Archway Chandler-Fine Arts Night

Attention Archway Chandler Parents

It is once again time for our Fine Arts Night--Friday, May 13. The Art Department is working hard to prepare for a memorable event for our students and families. We are in need of a number of volunteers to help us with various tasks--including assistance setting up the gallery and closing the gallery at the end of the event. We're using VolunteerSpot (the leading online Sign-up and reminder tool) to organize our upcoming event.

Please click on the link to sign up:

http://vols.pt/FQzaAx

Many, many thanks to you all for you support and assistance!

Around the World with Kindergarten

As part of the Core Knowledge History curriculum, Kindergarten students learn about a variety of continents and countries all around the world. Kinders have been busy completing an assortment of projects inspired by artists or cultures from these varying parts of our world. Two examples follow.

At Archway Chandler, students studied the country of Russia. Mrs. Zimm visited the classrooms and did a presentation about Russia. In Art, we studied the art of the matryoshka (nesting) dolls. Students discussed the patterns present and practiced three types of patterns with teacher guidance. Then, scholars chose one of the three patterns to draw on a set of dolls, adding color in a careful manner (making sure each doll matched). For the background, students were asked to choose either all cool colors or all warm colors from the tempera cake palettes. Once the background was dry, students cut out their set of dolls and adhered them to their painted backgrounds.

At Archway Lincoln, students studied the country of France. We learned about Claude Monet and studied a number of his paintings, many that were of his Japanese Bridge and water lilies at his home in Giverny. Kindergarteners observed the colors and shapes present in the pieces, and noted how they felt when looking at his works. We discussed the term impressionism and how Monet was the Father of Impressionism. Then, we got to work! Students drew a bridge with brown crayon by using three curved lines and some straight, vertical lines. Green paint was applied with sponges to create the leaves and varying foliage, while pink and yellow paint was applied with their fingertips to create the lilies in the water.

Matryoshkas

(Russia)

Japanese Bridge with Water Lilies

(France/Monet)

Announcement for Archway Lincoln Families Only:

Call for Travel Photos

The theme for our upcoming concert on April 28 is Around the World. We need your help to put together a collage of photos from your family travels. If you would like your family to be included in this collage, please do the following:

• Submit one picture per family to Ms. Blasi by Wednesday, April 27th 

• Photo size should be 4x6 or 5x7 

• PHOTO WILL NOT BE RETURNED so please submit a copy of your photo 

• In marker, please write your family’s name and where the picture is taken on the front of the photo

Help us make this a beautiful collage to celebrate all the places Archway Lincoln Families have traveled!

Upcoming Fine Arts Events

An announcement for ARCHWAY CHANDLER families only. Please disregard if your student attends Archway Lincoln. Sincere apologies for any confusion.

A few events that the Fine Arts Department would like you to be informed about:

Friday, April 8: Spring Music Concert

Higley Center for the Performing Arts

4132 E Pecos Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85295

Important parking information will be sent home near the concert!

K-2 Concert: 5:30 PM

3-5 Concert (featuring the Women’s Ensemble and Men’s Chorus): 6:30 PM 

Mrs. Olsen (K-1): polsen@archwaychandler.org

Mrs. Carpenter (2-5, choirs): pcarpenter@archwaychandler.org

Friday, May 13: Fine Arts Night

Archway MPR: 

Studio Art Gallery

5:00 – 8:00 PM

Mrs. Wuerfel (2-5 Art): nwuerfel@archwaychandler.org

Ms. Tye (K-1 Art): rtye@archwaychandler.org

CPA Theater:

Archway Singing Strings, Women’s Ensemble, 

Men’s Chorus, and Drama Club Performance

6:00 PM

Ms. Elie (strings): cjelie.cfa@gmail.com

Mrs. Carpenter (choirs): pcarpenter@archwaychandler.org

Mrs. Buske (drama): astoppa-buske@archwaychandler.org

Lady Liberty and Texture Saguaros

Kindergarten

Students observed and discussed the difference between two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes/objects. This allowed for us to look at a different type of art: sculpture. Kindergarten students studied a photograph of The Statue of Liberty and discussed what they noticed about the sculpture. We learned that The Statue of Liberty  was a gift to America from the French people for our 100th birthday. We also pointed out that, to make the statue look more realistic, the artist (Frederic Auguste Bartholdi) created movement on Lady Liberty's gown using curved lines.

Once we finished observing and discussing the statue, we got to work creating our own drawings of the sculpture. Following guided directions, Kindergarten students drew The Statue of Liberty with pencil, then traced with black gel pen. The students used a special copper green crayon to give the statue her iconic color. Last, they drew their own backgrounds--discussions on the Fourth of July were had--and added color with crayon.

First Grade

Students experimented with the element of texture over the last few weeks in Art. We began the unit by doing texture rubbings of objects in the classrooms and outside on the playground. The students thoroughly enjoyed this activity! We discussed some of the textures we discovered all over our campuses. We took a closer look at photos of cacti and discussed the textures we observed.

