Sketchbook Project for Elementary and Middle School
Why is a sketchbook a tool?
(The sketchbooks are a tool to help with art making– not necessarily the art itself.
Try not to view your sketchbook as something you could put in a gallery all by itself. Look at it more as an old friend you can bounce ideas off.)
(You will have this for several years.)
Is a sketchbook a place to try new things?
Take risks and try new things
Try out new techniques and materials in your sketchbook.
Why are mistakes important to keep?
(Don’t tear out pages or remove work you aren’t happy with.
Your sketchbook should be honest. Don’t try to edit it. It’s there as a record of your thoughts and even work you are unhappy with now is a record of your progress. Even if it looks dreadful there may be an idea there you can come back to at a later stage.
Why wouldn’t you want to scribble in your sketchbook?
What could you do instead? Most artists, writers, or other creative problem solvers keep a small sketchbook on them at all times.
Why would they do this?
I encourage you to do this although you will need to keep this sketchbook in the CRES Studio. Make sure you have a pencil or a pen with your sketchbook.
Many creative people keep their sketchbooks by their bed at night so they can write down ideas in their heads to help them go to bed.
Why might you write in your sketchbook?
Write down thoughts, textures, sounds, conversations. It's these everyday snippets that are often inspirational.
Collect things – Stick them in your sketchbook
Postcards from exhibitions, feathers, leaves, photos, textiles, paint samples, flyers, stickers, magazine cuttings can all find a home in your sketchbook as a source of inspiration.
Three elementary schools are creating student lead newsletters. These newsletters involve students currently monitored for art or flagged for ELA gifted and talented enrichment opportunities.
Elementary School Newsletter lesson plan
DECIDE ON A PURPOSE of the newsletter. Is it primarily a tool to convey program information, upcoming events and policies. Or is it something in which you want to include child participation?
CREATE A TEMPLATE for the newsletter.
Using Adobe Software for graphic design layout and design. Learning new software.
PERSONALIZE THE TEMPLATE.
Include a catchy name, the issue, volume number and date.
The volume number will change with each school year, but the issue number will change with each new issue of the newsletter (for example, the newsletter's first issue in its second school year will be Volume 2, Issue 1).
DECIDE HOW OFTEN TO PRINT/PUBLISH the newsletter.
With the amount of activities going on one should go out every month.
Keep your newsletter up-to-date and send it out on time. If parents feel that the newsletter only contains old news, with out-of-date information, they will not read it. We chose bimonthly.
INFORMATIVE
Any school newsletter should be informative, upbeat/fun to read, and aesthetically pleasing.
Make it about the kids and parents alike to keep people interested in the Newsletter. The more interactive the newsletter, the more likely parents will read it. Who knows? You just may get volunteers to join in and bring some of their talents with them!
WHAT ARE SOME CATEGORIES THAT CAN BE INCLUDED?
• Current Activities (field trips, bookstore, art shows etc.)
• Upcoming Events--both during the Day and Family Social Events
• Technology Information
• Science Information
• Math Riddles
• Favorite books
• Art Room Highlights
• Music
• Library
PHOTOGRAPHS**
Including photographs and artwork of students adds a little depth to the newsletter. Children (and parents) will be excited to see their faces; children are also then more willing to share with their parents. If you do this, it is important to display a picture of each student in the program at least once, and be careful not to feature one student continuously each month.
**IMPORTANT: If using children's photographs, make sure you have a photo permission with the explanation on how it is to be used.
SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEWS
Interview “specials” staff members in the Newsletter. Something that parents and many people love to read about biographies. Ask those involved in your program if if they would be willing to be interviewed for the newsletter. Ask in advance...The interview can be in person, or written.
PUBLISHING
Be sure to share your newsletter with the school community. Sharing via email to the entire school, and placing it on the School's Website.
Interview prompts for ELA:
Who:
What Happened:
When:
Where:
Why:
How:
Quotes and who is being quoted:
Interesting fact(s):
Artist design a different masthead per issue, interview art students and take photographs. All students have the opportunity to write, create artwork and design the layout.