Mary Perkerson

Kindergarten field trip!

Exciting Kindergarten News!

Our school has been selected to participate in the Georgia Wolf Trap Program through the Alliance Theater!  It is in affiliation with the National Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, founded in 1981 in Virginia.  The Institute places professional performing artists in classroom residencies working with kindergarten age children, along with their teachers and parents through the disciplines of drama, music and movement.  (As of right now, this program is just for kindergarten.)

 Components of the program include:

• Twelve 35 minute classroom sessions with a resident artist. 
• Field trip to see the Alliance Theater Children's Play (“The Wizard of Oz”).
• Family sharing event for parents to see what we have been working on.
• Kindergarten student art show at the Woodruff Arts Center in which all students will be displaying artwork based on the children's production "The Wizard of Oz".

Classroom Residencies

The centerpiece of the program is the classroom residency in which a Wolf Trap Teaching Artist and your child's classroom teacher will be working together to translate instructional goals into performing arts activities designed to meet the objectives and needs of the teacher and class.  All units align with the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) and integrate the arts into the curriculum.  This is where your child will have the opportunity to experience drama integration with language arts, and learn about the theater.  Students will be given the opportunity to perform for families at a family sharing event to demonstrate what they have learned.  Students will also display their artwork they create with the teaching artists at the Woodruff Arts Center.

 

"The Wizard of Oz"

"The Wizard of Oz" is the children's theatrical production of the L. Frank Baum story performed at the Alliance Theater part of the Woodruff Arts Center (Atlanta).  The story will capture the imaginations of our students with the classic songs from the movie, along with a new visual twist adding the inspiration of Folk Art to the set design.

 

Teaching Artists for McCall

 

Michele Mummert

LeeAnna Lambert

Davia Weatherill

John Jaramillo

 

 

Funding

McCall Primary has been specially selected to be a part of this wonderful program where we will basically be gaining drama/theater as part of our curriculum here at McCall.  The Alliance Theater has been awarded a grant to partially pay for the program through the Goizueta Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.  They pay for the resident teaching artists and the classroom teacher training during the year.   However, they cannot fund the cost of transportation and tickets to see the children's play "Wizard of Oz" at the Alliance Theater. 

 

Total Field Trip Cost= $14 per student

All money is due by Feb. 10^th. 

 

Please keep in mind all that is involved in this program when you complete your field trip form.  Remember that it is not just a trip to see a play, but your child will be able to experience drama and the theater completely integrated into their curriculum all during the year for the price of this field trip.

Thanks so much!    Kindergarten Team

Kindergarten learns about Vincent van Gogh and makes a Clay Pinch Pot!

Nov. 7-Dec. 9

Clay Pinch Pot:

Kindergarten students have been very busy!  They have learned about ceramics, the firing process for clay, glazing and have created a beautiful treasure!  Each student made their own little pinch pot and glazed the clay themselves.  This is a project that you will be sure to treasure forever!  They will be bringing these home soon!

Vincent van Gogh:

Students have also learned about the famous artist Vincent van Gogh.  We watched part of a quick movie about the artist.  We also looked at some examples of his artwork and discussed how thickly he applied his paint, how bright his colors were, and how he used short little brush strokes to make the paint look as if it were moving and swirling around the canvas.  Then students were challenged to re-create van Gogh's masterpiece, "The Starry Night" with oil pastels.  Students were shown how to color in such a way to represent the impressionistic manner that the paint was applied in his artwork.  Many of these pictures will be on display throughout the building.

Essential Questions: What is sculpture/form?

How do I create a clay pinch pot?

What does Vincent van Gogh's art look like?

First Grade learns about Pop Art!

Nov. 7-Dec. 9

Pop Art!

Students in first grade are learning about "Pop Art" and creating some interesting "Pop Art" sculptures.  We are studying the artwork of Claes Oldenburg and his large scale "Pop Art" sculptures of everyday, ordinary things like trowels, binoculars, thumbtacks, and typewriter erasers; as well as his soft sculptures of food items like sandwiches and french fries.  We looked as a slide show presentation of Oldenburg's artwork to discover interesting forms and sculptures.  We discusses how his artwork displays movement and balance.  We talked about the soft sculptures being made from painted cloth that was stitched together and stuffed like a pillow.  We then decided as a group what type of food to create our soft sculpture of.  We cut felt and other fabrics to the shape of our food, stuffed the artwork with cotton, and decorated it with glitter and found objects.  Students were then challenged to give their food sculpture a personality with a face.  Then we read the book "The Burger and the Hot Dog" by Jim Aylesworth.  Students were instructed to write a short poem or short story about their food sculpture like the stories given in the book.  Then students illustrated their own story.  Students are loving this project, and their food sculpture pillows...

be looking for these to come home soon.

