The Teaching Palette

Escape from Thorne Mansion Interactive

Posted on 07. Dec, 2011 by Theresa McGee in All Posts, Multimedia, Music+Art, Tech Stuff

As a child I was lucky to live close enough to the Art Institute of Chicago to visit the Thorne Miniature Rooms.  I imagined how different my life would be living during the historical time periods depicted in the extraordinarily detailed 3-dimensional interior designs.  A new interactive game from The Art Institute of Chicago, Escape from Thorne Mansion, allows me to take a virtual leap back into those rooms.

The interactive adventure begins in a 16th century French parlor with a cryptic note explaining details to escape the mansion. Clicking on different areas of the image reveal verbal clues at the bottom of the screen and open doorways to gain entry into the next room.  Your students will enjoy the challenge escaping the labyrinth of rooms using the clues found along the way.

Escape from Thorne Mansion could be easily integrated with a study of linear perspective, composition, or design.  Alternatively, create a literature connection at school or at home incorporating the book, The Sixty-eight Rooms reviewed in an earlier post.

Connecting with Music
Other than the light strum of a harp in the French Anteroom, the Escape from Thorne Mansion interactive missed an opportunity to couple era music with the room design. So, I’ve decided to pick up where the Art Institute of Chicago has left off and pair a few Thorne Room images with sounds from the time (click the widget to the right of the image to listen).

California Hallway, c. 1940

French Boudoir of the Louis XV Period, 1740-60

Japanese Traditional Interior, 1937

The Thorne Miniature Rooms create an amazing opportunity to connect history, literature, and music with art and design.  How else do the Thorne Miniature Rooms connect to your curriculum?

The 10 Best Web Tools for Art Teachers

Posted on 21. Nov, 2011 by Theresa McGee in All Posts, Clssrm Mgmt, Organization and Preparation, Tech Stuff

The web is full of amazing resources to enhance student learning, get organized, and connect with other educators. Instead of trying to figure out the best online tools yourself, I’ve boiled it down to my top ten favorites for art education.

1. QR Codes.  These black and white pixelated squares can be found on TV, in magazines, and now in classrooms.  Using a mobile device with a camera such as a smart phone, iTouch, iPad or free software downloaded on a computer, a QR code can be quickly created to link directly to text, images, or web addresses.  Try it yourself by scanning QR code below:

Don’t have a QR reader? Type getscanlife.com into your Internet browser on your mobile device to download a free QR reader.  Now imagine using this in your classroom by linking to online resources, creating a scavenger hunt, providing the answers to quiz questions, or extending art room learning by sending students home with QR code resources. Read my article on QR codes for additional resources and ideas on how to use them in your classroom.

2. Create a Photo Peach Quiz.  Photo Peach is a super easy way to create an interactive quiz game using images.  Learn how to create your own quiz here.

3. Animoto.  Want to look like a master movie-maker? Simply upload images or video clips, select music, and click to create an amazing movie.  Just by registering for an educator account you get access to full-length movies without paying a dime.  (If you’re looking for a good alternative, Flixtime has some very similar features with a good selection of music).

4. Blabberize. What isn’t funny about an artificial talking mouth?  Start with any portrait, define the mouth area, and talk.  The mouth will follow your voice. Use Blabberize to present information about an artist, convey classroom rules, or give studio instruction.  While this may not change your teaching world, incorporating Blabberize into your lessons can certainly enhance instruction and get the students to take notice.  Check out this brief example: (Can’t see this video? Click here).

Tip: Use a screen-cast tool such as Jing or Screencast-o-matic to record your Blabberize and save on your computer.

5. Twitter. If you want to take charge of your own learning, Twitter is the way to do it.  Every resource I reference in this post I have learned because of Twitter.  It is all about following the right people.  See my list of art educators on twitter to get you started and develop your own PLN (Personal Learning Network).

6. Wallwisher.  Want to have a class critique and involve all your students?  Wallwisher lets you quickly set up a virtual “wall” so that anyone with the URL address can add a comment and interact.  One of my favorite features is the ability to moderate comments, ensuring all posts are appropriate.  Learn more about Wallwisher in this article and see how to embed a image in a wallwisher wall here.

7. Delicious is an online bookmarking tool I have been using for several years and blogged about it here.  Since your bookmarks are accessible online, you can access them from any computer.  Using multiple “tags” makes finding your bookmarks easy.  Thankfully you can import your existing bookmarks into Delicious, so you won’t lose your previously bookmarked sites.  (A similar, just as awesome, bookmarking alternative to try is Diigo)

8. Pinterest might just be the ultimate bookmarking tool for art teachers.  Instead of bookmarking using text, images are used instead.  The best way to describe Pinterest is with this video walkthrough:

Read more about Pinterest in my Tech4Arted column and join the collaboration starting with the iPhone/iPad Apps for Art teachers board.

