Line and Pattern with 1st Graders

These early days with the young ones are spent teaching basic skills (how to stay seated on a art stool, not talking when teacher is talking, not hitting your neighbor, getting familiar with the timeout chair, etc, etc) & experimenting with art materials (markers, scissors, glue bottles).

In the project 'Bug on a Rug' students used their 'smelly' Mr. Sketch markers to draw the 4 kinds of line following step-by-step directions to create a rug pattern. This was followed by scissors work to cut fringe on the short sides of the 'rug'.

The next class had the young artists concentrating on tracing around a plastic lid and using the scissors again to cut out a circle. They chose 2 larger pre-cut circles in contrasting colors to create a body & two wings. These pieces were then glued in place to complete the 'bug'. Six legs of pre-cut strips were the last to go on.

In the third and last day, students completed anything not done previously due to absences or slowness. Construction paper crayons were used to add more lines, shapes and pattern. As my artists turned in their work, I sat with each of them and assessed them on their knowledge of line by asking them to name the lines they had used in their work...

Vaseline is a Good Friend of Mine

As I was frantically trying to complete my glazing on Friday for a weekend firing, I made sure to get out my trusty jar of petroleum jelly!

I learned years ago to coat the inside of any lid that would need to be opened and reopened with a dollop of pj.

I use it on my glaze jars and also my student glue bottles which I have to refill several times a year.

I never got the hang of using Elmer's glue bottles - those orange twist applicators always became clogged or jammed for me. I use refillable 6 oz. clear plastic bottles and teach the kids how to use a push pin to open a clogged nozzle (vs. the scissors or pencil that they prefer to use...).

For my younger kids (K-2), I use a separate set of bottles and replace the nozzle cap with the tap n glue lid.

It's great when only a small amount of glue is needed. You'll need to teach them how to press down while moving the bottle to release the glue because otherwise they will s-q-u-e-e-z-e with all their strength and nothing will come out!! It's a great way to save on glue...