Using SAMR and iPads in Art

Including technology in my teaching and in my personal life, has always been an area of interest for me. The one example from my life that stands out in my mind is in my education classes in university. I was the first one to create an online student portfolio of work, and going up against the system to question...why in this era are you asking us to create a paper hard copy of our portfolio? It started from wanting to include videos in my portfolio and not being able to do this in the paper copy. I got a rally of other education students behind me, and created ONLY a portfolio online instead of a hardcopy/scrapbook of my teaching rounds. We got together testing different blogging sites, and sharing ideas. I also got my technology professor, as well as my arts professor on board and change was created. I was so nervous presenting what I created for my final mark because my portfolio was first was threatened with a failing grade,simply because at the time the teachers there did not understand how I had taken the task they had given me, but changed and expanded it to suit my needs. Later though (I did pass in the end..as a spoiler alert) my portfolio was used as an example of what was required for teachers in the years after me. 

This was many years ago now, and after having a PL on 21st century learning I finally had a name for what I had done. 

 I had not only used a blogging website as a substitution  for the task, but used as a significant modification. 

After learning this I wanted to design a unit of art that allowed the students the same modification I once did. The perfect group of students for this was the 1/2 cohort, with them having access to the iPads one to one.

As the first lesson, I split the class into tasks. Allowing the students to choose whether they wanted partners, groups or to try it on their own. The main task was to explore their IPad with the art cap on, and with the goal of creating an art task for the 1/2s. The students took an hour to explore all the apps on their iPads, trying different programs to create works of art.

After 40 mins, the students came back together and shared with the class the apps they used and what they created. During this time amazing things happened...they were flipping between screens to get inspiration, and like wildfire ...the idea of using iPads to create dot paintings took off, completely student driven. Real discussion and feedback from the students as they explored the pros and cons of each app, and what they were trying to achieve. When I set this learning task up, I did it with the thought that I might have to guide them to finding a task. It just blew me away what this jigsaw method of sharing induced. The more incredible thing that happened, was not only were they sharing in class, but outside of class as well....as the other 1/2s grades afterwards came in excited to try apps, and create some aboriginal artwork. 

As a magical teaching moment I watched students sharing iPads when they saw that other students iPads were low on battery and not working...and created artworks together!

This has been one of my favourite units yet, as it went in a direction that I couldn't have imagined! 

I can't wait to continue this unit of exploration and creativity with the 1/2s! Stay tuned, as I explore Cathy Hunts IPad Art classroom and get some more apps for students to create on! 

The Fantastic Work in progress...

When I first got the foundation classes at the start of term two, they were a little unsure of most things art. One of the incredible things about students at this age is how they are at an age of undefined creativity. As we moved onto textiles, collage and scuplture this term I am blown away by their ability to see things in a way we as adults forget to, but as an artist myself strive to get back. This project was all about letting the students explore this creativity. They were to design in a group a fabric sculpture, coming up with an idea the whole group was ok with making. They had to scrunch, fold, or flatten to create their masterpieces.

These two girls created a beach scene complete with beach chairs and a shark.

These boys created a farm yard complete with elephants, pigs, donkeys and cows. 

This group created a happy clown grandma! 

The year 1/2s have started their printmaking unit and are working their way up to their final prints. They have learned about the processes, and have done 4 printmaking stations to get them ready for their Japanese print in the coming weeks.

It was really important for the 1/2s to understand the process, vocabulary, the elements of design and history before creating their Japanese print. 

The students have loved using their iPads in the design process.

The 3/4s are on their way to finishing their mosaic projects. I am really proud of the students, and how much work and effort they have put into these mosaics. Mosaics aren't finished quickly, and the students have helped the whole way along! They are also working on their finger knitting for the up and coming STEAM day art installation.

Will post soon their finished works :-) 

The 5/6 classrooms have been a flurry of activity as the students get ready to finish their fabric collage. They have worked hard on the design ( having to portray a strong emotion using fabrics, keeping in mind the textures of the fabrics, colours and weaving) be watching for a post of their finished works! 

Mosaic Mania!

This past term has been filled with team work led mosaics!
Both the 5/6s and the 3/4s have had the chance to design and put together a mosaic.

The  5/6s designed a mosaic during their inquiry in class. They then used their arts time to put the mosaic together. With the help of work experience students and staff we grouted, and finished the project by the end of term, which was a major accomplishment! I am really proud of the students and staff alike in the time they put in to make it possible. 

Stay tuned for the final unveiling of the awesome 5/6 mosaic pieces! :-)

The 3/4s mosaics are not quite done yet, they need to be grouted still .....but here's a sneak peak of some of the hard work the students have been doing.

These mosaics were made along side the awesome science teacher in my school, during team teaching of science and art. Shout out to the awesome PE teacher at my school too for combining classes to help break all those recycled tiles! These mosaics will be turned into planter boxes, and the students will plant during their science time.

The mosaic unit was a huge unit for me, and pushed me to really use my prior knowledge of my arts background. It allowed for team work in both the specialist teams, and in the grade levels. I am so excited to see the final products of both the students and staffs hard work! 

Sidney Nolan's Ned Kelly Collage and Painting Project

As a Canadian, learning about Australian art history and the history of Australia I found a personal interest in the Sidney Nolan Ned Kelly series. Within the series I saw a great opportunity to discuss both Australian history and art technique. This made for a great combination of learning that was engaging. The students got to use their prior knowledge of colour theory, as well as their new knowledge about the Ned Kelly paintings.  We spent a whole class looking a video of the series and discussing what we saw in them. Many of the students were shocked by the images and had a lot to say about what they were seeing.

In the technical side of things, I explained to them two main things. How to create a landscape (using the Australian bush as our inspiration) explaining about what a horizon line is and why it is important to the composition. The other main thing we talked about was perspective, where the trees and the Ned Kelly character are larger the closer they are to the front of the image.They got to choose where they wanted to put their Ned Kelly and how big they wanted it to be. This project used many mediums, and took us awhile from the drafting and planning stage, to the painting stage, to collaging the Ned Kelly character. It was all worth it when the students pieced it all together and added final touches of the trees and bush land with chalk pastel. 

Our main image we looked at from the Ned Kelly series was: 

Here is the work of the 3/4 Childern: