Vote Art Education in the Edublog Shortlist

Posted on 06. Dec, 2011 by in All Posts, In The News

The Edublog Awards nomination shortlist has been posted and were thrilled that The Teaching Palette is in running for the 2011 Best Group Blog category.

Congratulations to all the amazing art education blogs that made it to the Edublog finals!  Let’s show our support and put art education at the top!  It only takes 2 seconds to vote so be sure to do so in each category, EVERYDAY! Based on the extremely close vote tallies from last year . . . every vote counts!

Edublog Nominations

Posted on 02. Dec, 2011 by in All Posts, Cool+Creative

We love pointing out some of the more unique blogs to honor for the Edublog awards. Our one regret is that only a few blogs can be nominated when there are so many great educational blogs out there sharing ideas, resources and inspiration. So, without further ado here are our 2011 nominations:

Lesson Plan Show Case 2011

Posted on 23. Sep, 2011 by in All Posts, Cool+Creative

Need a fresh lesson idea?  Check out the lessons submitted by some fantastic teachers for our “Show Us Your Favorite Lesson” collaborative.  Click here to view lessons. The winners of our drawing are …..(chosen by Raffle King)

$10.00 Dick Blick Gift Cards

  • Ellen Reynolds
  • Angie Golden
  • Tricia Fuglestad
  • Lisa Ricciardelli

$100.00 DonnorsChoose.org Gift Card from Intel

  • Janine Campbell

It is not too late to send in your lesson.  If you got a new idea from one of the lessons listed below, please consider sharing one of yours by emailing TPlessonplan@gmail.com and we will add it to our Lesson Plan page.

 

Help Raise 25K for Schools Across America

Posted on 07. Sep, 2011 by in All Posts, Cool+Creative, Educators in Art

Intel wants to help teachers get the supplies they need this fall and has generously donated to The Teaching Palette a $100 DonorsChoose.org gift card.  We will give away this gift card to one of our lucky readers to win by participating in the “Show Us Your Favorite Art Lesson” campaign!

More Ways You Can Help

Additionally, Intel will make a $25,000 donation to DonorsChoose.org when 200,000 people view Wheezy Waiter’s humorous new video at Amazon by September 14. It’s that easy!

So remember to…

So go…click and win a donation to help students across America! For the inside scoop on Intel’s campaign with Amazon click here.

 

 

Show Us Your Favorite Art Lesson!

Posted on 15. Aug, 2011 by in All Posts, Cool+Creative, Techniques

Do you have a favorite art lesson that you would like to share?  Join The Teaching Palette’s annual reader collaborative extravaganza!

Don’t over think it. Keep it short, keep it simple… just share! Maybe it’s a lesson you just can’t live without or a new twist to an old idea.  All lesson submissions will be published on The Teaching Palette as a resource for you.  So spread the word – the more participants, the better!

The deadline for submitting your lesson(s) is September 15. Email all lesson plans to TPlessonplan@gmail.com. Just for submitting a lesson plan you will be entered into a drawing to win one of four $10.00 Dick Blick gift cards we will be giving away! *Update* Additionally, Intel has offered a $100 DonorsChoose.org gift card that we will be giving to one lucky teacher who submitted a favorite lesson plan!

Lesson submissions will appear on The Teaching Palette and look something like this:

Lesson plan should include:

  • NAME
  • Lesson Title
  • Grade Level(s)
  • Image of Student Artwork (Separate from lesson plan)
  • Website Links **optional**
  • Tips for Success (i.e., classroom management, step-by-step, additional images, etc.) **optional**

 

Check out our other “Show Us Your…” collaborative projects:

Art Room Showcase 2009

Art Room Showcase 2010: Space Organizing

 

 

9 Ideas for Integrating Google Art Project in Your Curriculum

Posted on 17. Feb, 2011 by in All Posts, Cool+Creative, In The News, Tech Stuff

We know we are not alone when we say “We love Google Art Project!” This amazing multimedia tool takes some of the most revered works of art to a new level.  So, now that we have a grasp on the navigation, we wanted to present a few ideas on how to incorporate this fantastic resource into your curriculum. Not sure how Google Art Project works? Watch the video below:

Create a detail detective game. Use the amazing detail found using the zoom feature and take few quick screen-shots. Have your students match your detail to the correct location on the artwork. Learn more in this earlier post.

Integrate into other online media. The first of the three “Bedroom” paintings created by Vincent VanGogh is featured in Google Art Project.  See an example on how these Bedroom paintings are used in a Livebinder format.

Create an art scavenger hunt. Present a series of clues about a work of art featured by Google Art Project. Here’s an example (see if you can figure it out): Start at the Google Art Project home page. Clue 1. Painting is located in Spain. Clue 2. Created in a Cubist art style. Clue 3. Contains a musical instrument. Clue 4. Uses a neutral color scheme. Clue 5. Signed artwork in the lower left corner  (Click here for the answer.)

