Virtual Class Flags

 I always begin creative arts with a class flag project. Typically students come up with a design as a class, and then everyone creates a drawing that represents something important that the whole class values. Since we aren't meeting in person this semester, students are working to create a digital class flag, and so far I am beyond impressed with their collaboration skills!

We started the week off with a pear deck and discussion on culture - first reflecting on cultures we belong to and then looking at similarities between us that help create our class culture. I put students in teams of 3 and 4 and this is where the fun began: the challenge is to create a flag that represents our class culture using a Google slide and communicating only through chat boxes. I was so proud to see how well the members of each group were able to communicate their thoughts so clearly and share responsibilities in searching for items to include in their flag. Here are a few screenshots of the process:

Next week students are going to complete their flags and fill out a short artist statement explaining how the flag represents our class as a whole. The final step is to vote for the flag students like best and the winning flag will be proudly displayed as our Schoology image! I cannot wait to see how these flags turn out next week. Stay tuned!

Welcome to Creative Arts!

Hello and welcome to my new students and families! I am so excited to work with all of you and introduce you to the wonderful world that is creative arts. We have an action-packed semester, filled with all things visual, dance, drama, and music. Each of the units is associated with a certain world culture, so we'll learn about how art is used in every day life.

We are starting off the semester by reviewing rules and expectations and introducing some of our on-going activities. I am getting to know a little bit about each student through their "All About Me" page and then get a taste of their creativity through their first Draw Something (a super fun creativity challenge where students have to draw something out of provided lines or shapes). My goal is to update my blog at the end of each week and then begin each week with a short email. The email will discuss what students will be working on that week and review upcoming due dates, while the blog post will kind of wrap of the week and share insight on what students learned. I like to take pictures while students are working, too, to show off their creativity - pictures can be found on a number of places, including this blog, Instagram, and Twitter.

Today we are briefly discussing the first project - the class flag. So far Red Class has voted on an idea for their flag shape - I'm looking forward to hearing what ideas the other classes have. Next week students will create the artwork to assemble the flag so I can proudly hang their art in the classroom.

Here are a few pictures of the first Draw Something in-progress from Orange Class:

Class Flags

Good morning art loving people! Last week classes completed their class flags. I was able to hang them on Friday so yesterday was the first time students were able to see their artwork on the wall. Each class voted on an overall design for the layout of the flag, showing off just how creative each class is. Here are a few snapshots of what students created:

Students are currently working on creating their own composition that displays the three types of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial. I am impressed by the subjects and examples students are coming up with! No two artworks look the same because they have the freedom of arranging their composition as either one large scene or by dividing the page into sections. This project serves as a precursor to the Kaleidoscope Name Designs, where students take a deeper look into radial balance and Islamic art. This balance composition also helps students practice their composition arrangement and coloring skills, two techniques they will be using quite often in creative arts. Below are a few works-in-progress.

Follow my Twitter @StrasserArt_OMS and Instagram @MsStrasserArt_FCPS for more frequent updates! 

Class Flags Build Community

During the first week of school students were introduced to "culture" in many of their classes. In CA, we talked about how individuals can belong to a specific culture, but we can also have a shared culture within the classroom. Students first brainstormed a list of things that were important to them and then discussed their lists with their tablemates. The entire table then had to generate a list of similarities that they shared with one another. Many cultural commonalities classmates shared were friends, sports, food, and technology. Each table worked together to design icons that symbolized part of their culture to add to a collaborative flag. Some tables displayed great collaboration by working on one icon together, taking turns designing, drawing, and coloring. Once all the icons were created, the class voted on the final design and layout of the overall flag. Each flag is completely unique and visually symbolizes the community the five classes have already established.

pets, friends, family, sports, sleeping, cell phones, Fortnite, video games, teal

food, trampolines, music, sports, dogs, family, football, art

friends, dogs, money, family, sports, Internet, water

friends, family, food, dogs, sports, art, music

Girl/Boy Scouts, entertainment, food, sports, Starbucks, family, friends