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“Shhh” Noise Control

January 29, 2010 by Theresa McGee · 1 Comment 

I love the buzz and energy of an art room filled with students actively involved in the creative process.  Because of this, I allow my students to talk during art production, as long as they remain on-task and the noise level doesn’t become disruptive.  However, some of my classes have a harder time with this freedom than others.  Enter . . . “Noise Control“. This iPhone app has been very effective during times when I need students to keep noise down and raise concentration. While I can’t promise this will forever solve noise issues, a little extra help never hurts.  Watch the video below to see how it works:

Can’t see video above? Click here.

Here’s a few tips to get started:

Download Noise Control from iTunes (if you don’t have a personal iPhone, it’s worth it to find someone who will part with theirs for a few hours)

Adjust noise level and sensitivity and plug into external speakers.

Project “Shhh” app using a document camera – the extra visual makes a BIG difference by allowing the students “see” their noise level. If you don’t have a document camera, consider this low-cost option.

Use positive reinforcement to mold behavior. For example, see how long the class can go without “Shhh” activation – every 10 minutes earns minutes toward an open studio day.

Educational Digital Content With Kitzu

January 18, 2010 by Hillary Andrlik · Leave a Comment 

Searching for great images and content for your classroom? Then you’ll want to look through the unbelievable resources at kitZu created by the Orange County Department of Education. The online collection of digital kits covers numerous subject areas such as science, music, mathematics, history, visual art and more. The content includes free educational and copy right friendly media resources that are appropriate for kindergarten through high school ages. At kitZu their goal was to, “provide students with the building blocks necessary to build video and multimedia projects that tell a story and demonstrate learning.” With the great organization of these digital resources you’ll have no problem quickly finding school friendly material for those teachable moments and big multimedia projects. Under the visual arts section I found 41 kits alone. This is an amazing resource for educators so make sure to add it to your bookmarks or Delicious account.

A big thanks to @NMHS_Principal for sharing this resource on twitter.

Kits can include any of the following:

• Animations
• Audio Clips
• Documents
• Illustrations
• Photos
• Video Clips

Examples of some of the visual art topics are located below.

Improve Curriculum Delivery with Document Cameras

January 17, 2010 by Hillary Andrlik · 2 Comments 

If there is only enough money in your budget to splurge on one piece of equipment for the art room then a document camera, in my opinion, is it.

A document camera is not a fancy overhead projector but a versatile piece of equipment that can help improve the way you deliver curriculum. The most obvious function of the camera is that you can place any object, drawing or small piece of equipment under the lens and it will be projected in full color onto a large screen.

What is often overlooked is that the document camera can be highly interactive, save on equipment and space, improve classroom management and produce it’s own art. Below are several different ways I’ve incorporated the document camera into my art room and some of the techniques that might work for your room as well.

Still Life Drawing

Turn the document camera lens out and project a still life that the whole class can see. Instead of having to find multiple objects and set up numerous still life displays use your document camera to enlarge one set of objects. It cuts down on the materials that need to be collected and saves space in the classroom by only needing one display. Another perk is you can instantly change to another still life when a different grade comes. You also can easily control the lighting to show a full range of values and actually demonstrate how artists select portions of a still life to draw.

The kids love to watch me reposition the still life by turning the stand multiple directions in combination with zooming in and out on different sections of the objects. It allows me to show the entire class the concepts I’m teaching such as light source, highlight, shadow and reflected light. My document camera also has a feature that allows me to turn the image from color to black and white. I’ve found this to be especially useful when teaching rendering /shading or to help a class focus on drawing the actual object shapes and not be distracted by color. I’ve traveled to four different schools in my district, each with a different document camera, and they all had the black and white feature. You might need to do a little experimenting to find that feature on your camera but it will most likely have it.

Here’s how I used my camera to project a still life (click the image to enlarge):

First, find a table or platform at the right height to display your objects. I used a sturdy music stand. It works beautifully for light to medium weight materials and it easily can rotate or slide up and down for demonstrations. Next, turn the lens or rotate it out so that you can see the objects you want to display. Now you can zoom and reposition the stand to focus on different sections of the still-life. Then add a light source to create depth and shadows. You can get a utility light that clips from the hardware store, use a desk lamp with a flexible arm or a flash light. My motto is what ever works and is cheap.

Microscope

Change your perspective and the classes by taking advantage of the microscopes used in science class. I use a great lesson I got from my colleague to take an artist’s view-point when looking at fall leaves. Originally the class would collect leaves, draw an outline of the leaves they observe and then fill in each leaf shape with tiny circular shapes to represent the molecular structure. We took the artistic license to imagine what the cellular structure looked like but since getting a document camera we  don’t have to imagine. I call up students to put samples of the leaves they collected under the microscope and focus the lens. Then we discuss what we observe and how we can relate it to our art. We are able to make greater connections to what we see and tie back into the science curriculum at a deeper level.

Here’s how I use the document camera to project the microscope (click the image to enlarge):

Artwork

Don’t just use your document camera to project an example piece of art or a demonstration. Let the kids use it to create their own original art. I was inspired by the illustrator and caricature artist Hanoch Piven’s book My Dog is As Smelly As Socks: And Other Funny Family Portraits to have 2nd graders create their own assemblage portraiture.

I showed students several of Hanoch Piven’s books and talked to them about assemblage and discussed different ways to use found objects in our art. I had students draw the shape of their own face and hair and add color but no facial features. Students put their picture under the document camera and added facial features with different found objects (i.e., buttons, sea shells, bolts, nails, rubber bands, small toys, pieces of yarn, candy, art supplies, tools). Then students would take a picture with the document camera. Most of the document cameras came with software to use in conjunction with a computer for recording, editing, adding annotations and taking pictures. You’ll have to investigate how your particular document camera takes pictures. All of the found objects would then be put back into the box for other students to use. The images can then be printed, shared through a classroom website, used in an enhanced podcast or in a voice thread.

You can view more photos of using the document camera in the art room at The Teaching Palette’s Flicker photo stream.

10 Best Image Sources For Creative Projects

January 2, 2010 by admin · 2 Comments 

Educating students (and lets face it, ourselves) about copyright and digital citizenship has become increasingly more important as more and more teaching resources are found online.  While creating original image content may still be the best way to gather images, it is not always practical or even geographically realistic. Copyright-free and public domain images often make the creative process easer by allowing for manipulation without needing to cite the source.  However, there are times when when you can’t find what you need in the public domain or want to teach a lesson on digital citizenship.  In these situations, searching for images with a Creative Commons license can be useful.  Our top ten list of imagery for creative use ranges from “no known copyright” (among the least restrictive) to Creative Commons (creative permissions vary).

1. The Commons This Flickr database contains collections from museums and libraries from around the world.  The images placed in these collections have “no known copyright” and therefore are free to use without attribution.

2. Public Domain Sherpa This is a one stop shop with a great collection of image sources mostly in the public domain. This site also does a great job explaining copyright information in layman’s terms.

3. Morgue File “Public image archive for creatives by creatives”  This fabulous site is full of easily searchable images that require no attribution.

4. Pics4Learning These copyright-friendly images have been donated by teachers, students, and amateur photographers.  Explore the other features and tutorials to help get you started.

5. PD Photo Most of the thousands of images on this site are in public domain, but not all.  Before using any image, read the license under each picture.

6. Creative Commons and Wikimedia Commons These databases are great places to access all sorts of media that you can incorporate into creative projects.  Since both public domain and creative commons images can turn up in a search, be sure to check to see if the image requires attribution.

7. Photos8 This site offers thousands of images free to use for any purpose. The site author doesn’t require attribution but would love to see the creative outcomes.

8. Creativity 103 This source contains images and video ranging from abstract design to architecture.  You are free to download and use any of the images as long as you credit the website.

