Welcome Back!

Welcome to a wonderful new school year!

This is my 6th year teaching in South-Western City Schools.  This year, I will be teaching at West Franklin Elementary all days.

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions at melissa.forney@swcsd.us

Digital Photography

                           

          

Thanks to the South-Western City Schools Educational Foundation for the following grant:
This project was a request to obtain twelve digital cameras for our elementary art classroom. The cameras were be used initially for an anti-bullying project. Students took photographs of their peers. These photographs were then uploaded to Word Publisher in our computer labs. Students added positive, encouraging words to the photographs of their classmates thus creating an atmosphere of collaboration and friendship while integrating with the language arts curriculum. The cameras are also being used for the students to upload their artwork to the Artsonia.com Web site and for further art projects.

You can see examples of the second grade landscape photography here:

http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=632082

Due to privacy, the anti-bullying photography is not available online at Artsonia.

Photograph by Molly P. 

Tagxedo and ToonDoo

Teachers are always continuing to learn.  Today I went to a Professional Development about Web tools.
I learned about Tagxedo.  Check this out from Tagxedo:

 You can create your own Tagxedo at http://www.tagxedo.com/




I also learned about ToonDoo.  Check out this cute cartoon that I created about my home childcare.

You can create your own cartoon at http://www.toondoo.com/

Ohio Artists

I am not from Ohio.  So, when I read the Ohio Visual Arts Standards (what we need to teach the kids), one of the items was to teach about an Ohio artist.  All that I could think of was quilt makers and Amish artists.  I knew that there had to be much more to Ohio than that!
I contacted fellow Ohio art teachers - a few led me to Aminah Robinson.  Then I contacted the Columbus Museum of Art.  They also let me to Aminah Robinson.  After much research, I settled on the following lessons for your youngsters!  I love when I learn as much as the kids.

 

Kindergarten - Jim Dine One Heart

Here are a few examples.  You can see more artwork at our Artsonia exhibit here:
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=516651&index=0

Student Artwork

Jim Dine Artwork

Student Artwork

 

 

1st Grade - Jim Dine, 4 Hearts with Warm and Cold Colors

Here are a few.  You can see more artwork at our Artsonia exhibit here:
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=524980&index=0

Jim Dine Artwork

Student Artwork

Student Artwork

 

 

2nd Grade - Roy Lichtenstein Action Words

Here are a few examples or Student Artwork.  You can see more at our Artsonia exhibit here:
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=519059&index=0

Lichtenstein Artwork

Student Artwork

Student Artwork

 

 

3rd Grade - Aminah Robinson Love Letters

For this lesson, I created a webquest.  Check it out here:
http://questgarden.com/142/06/5/120405141330/index.htm
Here are a few examples.  You can see more at our Artsonia exhibit here: 

http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=520129&index=0

 

 

4th Grade - Aminah Robinson Music Box

Here are a few examples.  You can see more at our Artsonia Exhibit here:
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=522888

Visual Arts Community Unit

As I continue to take more college courses, I continue to gain more knowledge to use in the classroom with my kiddos!
Check out the Wiki that I created for my current college class.  This Wiki discusses my Visual Art Community Unit.  It's a unit that I've taught many times, but I've added a 21st Century teacher spin on it.
The Wiki can be found here:
http://m4ney.pbworks.com/w/page/54017604/Visual%20Arts%20Community%20Unit


A You Tube video discussing the Wiki can be found here:

Electronic Portfolio

My Introduction to Principles of Instructional Technology Class is finished.  Spring Semester at Ashland University is coming to a close.
For our final project, we were to complete an Electronic Portfolio of all our work this semester.  This was a great opportunity to create my own website.  I loved learning this technology!  This was, by far, my favorite class at Ashland.  It also inspired me to shift my Master's degree to one with a Technology facilitator endorsement.  This means that more technology classes await me in the coming year.
Please take a moment to look at my Electronic Portfolio here:
http://www.wix.com/m4ney3/melissaforney

Masks

My students are currently learning about masks.
 We began by watching a Movie about Masks.  I created this movie during my Graduate Technology class.

Mask Movie

Circle Mask with Feeling

1st grade students created Circle Masks.  Using paper plates, they were asked to emphasize facial expression.

Orange Bird Mask

Bird Mask with Horns

Pink Bird Mask

2nd grade students created Bird Masks.  Using paper and found objects, they were asked to keep masks symmetrical.

Red and Orange Echo Mask

Purple and Yellow Echo Mask

Pink and Yellow Echo Mask

 3rd and 4th Grade Students created Echo Masks.  They followed step by step directions in the beginning.  This helped them to create eyes, nose, and mouth.  Paper was folded to keep the design symmetrical.  Found objects were added for design.