 

Essential Questions:

What is Form/Sculpture?

What is "Pop Art"?

Who is Claes Oldenburg?

What does his artwork look like?

"Into the Woods" Arts Program Promotion

On Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011 @ 7:30pm, come support McCall Primary School's Art Program and see "Into the Woods" at the Alliance Theater.

15% of every ticket purchased
with promo code WISH
will go directly back to our school!

To purchase tickets visit www.alliancetheatre.org

or call 404.733.5000

Romance. Magic. Consequences.

The beloved Tony Award^®-winning musical allows you to slip into a world where magic beans create a ladder to the sky, Prince Charming is one golden slipper away, and wolves haunt the forest. Filled with soaring melodies by Stephen Sondheim, the master of modern American musical theatre, Into the Woods is a spellbinding musical filled with romance, magic and the unexpected consequences of dreams that come true.

In a unique collaboration between the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Federation of Musicians, the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, the ASO Talent Development Programs, and the Alliance Theatre, a regional ensemble of young musicians will accompany the show and provide a visible underscoring of the show’s central message – “Careful what you say…children will listen.” 

credits

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by James Lapine
Originally Directed on Broadway by James Lapine
Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick
Directed by Susan V. Booth

Color Theory:

 

 

August 15- Sept. 9th, 2011

All students will be learning amazing things these first weeks of art class!  We will be concentrating on color and shape these first few days.  All students begin with a pre-assessment to determine the areas for improvement.  Then students are then challenged to learn about color theory through the use of a color wheel, rainbows, and books.  Then we discuss and practice drawing our shapes.

Kindergarten:
Kindergarten students were read "White Rabbit's Color Book" and were introduced to the color wheel.  Students were shown how to mix colors using the overhead projector and translucent plastic in primary colors.  Then we made a real rainbow to see all the colors that we have been discussing mix together using a prism and strong light source (overhead projector).  Students created their own color wheels using watercolors.  Then students were asked to create a rainbow drawing that displayed all the primary colors and secondary colors in rainbow order.  This promoted color identification and color conversations.  Next students were introduced to shapes through the book "I Spy Shapes in Art".  They were asked to identify shapes in famous artworks.  Then they were shown the difference between shape and form.  Students practiced drawing shapes on paper.

Essential Questions:
What are the rules of the art room?
What are the colors of the rainbow?
What are geometric shapes?

First Grade:
First grade students were re-introduced to color mixing through the book "White Rabbit's Color Book".  Colors were identified as warm or cool colors.  I explained how the color wheel works and why the colors are located on the wheel in special places.  Then we mixed colors with light using translucent plastic colored paddles and the overhead projector.  We discussed how rainbows are made and created a rainbow with a prism and light.  Then students were asked to create a color wheel with watercolors by making their own secondary colors (orange, green, and violet).  Afterwards, students were asked to create a landscape that included a horizonal line (directional lines were introduced) and rainbow.  Students colored their rainbows with crayons in rainbow order.  Following the color project, students learned about the difference between shapes and forms.  We read "I Spy Shapes in Art", and looked for shapes and three-dimensional forms in famous artwork.  Then students practiced drawing these forms on paper.  Students especially loved the cube, which seemed to "pop" out of the paper.

Essential Questions:
What are the rules of the art room?
How do I make orange, green and violet?
What are geometric shapes and forms?

 

 

 

Smithsonian Museum Day-Sept. 24, 2011

Museum Day is an annual event hosted by Smithsonian Media in which participating museums across the country open their doors for free to anyone presenting a Museum Day Ticket.

• One ticket per household • A ticket will gain entry in only one museum and only participating museums • Only an official Museum Day ticket is eligible for free entry. Official tickets can be found here on the Museum Day website.

Read more: www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/

Paint Shirts!

 

 

Parents-
Please remember to send a paint shirt to school for your child to protect his/her clothes during art class.  (Thank you to those of you who already have sent them in!) 