9. Livebinder  I first wrote about Livebinder as a way to organize digitally here. Livebinder is an electronic binder used to collect web resources or your own files in one organized spot.  Here are a few examples of binders I have created for students and for my own professional reference.

10. Google Maps. I am a huge fan of Google Maps to help students connect art to our world. My favorite trick is to embed images into the placemarks on the map.  Watch video on how to embed an image into Google Maps.  Here is my example on using Google Maps to teach about Georgia O’Keeffe:

View Georgia O’Keeffe Life Tour in a larger map

Do you have a web 2.0 tool you can’t live without? Share it be leaving a comment below.  Also, check out additional resources in my Web 2.0 Tools Livebinder:

Technology Tips

Posted on 09. Sep, 2011 by Hillary Andrlik in All Posts, Clean-up and Transition, Cool+Creative, Organization and Preparation, Tech Stuff, Technology and Gadgets

For the last three weeks, I’ve been addicted to Pinterest, the virtual pinboard and ultimate idea generator for art teachers. I use it to gather inspiration and cool ideas from other art educators around the world wide web, such as how to more effectively utilize technology in the classroom.  Below, I’ve “pinned” all my favorite tech tidbits for you to browse. Many of the tech tips are things I’m already implementing in my art room, including the Mac keyboard shortcuts poster that I created for my elementary students (inspired by the PC version I found on Pinterest).  Below you will find several versions of keyboard shortcuts and wire organizing ideas.

Click here to download Mac keyboard short cuts poster.

 

Share your tech tips for making technology in the classroom a little easier

to organize in the comments section below.

Why Art Teachers Need to Write & How to Do It!

Posted on 27. Jun, 2011 by Theresa McGee in All Posts, Tech Stuff, Techniques

Image: Letters Book, Altered Book, Jean Fitzgerald, 2009

As art educators, we know that images are powerful tools to communicate ideas.  However, our world also relies heavily on written communication to share information. This makes it necessary to have good writing skills.  Good writing is key to effectively advocating for your art program, communicating art concepts, and sharing ideas with colleagues. New media, from blogging to tweeting to collaborating on ArtEd2.0, has made it easier for us to do just that.

Despite having a blog and the Tech4Arted column in SchoolArts Magazine, I simply don’t like to write. Words just don’t flow smoothly from my head to my fingertips.

What I do love to do is communicate and share ideas. I just finished my first year writing the Tech4Arted column (check out my articles below) and I have been getting great ideas from SchoolArts for years so it has been exciting to contribute to a large audience.

I know many of you who are reading this may think: “If I could just show you what I want to say with a picture instead of words, it would be so much easier!” You have a great idea on art education, but you may hesitate to share if you dread the thought of writing.  Here’s the writing process I have developed over the last couple years that works well for blogging, writing for SchoolArts, and writing e-newsletter communication to parents. Maybe it will inspire you.

1. Choose your topic. What art lessons have been successful? How have you improved on someone else’s idea? Don’t reinvent the wheel.  All great ideas are inspired by something else, right?
2. Start typing. Don’t worry about how incoherent you sound. Just get the ideas out of your head and written down.
3. Read it afterwards and fix the things that do not make sense.
4. Go do something else for a few minutes, a few days, or a week.  This is the magic time when you will think of a new idea or perfect phrase.  Then run —  don’t walk — back to your writing to make your edits.
5. Read what you wrote and ask yourself: Did I communicate my ideas? Revise your writing. Repeat steps 3-5 until you communicate your ideas effectively.
6. Choose a friend or colleague to read your rough draft.  I always do. Make revisions and let them read it again.

In case you missed my first year of the Tech4Arted column for SchoolArts, I have linked to the articles below.  I share my writing with you with hope that you will take the leap and share your ideas with us as well!

Creating a Compassionate Curriculum
Take an Art Tour in Google Maps
Wallwisher: Collaborate and Interact
Twenty-First Century Storytelling
Out of Place
Re-Making Time
Create Your Own Customized Art Quiz
Technology Transformation [Infographic]
Wired to the Natural World

Ready to share? SchoolArts is always looking for lesson ideas and art expression in your school and community. Or write a guest post on The Teaching Palette. Check out some of our fantastic guest post submissions here.

Special Note: A great resource for grammar is the Associate Press Guide to Punctuation.

Artsonia Artist Statements Solved

Posted on 24. Mar, 2011 by Theresa McGee in All Posts, Organization and Preparation, Tech Stuff

I love the new artist statement feature on Artsonia. There is just one problem . . . participation.  Since its rollout earlier this year, I have had some students enter artist statements from home, but not enough.  Entering the artist statements myself is another option, yet, I just don’t have the time (or want to) type out all the hand-written reflections.  Then it hit me – why not use Google Forms and have the kids do the typing!  I describe how I use Google Forms for self-assessment in an earlier post, but to be more specific for artist statements, I have created a tutorial below.  Or, you can download the artist statement template I created for my students and edit to use as your own.

