DINO DAZE!

4th Grade Paleo-Art

2007-12-08T06:10:00.001-08:00

I believe the ideal art program is a perfect balance of structured activity and free activity. In this case the structure was in the analysis of complex objects (dinosaurs), breaking them down into basic shapes and the mastery of watercolor techniques. The freedom is in doing whatever they want! I love it when they write about what's in their drawings to explain them. These kids have such great imaginations.

Third Grade Watercolors

2007-12-08T05:08:00.001-08:00

Third grade art classes were inspired by the Dinotopia books of James Gurney. In his books, dinosaurs and people exist peacefully together. My students' visions of such a place were not always quite so peaceful. They wrote fantastic stories describing what was happening in their pictures. In the upcoming week, I hope to post some of them below the pictures.

Students drew with pencil, then went over the lines in pen and ink. They then experimented with the watercolor techniques of wet-on-wet, drybrush, puddle painting, and thirsty brush.

Texture-sauruses

2007-12-07T17:26:00.001-08:00

Second graders discussed and experimented with texture. First they drew dinosaurs. They placed texture plates under the drawings and colored with crayons. They then painted over the crayon drawings with watercolor. I think they achieved some interesting effects with this technique that look good on dinosaurs.

1st Grade Paleo-Artists

2007-12-07T17:23:00.001-08:00

These marker drawings are by first grade students.

Kindergarten Art

2007-12-07T17:18:00.001-08:00

Dino Daze was first and foremost an art show of student work. Over 900 works of art were on display representing the efforts of 600 students. I'll show just a little on this site, starting with the kindergarteners.

More Views of Rexie

2007-12-07T17:14:00.001-08:00

Rexie is a five foot tall plaster dinosaur who currently welcomes students and visitors in our school lobby. Mr. Wales and Mr. Haines (MU student teacher) constructed him with some help from students using pariscraft, acrylic paint, with a whole lot of wood, cardboard and newspaper. And, let's not forget masking tape!

The Sculpture Gallery

2007-12-07T14:34:00.001-08:00

To prepare for our Family Fun Night and Art Show, fifth graders put the finishing touches on their plastercraft dinosaurs and put them on display in the library.

Look to the Skies!

2007-12-07T14:24:00.001-08:00

On Dino Daze Family Fun Night, a pterodactyl, a pteranodon and an archaeopterix zoomed overhead. These were a few of the fifth grade plastercraft projects.

We Made the Papers!

2007-12-07T14:05:00.000-08:00

One of our local newspapers sent a reporter to write about Dino Daze. Apart from a mistake on the name of James Gurney's book Dinotopia (he calls it Utopia), it's an excellent article.

Sculpture Gallery

2007-12-01T17:55:00.001-08:00

The library was our sculpture gallery for the evening. I considered calling it a dinosaur petting zoo, but some species of dinosaurs prefer that you respect their personal space.

Make Your Own Fossil

2007-12-01T17:54:00.001-08:00

Students at this station used seashells and toy dinosaur to make their own fossils in a slab of clay.

The Lava Lounge

2007-12-01T17:50:00.001-08:00

Those poor unsuspecting dinosaurs were just looking for a warm place to take a nap. Little did they know a volcano was about to erupt! Nothing is more fun that adding vinegar to a baking soda/red food coloring mixture and watching for the eruption. This activity was made possible by Mrs. Yonkin, Mrs. Chacona, and Mrs. Fisher with the help of pseudo-vulcanologists like David Wales and many others.

Posing with Rexie

2007-12-01T17:48:00.001-08:00

Our Rexie is very photogenic, and many people couldn't resist standing next to our T Rex to get their photo taken.

Fossil Finds

2007-12-01T17:45:00.001-08:00

Our local gem and mineral club, Che Hanna was very generous with their time and resources to set up a Fossil Find Station. With the help of a girl scout troop, they helped students sift through sand and find fossils, prehistoric shark teeth, shells, etc., which students could then identify using a chart. They also got to keep their treasures!

The Terrible Toss

2007-12-01T17:43:00.001-08:00

Haven't you ever wanted to sock a spinosaurus, conk a corythosaurus, or tag a pterodactyl or at least bonk them with a bean bag? Well, if you had been at this station on Family Fun Night, you could have!

