Second Grade

These vibrant cloth designs draw inspiration from the Adire Eleko cloth of the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria. Traditionally, Adire Eleko cloth is crafted using a resist technique involving wax and indigo dye. In our project, students emulate this technique by using oil pastels and blue paint to create their own unique patterns.

Additionally, students incorporate a directed drawing of a giraffe, which they then paint using fluorescent paints, adding a dynamic and eye-catching element to their designs.

Crafted from construction paper, adorned with Googley eyes, and painted with vibrant hues, this Crayon-tastic project marked the commencement of our second-grade journey. Its primary aim was to reintroduce the fundamental principles of art, encompassing balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, rhythm, and unity/variety. These principles epitomize the ways in which artists employ elements such as line, shape, color, value, form, texture, and space to bring their creations to life.

In second grade, students are exploring Native American culture through their social studies lessons. They're getting hands-on with Native American crafts from different regions across the United States to learn about their significance.

Native American pottery has been an essential part of their culture for thousands of years. Whether crafted by hand or on a pottery wheel, the techniques have been passed down through generations. The Pueblo Native Americans are particularly skilled in coil pottery. Using red clay, polishing stones, and their expertise, they create stunning works of art. Students had the opportunity to experience this firsthand by making simple coil pots. After shaping them, they applied glaze, and then the pots were fired in a kiln to seal the glaze and harden the clay, resulting in beautiful finished pieces.

As part of an interdisciplinary unit in collaboration with STEM, students explore the diverse regions inhabited by Native American tribes. For the Plains Native Americans, resourcefulness was key—they utilized materials from their environment to create both art and practical items. One such essential item was the parfleche, a versatile container used for packing and transporting belongings during their nomadic lifestyle.

Crafted from dried buffalo hide and adorned with vibrant geometric motifs, the parfleche functioned much like a modern suitcase for the Plains Native Americans.

In this project, students replicated the design and construction of a parfleche using craft paper. They began by folding the parchment into three equal sections, similar to folding a piece of paper for a hamburger-style fold. Then, they painted geometric patterns onto the paper and allowed it to dry. Once dry, students glued the sides of one fold together, creating a pocket. The next fold was folded onto the glued side, forming another pocket. Finally, the third fold served as the cover for the pouch. To secure the pouch, students punched a hole in the center and added a tie for a wrap-around closure. Through this hands-on activity, students gained insight into the craftsmanship and utility of the parfleche in Plains Native American culture.

In second grade, students delve into the captivating world of one of the most influential artists of the 20th century: Pablo Picasso, co-founder of the Cubist movement. They explore Picasso's abstract portraits, which skillfully portray various perspectives of facial features, drawing inspiration from renowned pieces like his portraits of Dora Maar and the Weeping Woman.

Before embarking on this artistic journey, students immerse themselves in the rich history of Pablo Picasso's artistic evolution, spanning through his distinct periods: the Rose Period (1901-1904), the African-influenced Period (1907-1909), Analytic Cubism (1909-1912), and Synthetic Cubism (1912-1919). Through this exploration, they gain insights into Picasso's life, his revolutionary art, and the groundbreaking Cubist movement.

Guided by their newfound knowledge, students unleash their creativity using paper, paint, and markers to craft expressive artworks. They create faces with dual sides, each depicting a different emotion in the distinctive style of Picasso. Through careful selection of colors, they infuse their creations with the emotions portrayed, capturing the essence of Picasso's innovative approach to art.

Inspired by Lois Ehlert's enchanting story Snowballs, students embarked on a creative journey, crafting winter birds and birch trees reminiscent of the story's magical scenes. Employing a resist technique with masking tape, second graders adorned their canvases with vertical strips, forming the foundation for their snowy landscapes. Using a palette of cool watercolor tones, ranging from serene blues to ethereal purples, they imbued their paper with the chilly ambiance of winter.

Once the paint dried, students peeled away the masking tape, revealing crisp, defined lines. Employing various painting techniques such as dry brushing and underpainting, they added intricate textures to the birch trees, infusing depth into their artwork. To delve deeper into the interplay of warm and cool colors, students adorned their avian creations with vibrant hues of yellows, reds, and oranges, infusing their winter tableau with a burst of warmth and vitality.