9. Compflight and FlickrCC These two great tools can help you quickly find images licensed under Creative Commons on Flickr.  Another Flickr option is the advanced search to find images to modify or build upon. Download directions for use with your students here.

10. Google Advanced Image Search This search engine is useful for helping you find specific images such as line drawing or photo content with “safe search” filtering.  To find Creative Commons images, select the search terms usage rights “labeled for reuse” or “reuse with modification”.

Oh, and a couple of things that you will want to explore . . .

Creative Project Image Search We gathered many resources listed here along with a few others to create a custom search engine for public domain, copyright-friendly, and Creative Commons images.  This tool could be something you add to student bookmarks to make image searching easy.

If you still can’t find what you need, Copyright Friendly Wiki and Teacher Librarian Wiki are both excellent resources to find images to use.

Quiz Games using PhotoPeach

December 13, 2009 by Theresa McGee · 2 Comments 

One of my favorite ways to reinforce understanding of art concepts is through quiz games. In an earlier post I shared how to create your own art quizzes using MyStudiyo. Since then, I found another great visual quiz maker called PhotoPeach. This free online tool allows you to upload photos to create a slide show with captions and music. The quiz feature is enabled once your photos have been uploaded. I created the quiz below as a large group activity to help my students determine the differences between Realistic, Abstract Representational, and Abstract Non-objective art styles.

If you have trouble viewing the art quiz above, click here.

Want to try creating your own quiz? Start by registering for a free account with PhotoPeach.  Next, upload your pictures and arrange them in your preferred order.  You will then be prompted to give your slide show a title and choose a musical accompaniment.  You can turn your slide show into a quiz by clicking the edit button and then selecting “edit caption and photos”.  Choose a quiz question for any or all of your photos.  The image below illustrates your options.

Teaching Palette on Facebook!

December 13, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment 

The Teaching Palette is now on Facebook!  With 350 million Facebook users we thought it would be a great place to connect.  We’ll update you on new posts, occasionally pull favorites from our archives, and share insights from around the world.  Become a fan and use the space as a place to leave comments or suggest ideas for us to write about.  We love art education and sharing with all of you!

Artsonia: More Than Just An Online Art Gallery

November 4, 2009 by Theresa McGee · 1 Comment 

If you’re an art educator, chances are that you have heard of or even have been using Artsonia as a place to “digitally hang” student artwork.   When I started using Artsonia six years ago, I knew it would be good for my students; what I didn’t know at the time was how it would become an amazing art advocacy tool.

Artsonia has become better than any student art show I could host; it reaches more family and friends, regardless of geographic distance or busy schedule, communicates art concepts in project descriptions, reinforces student technology use, and generates funds for your program. It does all that . . . without all the staples and tape.

The benefits breakdown:

Generates funds for your art program.  Artsonia is completely free to use and 15% of the revenue from purchased products, featuring your student’s artwork, goes back to your art program. (via Dick Blick art supplies credit or check to your school art program)

Artwork stays online forever! The vision of Artsonia is to someday have your 2nd graders show their artwork to their children and grandchildren by way of their Artsonia gallery. Older students love looking back at how they have grown as an artist over the years.

Communicates your art objectives for each art experience.  When parents understand what their child is learning it validates and builds support for your art curriculum.

Motivates children to do their best in class when they know hundreds of people could see their artwork from around the world.

Fan Clubs reach family members and friends who might otherwise never see student art, updating them via email each time an artwork is added.

Comments left for artists from visitors are a great self-esteem boost!  All comments must be approved by parents so it is completely monitored (by someone other than you).

Ok, sounds good but. . .
. . . well here are some of the nuts and bolts to help you get you started.

Can’t see video above? Click here.

