New rotation, New lessons

This week we started a new rotation and a new set of lessons.  I am trying to incorporate some Native American art and imagery this week.  Pretty standard for the art teacher before Thanksgiving.  I try not to do holiday related projects but I do try to historically and culturally relevant projects.  Which brings me back to the current projects.  My kindergarten students are creating some fall trees and mixing paint.  It is not a groundbreaking project but it is a solid project for them to learn to mix paint together.
First graders are creating Native American Pictographs using symbols I have collected from a couple of sources.  I am spending a few minutes reviewing history and reasons why they would use symbols.  We talk about how some symbols are fairly universal (like a stick man or woman) and how these have been used for hundreds of years.  They are drawing these symbols on brown construction paper with markers and tell little stories.  We used the idea of the animal hide and tore irregular edges in the paper.  The kids have really enjoyed the project.
Second graders are creating perspective pictures using collage.  They created a landscape with tee-pees and decorated the picture with markers.  The students loved the little fire and the designs on the tee-pees.
Third grade are creating rugs.  I have those fun scissors that cut irregular edges and the kids love them.  We don't use them a lot, but they are fun.  I have shown the video of the History Detectives on PBS discovering the origin and markings on a Navajo rug.  This was a great video that popped up when I was doing a google search about Navajo rugs.  Once the video is over, the kids create "rugs" with different lines and from different color construction paper.  The project is really a review of different types of lines in a collage format, but they don't have to know that.
Fourth grade is finishing the lighthouse paintings and fifth graders are starting a project based on the monochromatic painting we did last rotation.  They are creating their own picture using the same concept of tints and values with one color and the illusion of bubbles floating.

I think everyone is ready for a break!  Thanksgiving can't seem to get here fast enough although I believe Christmas will be here before we know it-funny how it works like that.  I know I am looking forward to resting and visiting with my family.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone.