4.28.2011

An All Time Favorite: Pizza Box Biographies

Our used pizza boxes have been brushed clean of crumbs, white washed with tempera and lightly marked with grid lines. The art room was buzzing with excitement today as students began sketching in the paintings of their selected artists.  I am always amazed at the paintings selected. Everything from Michelangelo to Banksy, from the Sistine Chapel to the streets of London!

I've improved (I hope) my methods of teaching the students about art movements and artist's style. I added a slide show, a game with Happy Bob, the bouncing ball, and an interactive "quiz." I will further assess the success of these methods as I work one on one with students during the coming week and can observe how well they apply what they learned about their artists. 
It's always fun to help the students figure out how to imitate the style of their artist, mixing colors to match, trying to copy brush stroke and so on. And it's especially fun to see their amazement at what they can accomplish. Once students finish their copy painting, then they get really creative as they design a mixed-media pizza inspired by the artist and art movement they have studied. The puffy color wheel for Matisse is still an all time favorite from the Pizza Box Biographies art unit.

1 comment:

  1. Ahhhhh!!! I just found your blog and I am so happy! This is just what I have been looking for. I switched grade levels this year so I am new to middle school. There is so much out there for elementary and high school but middle school is that strange land of in between. I really appreciate that you have taken the time to put together such a helpful resourse. Though it seems more than just a helpful resourse as you write not only about the assignments but about your whole teaching experience. Looking forward to looking through all your posts. Thank you so very much!

    Sara Mack

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