First Day!

The first day in the art room can be a mix of emotions for kids: excitement for the projects ahead, fear of not being good enough, and everything in between. This is my tenth year of teaching and one thing I’ve learned is that art class should be FUN on the first day! Rules, expectations, grades can all wait for another day. This is the day I set the tone for what is possible. I want my students to tap into their excitement, quiet their fears, and get a sense that art class is a place where we do important, creative and fun work.

Over the years I’ve played different versions of a game I call “build it”. This year I took my inspiration from popular cooking and design shows in which contestants are given a few random ingredients, specific artistic constraints and a short about of time. It’s a perfect formula for sparking creativity and it supplies the right amount of fun.  I also borrowed some ideas from one of my favorite TAB teachers, Melissa Purtee.

My room is set up with large tables which seat 4-5 kids each. For this game each table is a team. Every team is given the same bucket of supplies.

Their job is to work together to create an art piece which represents the theme they are given. Students must use every object in the bucket (although they can bend, cut, tear or alter them). They are allowed to use community items like cardboard, paper, glue, scissors, string etc.  The art piece must hold together and it must be presented to the class (another great way to get to know each other). Finally, the class votes on whether or not each group met the challenge successfully.

It’s pretty hilarious watching this unfold and I’m always amazed at their ingenuity. Afterwards I let the kids choose the fate of their creation. One of the group members can take it home or it can be “sacrificed to the gods”.

 

 

 

 

It’s really important to me to put my students at ease during the first few days of school. I want them to have fun, make new friends and to feel like the art room is a place where creativity is nourished…I think this exercise does that perfectly.