Then, students got to work and dove into their Saguaro Projects! They began by creating painted paper as a base for their cactus drawings. Using different brushstrokes allowed for all sorts of textures to be seen. Once the paint dried, students drew a saguaro cactus and outlined it with black oil pastel. Students learned a new technique for their backgrounds: scumbling. This technique of controlled scribbling was used to create various textures for the sky and the sand of the desert. Next, the students cut out their cacti and adhered them to their scumbled papers. Now they were ready to add texture to their saguaros. First, lines of glue were carefully added to the length of the cactus. Once dried, the students used raw rice to create the spikes. Finally, small pieces of pink tissue paper were used to create the delicate blossoms that bloom on the saguaro's tips.

The First Grade students worked tremendously hard on these projects. I am very proud of the way they turned out! Enjoy!

Happy New Year!

Happy 2016!

Here is an update of what students at Archway Chandler and Archway Lincoln have been learning & doing at the start of the new quarter:

Kindergarten-Students were introduced to the element of shape and hunted for shapes in their classrooms. We learned about the Swiss-German artist Paul Klee and studied his painting Castle and Sun. Students were guided on how to complete their own Klee-inspired painting by drawing a castle and using horizontal and vertical lines to create shapes throughout. Color was added with crayon and the sky was painted with watercolor, to create a resist effect.

1st Grade-Students reviewed the elements of line, color, and shape as they studied various paintings by Piet Mondrian. We observed that Mondrian only used horizontal and vertical lines (no diagonal lines) in his paintings, and the palette he used mainly consisted of Primary Colors. Using a square template, 1st Grade students traced overlapping squares all over a piece of paper with a black crayon. Then, using red, blue, and yellow crayons, they colored in only full squares and rectangles.


Up Next...

Kindergarten-Two-Dimensional vs. Three-Dimensional Shapes; sculpture (The Statue of Liberty)

1st Grade-Texture and Cactus Multi-Media Project

Kindergarten-Klee's Castle and Sun Project

1st Grade-Mondrian-Inspired Project

Lines, Lines, Lines...and A Dot

All K-1 students were busy these last two weeks discovering the element of line.

At Archway Chandler, we discussed line and brainstormed examples of the lines we see in the natural world. Then, we read the book Harold and the Purple Crayon, discussing the lines Harold uses to draw certain objects on his moonlight walk. On Day 2 of Art, students were each given a black piece of paper and a magical purple crayon. They were instructed to create a new adventure for Harold, using their knowledge of line. First Grade students added shapes with purple construction paper to enhance their drawings.

Kindergarten students created resist paintings of flowers, with black oil pastel and watercolor, by using many different types of lines.

1st Grade students also created resist paintings of sea turtles in their habitats, with black oil pastel and watercolor, using assorted lines and shapes.

Next up for Kindergarten & 1st Grade: Matisse

At Archway Lincoln, Kindergarten students prepared their portfolios and observed Georges Seurat's Sunday on La Grande Jatte. They learned to use specific positional words (e.g., middle, top, bottom, left, right, top right, top left, etc.) Kindergarteners practiced using this vocabulary as they located objects in Seurat's painting. We also discussed how Seurat painted this masterpiece, by applying paint in small dots. First Grade students listened to the book The Dot and created their own pieces using dots (one orange dot was provided). Also in 1st Grade, we began a discussion on line and where we find certain types of line in the natural world.

In both grades this last week, we spent time examining line in the story Harold and the Purple Crayon. We observed the types of lines Harold used to create his moonlight walk one night. Students were given a black piece of paper and a purple oil pastel. Some 1st Grade students added shapes using purple paper.

Next up for Kindergarten & 1st Grade: Resist Paintings

Harold and the Purple Crayon-Chandler

Harold and the Purple Crayon-Chandler

Harold and the Purple Crayon-Chandler

Harold and the Purple Crayon-Chandler

Harold and the Purple Crayon-Chandler

Harold and the Purple Crayon-Chandler

The Dot-Lincoln

The Dot-Lincoln

The Dot-Lincoln

The Dot-Lincoln

The Dot-Lincoln

The Dot-Lincoln

The Dot-Lincoln

Flower Resist-Chandler

Flower Resist-Chandler

Flower Resist-Chandler

Flower Resist-Chandler

Harold and the Purple Crayon-Lincoln

Harold and the Purple Crayon-Lincoln

Harold and the Purple Crayon-Lincoln

Harold and the Purple Crayon-Lincoln

Harold and the Purple Crayon-Lincoln

Turtle Resist-Chandler

Turtle Resist-Chandler

Turtle Resist-Chandler

Harold and the Purple Crayon-Lincoln

Turtle Resist-Chandler

Turtle Resist-Chandler

Harold and the Purple Crayon-Lincoln