 

 

Performing Arts Brochures:

Soon you will be receiving your brochure about Performing Arts this year, asking for a $14 donation.  This money is used for certain grade level field trips (not for kindergarten or first grade).  However, it is distributed to the schools to be used for performing arts, and we use the funds here at McCall for Cultural Arts Day.  Please donate if you can to help support the Performing Arts in our county and our school!

Belief:

• The Arts educate, communicate, and inspire us to know more about ourselves, each other, and our culture and heritage.

• The Performing Arts are those forms of art such as acting, dancing, and playing and singing music that are performed in front of an audience.

 Our Purpose and Mission:

• To provide opportunities for Cobb's children K- 8th grades to experience uniquely rewarding performing arts that might otherwise be unavailable to them

• To spark curiosity, broaden awareness of the Arts, stimulate minds and emotions, foster creativity and inspire a lifelong interest and love of the arts with far-reaching effect

• To encourage excellence in the arts by providing high-quality professional performances and opportunities for cultural enrichment through the performing arts

Woodruff Arts Center: Target Family Thursdays!

Woodruff Arts Center presents: Target Family Thursdays

September 1, 8, 15 and 22, 2011

Join the Woodruff Arts Center the first four Thursdays in September to experience the family and educational programming of our artistic divisions- Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, High Museum of Art and Young Audiences- and all activities are free!

• Theatre for the Very Young, A Child's Garden of Verses presented by the Alliance Theatre

• Acting Workshops

• Toddler Thursday

• Family Tours of the High Museum of Art

• flashArt: Making for Teens and more

• Into the Woods

Visit us at http://www.woodruffcenter.org/target.aspx for a complete list of scheduled activities

 

Enjoy Target Family meal specials at the Woodruff's Table 1280. To make a reservation visit www.opentable.com

Click here to register

http://www.woodruffcenter.org/target.aspx

 

Square 1 Art Fundraiser 2011

Thank you for all your orders!

 

Products will be in soon...

If you still need to place an order with Square 1,

Contact Customer Care at 888.332.3294

 

All Square 1 Art Orders

   were due by

Friday, Oct. 28th 

 

All the students, kindergarten and first grade, will soon begin the artwork for our Square 1 art fundraiser!  Each child will bring home a sample of their artwork on 20 FREE stickers with the order form when the art is completed.  We are going to hopefully raise more funds for art supplies and art programs for our McCall Primary students.  I am also very excited about this project because it gives parents and families an opportunity to showcase your child's artistic talents in a new way!  You have the chance to see your child's art printed on many quality items that Square 1 provides.  This also makes a fabulous holiday gift for friends and relatives!  

All classes Sept. 12-Oct. 7,  2011:

Kindergarten is creating Eric Carle inspired collages in which students paint paper and scrape the paint with combs for texture, students cut out an animal shape from the painted paper, and glue it to a painted background.  These collages are turning out fabulous and students are really excited to show their families their artwork!

Essential Questions:

What is a collage?

How do I use scissors safely?

Who is Eric Carle?

 

First Grade is creating Self Portraits for their Square 1 artwork.  They are learning about drawing the face correctly with pencil first, tracing their drawings with sharpie marker, and then coloring the picture with crayons or markers.  These self portraits look fantastic and students are very proud of their accomplishments.

Essential Question:

What is a Self Portrait?

What is good craftsmanship?

 

 

www.Square1Art.com

Kindergarten: Henri Matisse

 

Matisse Paper Cutout-

Oct. 10-Nov. 4, 2011

These 4 weeks of art we are learning about the famous artist Henri Matisse.  Students watch a quick video about the artist and I show them a powerpoint presentation filled with examples of his paintings and paper cut-outs.  We talk about Matisse's use of imaginative color and bold use of black.  We talk about how he used simple shapes in his art and found some examples.  We used the work "Icarus" from the book "Jazz" as our inspiration for our artwork.  We talked about horizontal and vertical lines and drew some on our paper.  Students colored blocks of color as they saw in many of Matisse's artworks.  Students practiced cutting out shapes with paper and glued them down.  Then we discussed patterns and created a pattern around the frame of the artwork.  Students read two books: "When Pigasso met Mootisse" and "A Bird or Two" and then we did a shared writing about Matisse together as a class.  Ask your student what they learned about Matisse, they may surprise you with all they can remember.

Essential Questions:

Who was Henri Matisse?

What did his artwork look like?

What are shapes?

What is horizontal?

What is vertical?

What is a pattern?