Can’t see video above? Click here.

Technology Transformation

Posted on 20. Mar, 2011 by Theresa McGee in All Posts, Tech Stuff

New technology is emerging everyday.  It seems almost impossible to keep up, let alone find ways to integrate it into your art curriculum.

Not sure how to start with your technology transformation? The infographic below can help you begin your technology journey.

View larger image on Flickr.

I originally created this graphic for SchoolArts Magazine in the Tech4Arted Column.

The resources listed in the image above are hyperlinked below:
Get the technology you need with grants. See Supplementing Your Art Budget and Expand Your Art Room Budget.

Don’t do it alone . . . develop your PLN: (Personal Learning Network)
Twitter (here is my list of art educators on Twitter to get you started)
Art Ed 2.0
Art Education Blogs
Art Ed Yahoo Group

Web Tools:
108 Web Tools
Wix (website creator)
Glogster (interactive poster)
Aviary (image editor)
Art Babble (art videos online)

Another great place to start for beginners:

How have you integrated technology into your art curriculum?

9 Ideas for Integrating Google Art Project in Your Curriculum

Posted on 17. Feb, 2011 by Hillary Andrlik + Theresa McGee 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.

The 10 Best iPhone and iPad Apps for Art Teachers 2010

Posted on 13. Dec, 2010 by Hillary Andrlik + Theresa McGee in All Posts, Reviews, Tech Stuff, Technology and Gadgets, Tools and Miscellaneous

“I’m through. What do I do?”

Posted on 05. Nov, 2010 by Hillary Andrlik + Theresa McGee 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:

Wii Interactive Whiteboard Tutorial

Posted on 14. Sep, 2010 by Theresa McGee in All Posts, Tech Stuff

Instead of being envious of teachers with interactive devices such as Smart Boards, I found the next best thing. I was able to use free software, a Wii Remote (Wiimote), and an infrared pen to make my own Interactive Whiteboard for about $50! I created the tutorial below so you can make your own Interactive Whiteboard yourself (probably without even consulting the your school tech).

Having trouble seeing the video above? Try it on YouTube or our iTunes Podcast

Directions for creating your own interactive whiteboard:
Hardware you will need:  A projector, Wii Remote (Wiimote), infrared pen and a computer (Mac or PC) with Bluetooth capability.  Free Software Download here (download before attempting to connect to bluetooth)

Step by Step: (Based on using a Mac. PC models may have slight variations)

1. Download and install software created by Johnny Chung Lee.
2. Open Bluetooth on your computer (if you don’t have bluetooth, an external device can be connected)
3. Next, open the back of the Wii remote (where the battery is located) and press the red button to let the computer and Wiimote “find” each other via bluetooth.
4. Open software and press buttons 1 & 2 at the same time on the Wii remote (you will see a “searching” indication on the software at this time).  Software script will start to show on computer – give this a minute to load all the script.
5. Look for the ”searching” message to to show a battery level (blue in color) and a “not calibrated” message.  Now, you are set up and ready to turn your whiteboard into an interactive whiteboard.
6. Plug in your projector to your computer so that your computer projects on the wall.
7. Set Wiimote on a stool, table, or taped to the projector while pointed toward the projection wall.  For quick setup, you can also use tripod with an attachment to the Wiimote.
8. Click “Calibrate” on your computer
9. You will see an “+” in the upper left hand corner of the projected screen image.
10. Use the infrared pen to click on the middle of the “+”.
11. You will see a green check-mark appear  (if no check-mark, then adjust the Wii Remote to a different angle and redo the calibration)
12. Next check the “+” that appears in the upper right corner  (continue clicking with pen to get each corner)

NOTE:  You will NOT see a light with the infrared pen. (Infrared is not visible to your eye.)
At this point you should be able to interact with your computer on the wall!!!!

Trouble shooting tips:

• If you have trouble connecting to bluetooth. 1. Make sure you have downloaded software. 2. Continue to press Wiimote buttons 1 & 2 or press and hold red button located under battery cover. 3. If you don’t have bluetooth, you can use an external bluetooth.
• If software does not connect to Wiimote, be sure you have waited for all of the script (code) to load. Try hitting buttons 1 & 2 again. Keep Wiimote still and wait a minute or two for first time setup.
• If you have trouble calibrating on your whiteboard with infrared pen, try moving location of your Wiimote slightly and make sure nothing is obstructing its view.
• If you’re still having trouble, talk to your tech at school (they will probably love the challenge).

Optional Extras: Wiimote Mount and tripod, software upgrade to Smoothboard ($30)

Some fun websites to try . . .

NGA Kids
Build Your Wild Self
Surreal Painter
Detail Detective
Mr. Picasso Head
Looking for more? Try the resources in this LiveBinder:

Do you have any other websites that might be useful for an Interactive Whiteboard? Please let us know in the comments area below.