular order. It is then up to his peers to determine which of the three statements is not a fact.

"icebreaker" artist trading cards

      Although the concept of this trading card icebreaker is relatively self-explanatory, the amount of success and effort involved with it is not. I've included it here because I feel it to be a uniquely ambitious idea for building community and interests around the arts. Young people love to collect things, as do some of their parents but, to collect something small that is original, without expense is not frequently done in public school environments. The additional fact that the creations are also the result of a fellow art enthusiast adds even greater interest to their collectibility. If your students take so much time and interest in collecting stamps, sea shells and baseball cards, just think of what they could collect in terms of genuine friendships through ATCs. I think their family members would find the activity fascinating as well.

      Go to the Home of the Artist Trading Cards: A Collaborative Cultural Performance, to review the history of ATCs and some design ideas too. 

      ATCs may be produced under a wide variety of categories and with almost any medium. There are a few rules, however. 

"Artist Trading Cards (or ATCs) are miniature works of art about the same size as modern baseball cards, or 2 ½ X 3 ½ inches (63 mm X 89 mm), small enough to fit inside standard card-collector pockets, sleeves or sheets. The ATC movement developed out of the mail art movement and has its origins in Switzerland. Cards are produced in various media, including dry media (pencils, pens, markers, etc.), wet media (watercolor, acrylic paints, etc.), paper media (in the form of collage, papercuts, found objects, etc.) or even metals or cloth. The cards are usually traded or exchanged rather than sold." Wikipedia.com

      Art teachers or even other faculty members may wish to establish a trading card club or an event that hosts trading card sessions twice to three times during the school year. It would be a unique way for students to maintain friendships over the summer break or to meet new student artists during the first week of school. Make sure your students sign their cards on the back, date them, and include a bit of interesting information about themselves on the reverse side of their cards.

      ACTs are kept in 9-Pocket Trading Card Pages that tuck neatly into a large three ring binder. Collect cards from your peers, your teachers, church youth group and local artists. The possibilities are endless.