ART @ WVE: Multicultural Festival 2013

As part of our "No Place for Hate" school, this is the fourth year WVE has had a Multicultural Festival. This year it will be on December 18th and the 19th for our parents. The Multicultural Festival has helped me to grow as an art teacher by forcing me to learn about art from other cultures. Art that I would probably not have moved out of my "comfort zone" to try! It has been a wonderful experience for me and my students.

First Grade

Mexico - We made a simple piñata for each class out of a balloon and tissue paper. Each student got a turn to add the paper mâché newspaper. They experienced the vocabulary word SLIMY! During their next class they each helped add the tissue paper!

This is a photo of the wire I used to hang the pinatas. My husband bent and twisted a hanger. When you tie on the string , the weight of the pinata spreads out the wire and keeps it from being pulled through the opening.

First grade also made papel picado. I used Carman Lomas Garza's book "Magic Windows". She has easy directions for cutting a papel picado that the first graders can accomplish.

1. Fold down approximately an inch. This is used for hanging the papel picado. 2. Fold in half. 3. Fold in half again. 4. Fold the bottom up to the first fold-not beyond it. 5. Fold one side diagonally up to the first fold. 6. Make different cuts on the sides. Do not make any cuts on the top.

Second Grade

Germany-the students learned about the botanical popular in Germany. Albercht Durer, a prolific artist who did many types of art-woodcuts, paintings, drawings, and watercolor. They looked at his artwork, "A Great Piece of Turf". The artist cut a piece of turf from outside and brought it into his studio to paint it. Next, they tried their hand at drawing their own botanical.... Then they will used watercolor to add some color to their botanical.

Third Grade

Philippines - Students are making a Philippine "parol" -the star of Bethlehem that is a type of lantern hung outside at Christmas time. A real parol is made using bamboo but we used a reed which we soaked in water first. Then they folded the wet reed back and forth like a fan, tied it with a rubber band and let it dry. Next, they used watercolors to paint two pieces of Japanese masa paper (rice paper).

Thanks to one of our Kindergarten teachers who is from the Philippines our parols turned out better than the lesson plans from the "Dick Blick" catalogue. She told us to add the tissue paper and tissue streamers on the tips of two of the points which made them much cuter!

Fourth Grade

Russia - Two classes did the Matyroshka dolls or Russian nesting dolls. After learning about how these dolls are made by watching a Youtube video of turning a block of wood on a lathe and then their symbolism (motherhood), the students drew and colored their Matyroshka dolls in the traditional style using pastels.

Two classes learned about the architecture of Saint Basil Cathedral and its onion domes in Moscow. Saint Basil was built using bricks , a new technology at the time. They students used chalk and pastels to create their own cathedral.

Faberge Eggs

This was my favorite new art. The students learned about Faberge, Czar and the jeweled eggs. They also learned that a jeweler is a kind of artist. First we poked two holes and they blew out the egg. We were running out of time so I dyed then in between classes. I tried using glitter glue but it ran down the sides so I looked for another medium. I found some glitter paint and plastic jewels at the local crafts stores. We used large tooth picks and a ball of Model Magic to create the stand for the eggs. Then a student put three or four jewels on the bottom of their egg that formed a stand for the egg. I love it when the kids teach me something! The kids had a great time decorating their eggs! I even discovered black food coloring.

Fifth Grade

One class learned about Italian artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo -1527-1593 A very interesting artist.who painted portraits using fruit and vegetables, flowers and one using books. I think he was ahead of his time! The kids had a great time making a list of fruits and vegetables. Then they came up with many more great ideas-red onions, olives, and sunflower seeds and many more.

The other three fifth grade classes learned about one point perspective. First we looked down the hall way at the ceiling lights to see how they look as though they are getting smaller and will eventually disappear. They could easily see how they will "vanish". The architect Filippo Brunelleschi "discovered" the vanishing point. Each class did a different drawing of a one point perspective.