1st grade Line Sculptures

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This week, 1st grade artists wrapped up the school year with a fun and colorful paper sculpture project inspired by art teacher and creator Cassie Stephens! Students explored the exciting world of line by turning flat strips of paper into standing 3D sculptures full of loops, curls, zigzags, and bends.

Using bright paper and their creativity, students learned how lines can move in many different ways and how artists can make artwork pop off the page. Each sculpture was attached to a bold black-and-white line background, they made with big Sharpies, helping the colorful forms stand out even more.

This lesson was the perfect one-day project to celebrate all the creativity, problem-solving, and artistic growth our 1st graders have shown this year. The classroom was filled with excitement as students experimented, built, and proudly shared their unique designs. We are so proud of these young artists and all they accomplished this year!

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Night of the Arts 2026

 

🎨 Night of the Arts

Our Night of the Arts was a huge success! We had an amazing turnout, and it was so special to see our school community come together to celebrate creativity.

The hallways were filled with beautiful student artwork, proudly displayed for families to enjoy. Our students were beaming with excitement as they shared their creations and showed off all their hard work.

Families had the chance to stop by the photobooth, take pictures with Roary our mascot, explore the instrument petting zoo, and enjoy wonderful dance and choir performances. There was something for everyone, and the energy throughout the building was truly unforgettable.

Thank you to everyone who came out to support our students and the arts. It was a night full of creativity, joy, and school pride! 🐾 

1st grade Paul Klee Cities

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Our 1st grade artists explored the colorful and imaginative world of Paul Klee through his famous painting Castle and Sun. Klee loved to use simple shapes, bold lines, and bright colors to create playful cities and dreamlike landscapes—and that’s exactly what our students did!

We began by looking closely at Klee’s artwork and noticing how he used geometric shapes like squares, rectangles, and triangles to build his castle. Students talked about how shapes can come together to create something new, like buildings and towers.

Next, students drew their own castles using a variety of shapes. They traced their lines with bold black oil pastel to help their designs stand out—just like Klee’s strong outlines. Then came the fun part—color! Students used tempera paints to fill in their shapes, experimenting with bright and contrasting colors to bring their castles to life.

To finish their artwork, students painted a sky and added a bold, glowing sun inspired by Klee’s work. Each piece turned into a unique and colorful city full of personality!

1st grade Rainbow Rockets

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Last week, our young artists had a blast creating these rocket-themed masterpieces while exploring line, pattern, and color blending! This project inspired by @Ms.tice_is_nice (Alyssa Tice), combines bold drawing with vibrant color s for a result that really pops.

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✏️ What We Learned

Students focused on:

• Types of lines (zig-zag, curved, spiral, scalloped)
• Pattern and repetition
• Warm and cool colors
• What happens when the colors get wet and blend together

We talked about how lines can show movement and energy, just like a rocket zooming through space!

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🎨 Materials

• White drawing paper
• Pencil
• Black Sharpie
• Markers
• Spray Bottle
• Black construction paper (for border)
• Oil pastels

 Step-by-Step Process

1st Grade Fall Art- featuring the Leaf Thief!

🍂 Leaf Thief Inspired Squirrel Collages — 1st Grade Art!

This week in 1st grade, we read the adorable fall story The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming, 

where a curious squirrel tries to figure out who’s “stealing” the leaves from the trees. The students loved the humor in the story and had so much fun spotting clues along with the squirrel!

After reading, we created our own squirrel collage artwork inspired by the book.

Students used several art techniques:

1. Drawing & Painting:
   They drew a squirrel, then used tempera paint to give it texture and life.

2. Cut Paper Collage:
   Students cut out leaves and grass and arranged them around the squirrel to show motion — just like leaves falling in the story.

3. Details & Expression:
   We added leaf veins with oil pastels and outlined the squirrel to make it stand out against the background.

We also discussed warm colors (reds, oranges, yellows) and how these show up in fall leaves. Students noticed how overlapping shapes creates a feeling of depth — like the squirrel is hiding in a pile of leaves!

Each artwork turned out full of personality and fall energy. 🍁
Our little artists are now officially leaf detectives, just like the squirrel!

Fabulous Fall Elementary Art Lessons!

Hi! Glad you're here! Here's a list of the fall themed elementary art projects we've done throughout the years! Hope this helps, having them all in one place! Just click on the pictures or titles below, and they'll take you to the original post. 

 4th and 5th fall birch trees

 Leaf printmaking collage

Yayoi Kusama inspired pumpkins

Starry Night Pumpkins

Square 1 Art!

 

Square 1 Art Fundraiser is Back! 🎨✨

This week in the art room, our students began working on their Square 1 Art projects! Each child is creating a special piece of artwork that will be turned into keepsakes for families to enjoy. From mugs and ornaments to tote bags and stickers, there are so many fun products available—perfect for gifts or for cherishing your child’s creativity at home.

