Gumball machines!

We are learning about Wayne Thiebaud in my classes this week and Kindergarten is working on these fabulous gumball machines!  I showed them a short little video clip about Thiebaud and also focused on his painting called "Three Machines."  We drew these together and talked more about exactly HOW to stay inside the lines when coloring.  They are doing a fantastic job!!!

Kinder snowmen and snowladies!

Kindergarten is finishing up their snow people this week and I love all the personality these have! 

Kindergarten watermelons

Here are a few more of our finished fundraiser projects.  Kindergarten learns about balance and repetition while creating these watermelon paintings.  Those borders alone take an entire class period! Whew! :)

  We learn about creating even spacing and also how to use our red top glue bottles.  They are called tap-n-glue caps and if you've not tried them they are amazing for keeping students from using too much glue!  They're a bit pricey at first but they last a while. Definitely worth it to avoid a mess!

Kindergarten cows

Does it GET any cuter than these cows?! I found this idea on Pinterest several years ago and it has become my favorite kindergarten project.  I guess you could say I save the best for last.  The next few posts will also be of some of my favorites! 

Rudolph in Kindergarten!

My little Kindergarten "deers" :) finished up these adorable Rudolph paintings this week!  I did a modified version at one of my schools because we were short on time.  I love how these turned out! Another quick and easy project to teach line, shape, and foreground, mid ground, and background! (Unless you're short on time!! Then it's a close-up! :)

Kindergarten self portraits

I never know what I'm going to get when I do self portraits with kindergarten! I have to say I was pretty impressed with how they followed directions.  We discussed the face shape, the proportions and how using a few simple lines would make our faces look more realistic.  I plan to do this again later in the year and go into more detail for the eyes and other features.  

This little guy got so upset when he realized his was crooked!  It turned out to be one of my favorites! 

Check out the hands on this one!  Note that we did not go into detail about drawing hands, he just did this on his own!  

Sweet kinder tulips!

Oh how much I love these beautiful tulips my kinders are working on this week!!  (I saw these on another art blog, I need to find the link to post here.)  They did such a great job with the drawings!  I was a little hesitant to do this one with kindergarten but decided they could do it, and they really impressed me!  We used a petal shaped template to help with some of the lines but other than that, they free handed  them step by step along with me.  

Say CHEESEburger!!!!!!

My little Ks are finishing up their cheeseburger collages this week!!

Penguins sliding down the hill!

Kindergarten created these adorable penguins over the last few weeks.  This was a fantastic lesson for teaching depth.  I simplified it a little by giving them 3 different sized ovals for each of the penguins.  We added the details, colored the beak and feet, painted them black and lastly painted the sky and a light shadow underneath.  

Zebras!

This is the project that never ends!  Seems like we've been working on these zebras in kindergarten forever!  I think the end result is worth it though!  Have a look!

Each set of stripes was one lesson so you can imagine how long these took! :)

Kindergarten pumpkin mosaics

I do this project every year with kindergarten.  It's wonderful for teaching them how to properly use glue and is great for their fine motor skills!  I draw the pumpkins on black paper.  Then they glue the triangles around the outline out of the pumpkin first before they begin filling in the middle.  I encourage them to put the pieces together like a puzzle instead of piling them on randomly.  It takes a while to complete, but the results are beautiful.  I precut the triangles, but if you have time, you could have them cut their own.

Always sunny in kindergarten!

Well maybe not always, but if I can think of one grade level that is ALWAYS excited to see me, it's without a doubt, KINDERGARTEN!  So that's why I saw always sunny and smiling in kindergarten!  They painted these beautiful sunflowers last week!  So glad the weather is finally warming up around here and we are enjoying our spring and "almost-summer" projects!