Contemporary Art

Grade 4 students inquired into Contemporary Art this year and we had a blast learning together while exploring new and exciting art forms like Photography, Video Art, and Land Art.

Here was the layout of the unit:
Transdisciplinary Theme: Where We Are In Place And Time
Central Idea: Technology creates new possibilities.
Lines of Inquiry & Key Concepts: Contemporary art includes many different art forms. (Change) Experimenting with new ideas and technologies. (Perspective)

To begin, we watched a short video from SmartTalk comparing the differences between Modern and Contemporary Art. This lead to a great discussion on how technology has influenced art over time and has changed how artists create. 

To begin this unit, students focused on photography while learning about the rule of thirds in order to create a balanced composition. They also experimented with a variety of iPad apps like MegaPhoto to create an interesting image.

Grade 4 students also experimented with video art and how to create a non-narrative art film with a specific mood or theme using iMovie.

Grade 4 students were also inspired by land artists like Andy Goldsworthy and practiced creating patterns with natural materials and capturing their work with photography and stop motion animation.

Abstract Clay Tiles

This unit was one of my favorite units to teach this year! Grade 2 students investigated abstract art, artists, color, texture, and shape to express an emotion of their choice. Here is was what we inquired into during art classes...

Transdisciplinary Theme: How We Express Ourselves 
Central Idea: Expression can be abstract.  
Lines of Inquiry & Key Concepts: Artists choose certain colors, shapes, and textures to portray different emotions and feelings. (Connection) Audiences have their own point of view and make different connections to colors, shapes, and textures. (Perspective) Artists reflect on their technique and self-management skills to determine when artworks are the best they can be. (Reflection) 
Focus Artists: Wassily Kandinsky and Frank Stella

The students were introduced to this unit through a provocation discussion regarding the difference between Abstract and Realistic art. A range of artworks, examples, and photographs were set up at different tables and students discussed the similarities and differences between the art pieces. This was a great way to get students comparing and contrasting and also to assess students' prior knowledge. At the end of the discussion the students were able to describe the difference between realism and abstraction.

In the next lesson, the students were exposed to a variety of music and painted abstractly using lines, colors, and shapes according to how the music made them feel.

 The students then learned about the Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky and his love of music and art. They enjoyed watching this short video to learn more about his life as an artist and musician. We also read the book "The Noisy Paint Box" by Barb Rosenstock for further inspiration.

The following week, the students explored and discussed art works by contemporary artist Frank Stella. They enjoyed comparing Kandinsky and Stella's work, and used these artists ideas to start organizing their thoughts on how certain lines, shapes, and colors make them feel.

The students then started designing in their sketchbooks an idea for a final clay piece. They focused on an emotion of their choice and the lines, colors, shapes and textures that could reflect that feeling.

Once their ideas were planned, we began creating with clay! The student's created two versions of their abstract clay tile. One was taken home and one was used as a permanent mural installed within the school. Creating two tiles was a great way for reflection and peer feedback throughout the creative process. The students were very impressed and proud of their beautiful abstract work!

Architecture Collagraphs

This year my Grade 1 PYP classes had the opportunity to investigate the wonderful world of architecture during our How The World Works unit. For our tuning in activity, we started out by investigating and comparing different architectural designs, asking each other: What makes one design more interesting or original than another? They loved learning about the inspiring designs by famous architects like Gaudi, Hadid, and Pei. 

Grade 1 students then set off creating some building designs of their own in their sketchbooks. The crazier the design, the better! They picked their favorite building after a few sketches and developed their idea into a larger drawing. We then stretched our creativity even further by investigating printmaking! Grade 1 students experimented with a variety of materials to see what kinds of marks each material made when printed. Here are some sketchbook examples below:

Grade 1 students then chose which materials they thought made the most interesting marks and set off creating a collagraph of their favorite building design on cardboard. This process took a few lessons to complete, and the students loved gathering, cutting, and gluing their own materials independently. 

Once their architecture collagraph was complete, we began the printing process! Here are some of their imaginative building prints after they have been printed and colored. 

Relocation Collages

This collage unit was linked to Grade 2 students homeroom UOI under the theme of Where We Are In Place and Time. The students were investigating personal migrations or relocations based on the reasons why people migrate and the challenges, benefits, and feelings those types of reasons may cause.

In art classes, Grade 2 students learned about the artist Jacob Lawrence and his Great Migration Series. We discussed the artist's use of color and shape and how those choices can create a specific mood or feeling. The students then used their personal migration story to develop a design for a future art work while planning out their shapes and colors. Teaching at an international school where students come from many different countries lead to some interesting student discussions involving their personal journeys!

 

After the students had planned out their design from their story, they created their own painted paper through a variety of mark making techniques to use for these beautiful final collages.

 

Special Object Paintings

Check out our Visual Arts UOI Board! This helps us to remember and refer back to our current unit of inquiry and what we are focusing on throughout our learning journey.

Grade 3 students just finished their first art unit of the year and here is an example of their section of the board:

Transdisciplinary Theme: Who We Are

Central Idea:  Developing painting skills and understanding color allows us to create 3D forms.

Lines of Inquiry: How composition can effect an art work. How to create tints, tones, and shades. How to use a paintbrush to develop different painting techniques. How to develop an artwork.

Key Concepts: Form, Connection

Focus Artists: Jessica Brilli & Wayne Thiebaud

During the first part of the unit, Grade 3 students discovered contemporary artists Jessica Brilli and Wayne Theibaud. They compared their use of color, shadow, and discussed the special objects they like to paint.

The students then brainstormed personal personal objects that are special to them and brought one item from their list to class during the next art lesson.

They then photographed their special object with their choice of background color while incorporating shadows.

Grade 3 students also did a practice still life drawing of their special object in their sketchbooks while they waited for their photos to be printed!

 

Once their photographs were ready, the students set off on a painting journey! They worked very hard drawing large, mixing colors in order to create value, and adding details to give their special object form. Grade 3 students were extra careful to use a variety of brush sizes while practicing different painting techniques along the way. The final results of their finished canvases are absolutely stunning.