This year I have started using a new way to communicate with parents. After receiving some feedback last year that parents didn’t know quite what we were learning about with each project, I decided to type up description statements that…
Hi friends! I have a treat for you today. My very intelligent and dedicated co-worker Katie McEnaney is guest posting for Art is Basic today. She was previously our 3rd grade Language Arts/Social Studies/Drama teacher and this year she moved to…
I feel like I have stumbled upon my newest art series for my own art. Earlier I wrote a blog post about how to make watercolor doodled flowers. Using a similar technique, I made watercolor mandalas. I have a new painting…
Here is a really fun twist on self-portraits! I teach the grades K-4/5 at my school and the middle school art teacher is in charge of grades 5 We have a new art teacher at the middle school level this…
With the election coming up, my kindergarten classes answered the sentence “If I were President, I would make the world a better place by…” and they drew themselves as President. I got this idea from my daughter’s art teacher, as…
I’ve been busy this school year, but proud of myself that I feel like I’m keeping on top of things. It is so easy to feel like you are drowning in artwork, messes and things on your to-do list. Am…
With Halloween coming, this is an especially fun open-ended project for little kids. I did this with kids up to grade 3 and they were super excited to come up with their own monsters. Supplies needed (Amazon affiliate links used):…
Are you interested in starting a blog? Here are some tips for you! If you missed the other posts in this series, be sure to read: Blogging Basics Part One: Why Blog and How to Choose a Platform Blogging…
Earlier this summer I wrote a blog post about how to make watercolor doodled flowers. These mandalas I created were made with a very similar technique. Both these mandalas and the flowers were made by starting with watercolor paints and…
New product alert! I’ve been working on this fun and very educational printable booklet for Kindergarten and 1st Grade in art class. This printable booklet features the ABCs of art class. This book is perfect for Kindergartners and 1st graders.…
You are part of the puzzle! Each student in my older grades (3-5) made a puzzle piece about themselves and their interests. I should have written: You are a PIECE of the puzzle. Or, I could have said: We all…
I’m pretty excited my article in the October issue of Arts & Activities is on the cover! I wrote about an art project my students did after learning about the artist William Wegman. I had the awesome opportunity to interview Wegman…
Today I am going to show you some fun pictures of super cool art teacher finds that I picked up at an Art Re-Swap. My city has an art supply swap at least once a year and it is probably…
Hi! Welcome back to another artsy school year! I had a brilliant breakthrough this summer while reading Facebook Art Teacher groups online. Someone had created a video about their rules and procedures for their art room. I saw that and…
At the end of last year my students created some inspirational quote artworks using artistic lettering and their choice of media. I typed up a list of inspirational quotes (below) for them to choose from. Many of the students had…