So, after my clean-up harague I enjoyed directing my students to run as fast as they could to the trees across the playing field, grab a big leaf and run back. "You have three minutes," I added sternly, then laughed as the kids looked at each other, then at me, secretly hopeful that I really meant it! A few braves ones said something like, "You're kidding, right?" "Nope," I shook my head and stood back as they headed out the door amid whoops and hollers. Fresh air and freedom: three minutes of bliss for these middle school students.
During clean-up this afternoon, I noticed that the floor was littered with dried leaves. "What'll we do with these?" a girl asked as she started to toss a few leaves into the garbage. "Here," I handed her a large box. On Monday we'll return our useful leaves to Mother Nature and start our week off with a little fresh air and freedom.
I watched their progress from the doorway as I wrapped my bulky sweater more tightly about myself. Fall had arrived! The cold was motivation for my t-shirt clad students to run the several hundred yards there and back all the more quickly. They spilled back into the classroom excited by their finds and energized by the brisk autumn air. For the rest of the week they worked diligently creating beautiful ceramic bowls based on the leaves they collected. We completed the final steps today.
During clean-up this afternoon, I noticed that the floor was littered with dried leaves. "What'll we do with these?" a girl asked as she started to toss a few leaves into the garbage. "Here," I handed her a large box. On Monday we'll return our useful leaves to Mother Nature and start our week off with a little fresh air and freedom.
Hi Kari,
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog, love your thoughts on kids and teaching. I taught middle school art for several years and have now been with the k-5 ones the last 4.
We just did our leaf bowls today - I do mine with 4th grade - and for some odd reason, students brought in HUGE leaves this year! Usually we do a handsize maple leaf so I was rather taken aback - it will be interesting to see how the large ones turn out.
How do you finish yours? I let my students use any color of glaze they wish for fun. They do leaf/tree research in science so it ties in well.
I'll go check out your FunArtLessons pages now as I always love looking for new ideas.
Laurel (cold & rainy in Iowa)
Hi Laurel,
ReplyDeleteIt's cold and rainy here in Michigan, as well. The glazed leaves just went in the kiln this afternoon, so tomorrow we will see how they came out. I'll post some pics on the gallery. I found some fun glaze to try this year. It's called crystal magic and has small glass globs in it. Looks great on my test pieces although I had to fire it at a much lower cone than recommended to get the correct colors and melting patterns in the crystals.
I love your site and also created a similar project with my elementary students last year using leaves. We are going to start something with leaf prints too and I recently tried something out at home as a method for adding color--shoe polish. I really like the effect it has on the leaf. Combining shoe polish and paint might be a fun and exciting combination for my students. I have to decide if it is right for their ability level before I go forward with it. Great blog though! Thanks and I will be back!
ReplyDeleteRobyn-
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your comments. I'd love to know more about how you use shoe polish. Do you do something to keep it from rubbing off? The crystal glazes we used were fun, but very expensive. I had just enough for my 100+ students, but I don't think I'll be able to buy it for next year's classes.
Hi Kari,
ReplyDeleteI am still working on that aspect with the shoe polish. I am a painter myself and love to play around with different media. I was thinking that possibly we could use a clear aersol to spray them. Then they would have to be merely decorative of course. I also ordered crystal glazes this year and I am trying to make them stretch as far as possible. Once again great site!
These are lovely, Imight try them out with one of my classes they are nice and simple but the photo of them all together is so simple.
ReplyDeleteHi Kathy,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments! Parents just love these leaf bowls. I even have some parents and teachers ask if there are any for sale. Might make a great fund-raiser next fall as our art supply budget will probably be cut.
First of all, thanks for having this blog! Those of us who teach Middle School Art know that the kiddos this age are one of a kind! As far as these leaf bowls, I will definitely be doing these this Fall - are you just molding them into a bowl shape by putting them in a bowl lined with some paper?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
We do just lay the slab either inside a paper lined bowl or over the top of a bowl covered with a piece of paper towel. It is REALLY important to put the paper towel between the bowl form and your clay slab so that it doesn't stick! For bowl forms I use a variety of plastic bowls from garage sales as well as some super cheap bowl sets I got at the dollar store. When I've had really big classes I've used styrofoam bowls, which I don't like to do because they don't last and have to be thrown out, but when we're doing a hundred I don't always have a choice!
ReplyDelete