The best part? All products will ship for FREE, just in time for Christmas! 🎁 That means families can order unique, personalized holiday gifts while also supporting our school.

Why does this fundraiser matter?
Our school serves over 800 students, and every single one of them benefits from a fully stocked art room. The money raised through Square 1 Art goes directly toward buying essential art supplies—paper, paints, brushes, markers, oil pastels and more—so that every student has the tools they need to express themselves creatively.

We can’t wait to see all of the incredible artwork your children are creating. Be on the lookout for order forms and online access codes coming home in November!

Thank you for supporting the arts at our school and helping to keep creativity alive for every student. 💛

Here’s what we’re working on! 

Monochromatic Self Portraits

This year, I wanted to make a collaborative piece of art, to kick off the new year. I also wanted to create something that wasn't too tricky for the kids, while we got back into the swing of things and went over expectations and procedures in the art room, as well. 

We got our inspiration from a few talented art teachers and students. Here's some great blogs you can get inspiration from too! 

Mrs. Detrich Art

Cassie Stephens 

Mrs. Hutchison Art

Here's all you need:

2nd grade cardboard castle prints

This week in art class, our amazing 2nd graders studied the colorful, geometric work of Swiss-German artist Paul Klee— especially his painting “Castle and Sun.” Klee loved using shapes, color, and imagination to build dreamy cities and abstract scenes.

Take a look at his original masterpiece below:

Paul Klee, “Castle and Sun,” 1928

YAM show 2022

Hi! It's been a while! Here's a little glimpse into what we did last year, and which art made it to our annual, county wide, Youth Art Month show. I've been in a portable without a sink for 2 years, and a crazy schedule, so I haven't had as much time to post on here or IG. Plus, sometimes I forget where I got these great ideas, and don't want to make anyone upset. Below, you will see I gave credit, where credit is due! Thank you amazing art teachers for sharing your awesome ideas with us, and thank you to my students, for all your hard work! I am so very proud of you 💖

4th grade (project inspired by Tracey Nichols)

2nd grade Cezane inspired apples 

3rd grade (Inspired by @Artwithmiss.blomgren)

5th grade (Jen Aranyi & Cassie Stephens inspired)

Kindergarten (Cassie Stephens inspired)

2nd grade (inspired by @Ackermans_amazing_artists)

5th grade Ring Pop (inspired by @Howgraythouart)

Kindergarten Rainbow mosaic (Inspired by @the_organized_art_teacher & Cassie Stephens)

1st grade Giraffes Can't Dance (inspired by Deep Space Sparkle)

4th grade inspired Mexican Suns/Moons

3rd grade Van Gogh Starry Night pumpkin

My heart and her Square 1 Art

3rd grade self portrait Square 1 Art

1st grade penguin inspired by Mary Making Art

Here's our version on this blog 

The 5th grade, Jim Dine paintbrush project is inspired by Lauralee Chambers

Here's my blog post about it

 

Never Let a Unicorn Scribble

 

Welcome back to school friends! 

We were out for over a month, and last week, we were finally back! I saw this lesson on Instagram with @arwithmrs.carter, and thought our students would have fun with it too! We read the book, Never Let a Unicorn Scribble, by Diane Alber, and we drew this with 1st and 2nd grade!

Here's some examples of their great work! 

Patriotic art for Veterans Day!

 

This week, and the beginning of the next, we're working on patriotic works of art, to celebrate Veterans Day! We are a big military town, and we want to support our local veterans and country! 4th & 5th worked on their shading in this American flag project, 1st and 2nd grade worked on their drawing skills, sketching out a bald eagle with me, and 3rd is drawing the Art Project for Kids, head of the statue of liberty surrounded by fireworks!  They're doing a great job so far!

Check out our art below! 

btw, I found the flag idea on The Lost Sock Blog, by Tabitha Morgan! Click on her name for how to! 

 or visit my Youtube channel

Art on a Cart 2020-2021

 

Sorry, I haven't posted in a while, but we've been busy over here! I'm on a cart again, so there hasn't been much down time. To top it off, we can't share supplies, so I'm having to improvise and do a lot of new, 1 day lessons, this year. Oh well! At least we're open, healthy, and I get to teach again!

  The first week back, we did some more Cassie Stephens inspired projects! They loved the surprise mask selfie project, the mask emotions, and her origami pets! We did some radial symmetrical artworks,  some fun directed drawings, and now we're getting into some fall artwork! The kids have also loved the Op Art weaving with neon papers, from Mrs. Nguyen's website!

Here's some student examples of what we have been creating!