3rd and 4th Grade Independent Work in the Art Studio

The 3rd and 4th grade artists have been engaging this fall in independent work time in the art studio. Inspired by the Teaching for Artistic Behavior or TAB philosophy (https://teachingforartisticbehavior.org/index.html), different art media stations are set up and introduced with inspirational ideas or techniques. Students are able to design and execute their own art projects. They are familiar with what materials are available and can access reference pictures, books and objects in the room.

The students are tasked with the following artists' responsibilities:
- Have an idea or find an idea
- Gather resources for the idea
- Explore and make mistakes
- Decide when you are finished
- Take care of materials and clean up
- Reflect and share about your work
- Choose what is next

Students are given the opportunity to reflect and share through group sharing, pair shares and in written and dictated formats. The young artists are engaging deeply with the artistic process and the independent work time is built around building proficiency in the 8 Studio Habits of Mind, as identified by Project Zero from Harvard University (http://www.pz.harvard.edu/projects/the-studio-thinking-project)
- Develop craft
- Engage and persist
- Envision
- Express
- Observe
- Reflect
- Stretch and explore
- Understand art worlds

In engaging with the studio habits of mind, students are working through their own artistic ideas, learning from a variety of sources (teacher, peers, experience, reference materials) and reflecting and re-working their ideas.

In 4th grade, students have been working with drawing, collage, painting, sculpture and clay stations. Many students carried themes or ideas from the drawing station through to the sculpture station. They learned to apply different modes of attachment, using hand-drills and awls to create holes and insert brads and wire, cutting and folding pieces to create slots, as well as using glue and tape. After noticing that many students chose to make structures that incorporate rectangular prisms or cylinders, I chose to introduce a slab-building clay lesson.

The students decided if they wanted to use a rectangular prism or cylinder for the base of their clay structure, and planned their design by creating a drawing and then creating a paper template. They learned the traditional technique of rolling out a slab and cut pieces of clay to match their template and scored and slipped, or "scratched and attached," their pieces together. The 4th grade artists chose to make everything from model airplanes, to a boat, train, miniature houses with furniture, fairy houses connected by rope bridges, a dragon, a bridge and a dressmaking mannequin. The instruction and materials were informed by student interest and the variety of their responses to the project represent their interests and artistic pursuits.

Rolling clay slabs

Working together

In 3rd grade, students have been working with drawing, collage, painting and sewing stations. Inspired by their experience sewing teddy bears last year, the third graders were interested in sewing this year. Students were first taught how to do embroidery with yarn on burlap, how to use embroidery hoops, thread the needle and tie a knot, then more advanced materials such as felt, buttons and thread were introduced.  Some of the third grade artists had previous experience with sewing outside of school as well, and were able to bring their expertise to the classroom and took on a leadership role in instructing and helping their peers.

After a time of initial exploration of the stations, the third graders have begun planning a "WOW" or "Work of Wonder" project that is a culmination of things that they have learned or explored. The students planned their projects before they began and will dictate a written reflection after they are completed. Their reflections will be displayed with their pieces in a gallery display of their design. These practices help students to have ownership over their work and gain confidence in their voice and ideas.

3rd Grade WOW Project Plans & Works-in-progress

Please ask your 3rd or 4th grader what they have been working on in the art room this year!