Explore Perspective. The zoom feature enables you to reach deep into a picture and see items otherwise missed. Does the artwork follow the rules of perspective? A few examples include Young Knight in a Landscape and Mary Enthroned with the Child.

Discuss copyright and fair use.  Older students can tackle copyright and fair use issues in our digital culture. Here are some resources to get you started: Columbia University, BlackBook, Curator the Museum Journal, The Official Google Blog.

Use Google Maps to Explore Google Art. See a thumbnail view the exact location of each museum in Google Maps while exploring the artwork room by room.

Compare and Contrast. Easily toggle between works or art using the collections feature. Compare by genre, media, or artist.

Integrate writing. Ask students to reflect on how viewing artwork in the context of a museum or with increased detail impacts their opinions about a work of art. Students can write out ideas and share with the class or use a Google Form for idea collection.  See an earlier post on how to create your own Google Form.

Create a Picture Book. Get inspired by Istvan Banyai’s picture book Zoom. Create your own picture book by printing detail images in a series that zooms out from an unexpected perspective. You can click here to see an example of an art collection zooming out. You can also create a group problem solving  and communication activity by giving each student one picture. Then have students try to organize images from most zoomed in to most zoomed out by using only words to describe their picture. Click here for activity details and an example using the Zoom books.

How do you plan to use Google Art Project with your students? Share your ideas in the comments area below.

50 Art Blogs You Don’t Want to Miss

Posted on 09. Feb, 2011 by in All Posts, Cool+Creative, Educators in Art, In The News

We are excited that The Teaching Palette is listed in the recently published article 50 Awesome & Inspiring Blogs for Art Teachers! Almost any art education topic of interest can be explored in the extensive list of art blogs categorized into six areas: helpful resources, project ideas, classroom blogs, secondary and higher ed, elementary and must-reads. Take a moment to explore some of our personal favorites such as ArTechTivity, PHS Art and Curator’s Corner.

Let’s add to the list! What art blogs are must-reads for you?

The 10 Best iPhone and iPad Apps for Art Teachers 2010

Posted on 13. Dec, 2010 by in All Posts, Reviews, Tech Stuff, Technology and Gadgets, Tools and Miscellaneous

Since publishing our 30 Best iPhone Apps for Art Teachers last year (August 2009), we have discovered many new apps that are worthy of being added to our best list. Covering a wide range of interests and uses, below are the Teaching Palette’s 10 Best iPhone, iPad and iPod Apps for Art Teachers 2010 – the latest and greatest apps for art teachers and their students. Consider this an amendment to last year’s list.

Apps for Student and Teacher Use

Animalia Based on the beautiful illustrations from the classic book by the same name, this app brings “eye spy” to a whole new level.  Explore various artwork by hunting for hidden items.

Accudraw Update your traditional grid drawing system with technology.  Photograph an object or use one from your library and overlay with a grid to create precision drawings.

Faces iMake Appropriate for younger students, this app uses a creative mix of collage materials inspired by author and artist Hanoch Pivin. Upgrade to the premium version for additional features. See our full review of Faces iMake here.

KidsOrigami Beautiful images illustrate simple origami folding techniques for kids.  Just click on a paper crane, frog, etc. and follow the step by step instructions. Great for the analytical thinkers in your classroom. Recommended for late elementary and up.

Sketchn’ Guess Lite Available only on the iPad this app capitalizes on the larger screen size for game play. Players divide into two teams and try to gain the most points by guessing their team’s themes the fastest.  Features include a timer, score sheet, “Sketchn’ Guess” cards and several colored pencil choices for sketching in an easy to navigate format that allows for self directed play. Recommended for late elementary students and up.

fotobabble Great for an art critique or personal reflection, this simple app allows you to record and attach audio to a photo. Saved content can be posted publicly or privately accessible on the fotobabble website.

Art & Music If you enjoy integrating music into your curriculum, this is the app for you.  This app matches up music and art from corresponding time periods, ranging from Russian to the Classical West. (not iPad compatible)

Apps for Art History

MoMA AB EX NY Experience 200 Abstract Expressionist paintings all housed by the MOMA. Beautiful images of art that can be enlarged and displayed with additional information. The iPad app includes a selection of videos featuring comments by the curators, artist painting techniques  and art terms in action. My favorite video is The Painting Techniques of Jackson Pollack: One: November 31, 1950. There is also an interactive map and Art Terms glossary.

SmartHistory The closest you can get to Italy from home, this app gives an amazing virtual art history tour through Rome using various multimedia including video and google map locations.