Raptor Race

2007-12-01T17:41:00.001-08:00

Mrs. Twedt was in charge of the Raptor Race in the gym.

Duckbill...duckbill...T-Rex!

2007-12-01T17:39:00.001-08:00

Even our games in the gym were dinosaur related thanks to Miss Nasoni and her helpers Mr. Wheaton, Mrs. Gorman, etc. For example, this game is similar to "Duck Duck Goose", but whoever gets tagged as a T Rex has to chase the tagger and tag them back by the time they get around the circle.

Dino Stamp!

2007-12-01T17:30:00.001-08:00

One of our activities on Family Fun Night was a rubber stamping station in the library. Kids could make scenes of all their favorite dinosaurs.

Cybersaurus Rex!

2007-12-01T17:27:00.001-08:00

For our dinosaur unit, the librarian Mrs. Crawford, the computer lab teacher Mrs. Burlew and I worked together. The students were assigned a dinosaur in art class, they took their sketchbook with them to library to research and make sketches of that dinosaur. Then they went to computer lab to research online and make Powerpoint slide shows about their dinosaur. By the time they came back to art they were experts on that particular dinosaur, which they then made into a sculpture using Pariscraft.

On Family Fun Night, visitors could view those slide shows, some of which were set to funky music! They also could play some dinosaur related educational games.

The Carnivore Cafe!

2007-12-01T17:24:00.001-08:00

Our Dino Daze Family Fun Night and Art Show was Friday night, November 30. It was a fantastic evening of art, activities, and fun for parents and kids. Even the snack was dinosaur themed. Mrs. Yeakel's idea was to serve dinosaur animal crackers in cups of chocolate pudding. Our paleontologist pudding eaters had to dig for the dinos to eat them!

Poster

2007-11-08T16:04:00.001-08:00

Below is a poster I designed to advertise our upcoming event.

Dimetrodon and Ankylosaurus get a paint job

2007-11-08T04:40:00.001-08:00

Painting Dinos

2007-11-08T04:26:00.000-08:00

Now it's time to paint the plaster dinosaurs. First we just cover them all over with a single color of paint. On the following week, we'll paint details, like teeth, scales, markings, claws, etc.

2007-11-08T04:20:00.001-08:00

Fifth graders are starting their own Plastercraft dinosaur sculptures. Students are in groups of five and assigned a dinosaur to research. They take their sketchbooks with them to the library and they find out as much as they can about their dinosaur. In the computer lab, they're making a Powerpoint slide presentation about their dinosaur. When they come back to the art room, they use a balloon and cardboard to create an armature for their sculpture, and cover it with sheets of Pariscraft. This is a really neat material, that you can dip in water and then mold over the armature. It's similar to what you may have seen a doctor use to make a cast.

The Calvary Arrives

2007-11-08T03:52:00.001-08:00

Remeber in the old westerns when the Calvary shows up at the last minute to save the day? Well, just when I thought I was in over my head with this Dino Daze projects, Mr. Josh Haines arrived! He's a student teacher from Mansfield University who'll be working with me for a few weeks. He's done a lot of the work in adding to the T . Rex sculpture.

The Making of Rexie

2007-11-08T03:47:00.001-08:00

We use boxes to bulk up the armature. You might say here that Rexie has a pair of boxer shorts!

This is me, adding more cardboard to the armature.

Preparing for Dino Daze

2007-11-08T03:37:00.000-08:00

My elementary art classes are preparing for an art show. However, we don't have just everyday, run-of-the-mill art shows! We call them "family fun nights" where kids and their parents can come to the school and look at what the kids have made and do fun activities together. Usually we have hands-on science lessons, board games, crafts, gym activities, snacks, etc. Each year is a different theme. For example, last year was Dr. Seuss. This year will be dinosaurs!

Each grade level will do at least one art project based on the theme. Fifth graders are making Pariscraft dinosaur sculptures. Of course, the teacher needs to make an example! So that the kids can see it, I'll make a six foot tall Tyrannosaurus Rex. I think we'll name him "Rexie". When he's finished, he'll be placed in the lobby to greet the kids as they come in.

I'm fortunate to have a teacher next door who's handy with carpentry. Mr. Patt, our music teacher built together a wooden frame for the first step in the armature. Future posts of this blog will show the progress of Rexie, and the kids' work too.