Permission slips. Depending on your school policy, you may be required to get permission slips for participating artists.  Make your own or download and customize one of these templates: Casual or Formal (Microsoft Word format). Be sure to include a space for parent email addresses on your permission slip. Increasing participation from family and friends is the key to success in Artsonia.  It is worth the extra time to enter emails – parents get an email each time artwork is published or comments are posted, continually keeping them in touch with the learning going on in your classroom.

Volunteers. I started using volunteers to help me last year (I don’t know why I waited so long).  I keep a bin to hold artwork ready to photograph along with a binder holding class lists, and a camera (with extra batteries).  When artwork is ready, I send out an email to my volunteer list.  The first volunteer to “Reply All” agrees to photograph and digitally crop the artwork.  The only step left is uploading – something I still prefer to do myself, but certainly doable for a volunteer.  In the fall I do a training session and provide this Photography Tip Sheet and Guidelines for volunteers to reference.

Start slow and set a goal. My first year participating in Artsonia I promised to put up one piece of art for each student.  I ended up adding more, but I felt like I didn’t raise any expectations too high for the students or myself.

Do you use Artsonia?  Please add your school page and any tips in the comments area below.

LiveBinders to Manage Digital Clutter

October 10, 2009 by Theresa McGee · 1 Comment 

I try to organize all the paperwork that lands on my desk, but somehow sculptural forms (OK . . . I’ll just admit it, piles of paper) take over.   I’m not sure I am going to change the way my desk looks anytime soon, but I have found a great tool to get my electronic resources in order.

LiveBinders is a free service that helps you gather and organize your web links, documents, and videos into one tidy place. A LiveBinder is particularly useful when you want your students to access specific web-links for research or you’re teaching about a particular media, technique or artist and need to gather all your resources together. I created the following two LiveBinder links to use as extensions for early finishers and at home engagement:

The video below explains how easy it is to create your own LiveBinder :
(can’t view video? click here)

Create your own LiveBinder and share it with us in the comments area below!

Georgia O’Keeffe in Google Earth

September 22, 2009 by Theresa McGee · 1 Comment 

After watching the Lifetime movie about Georgia O’Keeffe over the weekend, I was inspired to share with you two of my favorite O’Keeffe teaching tools.

I am a big fan of Google Earth and look for every opportunity to incorporate it into my teaching. So, I created a Georgia O’Keeffe Google Earth file to help illustrate how the locations where she lived impacted her work.  I also try and discuss the major changes in transportation technology that occurred during Georgia’s 98 year life (ultimately impacting her mobility between New York and New Mexico).

Interact with the O’Keeffe Google Earth file below and download here to save for use in your classroom studies.

The second resource I use is a song by Greg Percy called “Georgia”. To listen, click the audio MP3 button below.
Georgia

The first verse makes a direct connection to the geography that Georgia covered during her lifetime:

Do you use Google Earth, art songs, or other resources to teach art history?

Posts You May Have Missed During the Summer

August 30, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment 

• Show Us Your Art Room – Have you set up your art classroom? Snap a picture for other art teachers to see!  (Don’t be shy, show us even a great corner of your room!) Submit by 9/15.
• A Great Solution for Bookmarking Web Images – Gather and tag images for instruction from any web source in one spot.
• The 30 Best iPhone Apps for Art Teachers – 3,500 page views in less than a month – guess you like it.  Can you add to our list?
• Review:  IKEA Dignitet Curtain Wire and Clips – A great review submitted by one of our readers, Anni Lyzenga.  Join us as a guest contributor and add your own review! Read other product reviews here.
• Delicious Denial – If your goal is to get organized this year, this bookmarking tool is the perfect way to start.
• An Alternative to Adobe: Avery’s Free Design Tools – No funds available to purchase Photoshop or Illustrator?  This online tool can help!
• The Art Institute of Chicago Launches Interactive Website – New on the scene this summer, the AIC offers this online game to teach art concepts.
• The Importance of Art in Education -  Watch a great art advocacy video and show it at your open house or curriculum night this year.  Links to helpful articles are included as well.

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