French Impressionism Showcasing artwork from the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, this app is perfect for Impressionism lovers. View detailed video descriptions, gallery views, and biographies including Monet, Seurat, Ceznne, along with many others.

Honorable Mention

ArtPuzzle HD (iPad) / ArtPuzzle Lite ArtPuzzle HD is set in an art gallery that you virtually walk through and unscramble over 70 famous art masterpieces. The iPad app features classical music, four levels of difficulty, information about each painting and the ability to save the image to your photo gallery. ArtPuzzle Lite is compatible with iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch and offers many of the same features but, also has a quiz feature.

Art Start Created by an art teacher from Seattle, this idea generator can spark creativity in your students. Simply pressing the start button produces ideas for media, prompt, and color.

Learn about many other great apps reviewed for education though IEAR.

“I’m through. What do I do?”

Posted on 05. Nov, 2010 by in All Posts, Art Games, Books, Clean-up and Transition, Clssrm Mgmt, Cool+Creative, Music+Art, Neat Video, Off-task Behavior, Organization and Preparation, Reviews, Tech Stuff, Techniques, Tools and Miscellaneous

It’s those 5, 10, or 15 minutes when students finish assigned work early that can send a teacher into an internal panic.  Instead of panic, be prepared.  We have pulled some of our ready-to-use ideas together to help you fill those last few minutes with meaningful content.

Independent Activities for Early Finishers:

Large Group Activities:

  • Online quiz games in MyStudiyo and PhotoPeach
  • Start a book.  Check out these read-aloud recommendations for elementary and for older students.
  • Explore art in Google Maps. Find some ideas in this SchoolArts article.
  • Play Art Toss Ball, Art Memo, Flexible Hexabits, Pictionary on the whitboard, Sculptorades, Zolotopia, or Teledraw.
  • Art Vocab quiz. Give a choice is it 1, 2, or 3 (list possible answers on board with corresponding #).  All hold up number of their answer (all participate)
  • Music & art integration ready-to-use resources.
  • Show a short video from our YouTube and Vimeo favorites
  • Free Online Games by Artsology or explore these other online art games
  • Magic Pocket Name
  • Show Slideshare “Brilliant Examples of Photo Manipulation Art“
  • Put up an art print and have students describe what they see in writing. Another option for younger students is to work in groups and generate a list of words they think describes the picture.
  • Hold up artwork for a show and tell
  • Critique artwork
  • Quiz about art concepts to get to line up.
  • Sculpture Freeze:  Have your students use their body to create a human sculpture.  Get specific by asking for a particular type of pose (symmetrical/asymmetrical, precarious/stable, seated/standing)
  • Play Simon Says for line vocabulary.  Students use their bodies to create a line (vertical, horizontal, spiral, diagonal, etc).
  • Eye Spy.  Ask students to find examples of art throughout the room or create your own Eye Spy.
  • Swat Game.  Write art terms on the board. Group the students in teams. Read a definition for an art term that is listed on the board.  Armed with fly swatters, the first student to “swat” the correct word wins the round.  Fly swatters are then handed to next student on team to continue play.
  • Sing some art songs (Red, Yellow, Blues You Tube Video)
  • Show an art teacher-created video from Art Class with Ms S or Fugleflicks

Art Room Showcase 2010: Space Organizing

Posted on 27. Sep, 2010 by in All Posts, Clssrm Mgmt, Organization and Preparation

Last year we asked our readers to send us pictures of their art rooms. The response was tremendous and our Flickr gallery really shined with your submissions! This year, we added a new twist! You gave us a closer look into what makes your art room work with bins, posters, drawers, and binders.

There were so many great ideas and unbelievably clever storage solutions that we had a hard time picking only three photos. Congratulations to our three winners Tara Conover, Jessica Houston and Amy Kratochvil for their creative organizational solutions! You can view their photos on The Teaching Palette’s homepage.

Get this widget at roytanck.com

Thank you to the following art educators who shared images of their 2010 art space organizational tips:

  • Tricia Fuglestad
  • Carleen Michener
  • Katie Jarvis
  • Jodi Youngman
  • Dawn Lagerstedt
  • Elizabeth Burns
  • Hannah Salia
  • Dusti Moran
  • Melissa Giglio
  • Cynthia Borne
  • Tisha Burke
  • Tara Conover
  • Denise Pannell
  • Sarah Brooks
  • Amy Kratochvil
  • Jeannette Anthos
  • Jennifer Leban
  • Kristen Peck
  • Kim Colasante
  • Clare Butler
  • Theresa McGee
  • Hillary Andrlik
  • Jessica Houston
  • LeAnne Poindexter
  • Samantha Melvin

If you would like to add your organization images to our Flickr set, we would be happy to add them! Send your photo, name, school, and brief photo description to info@teachingpalette.com.

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