Friday Art Feature ... On Thursday

02 February 2012
I'm posting my Friday Art Feature a day early this week because I have a special tribute post planned for tomorrow.

We've had a crazy busy week - PLC (professional learning community) meeting on Tuesday, end of the month assembly, dance lessons three days this week, school dance "recital" performance today, DRA testing all week,  and PD day tomorrow.  And somewhere in the midst of all that, I had to squeeze in some teaching time ... YIKES!!!  To top it all off, Monday we have a slew of principals visiting our school for a walk-through.  I want to spend my PD day working on my report cards tomorrow, but I have a feeling I'll be cleaning, posting more learning goals, cleaning, posting more success criteria, cleaning ... you get the picture.  :(

Anyway, we've been working on a fun two-point perspective art lesson this week.  I needed something that would keep the students occupied independently for various periods of time through the week so I could finish the oral part of the DRA testing with my students.  This activity was PERFECT!

We started off by taping a piece of paper to the desks, and drawing two dots on the desks about 2 inches from the middle of the page on each side.  We then drew the main vertical line part way down the middle of the page.  From there, we drew the main perspective lines - the ones to represent the tops and bottoms of the buildings, the sidewalk, and the road.  The students could then add vertical lines to represent as many buildings as they wanted.  I showed them how to add a few more features (like doors, windows, signs, etc.), and let them go to it.  It's important to stress to them that all vertical lines must go straight up and down, and all horizontal lines go to the perspective points.  My students got the hang of this quite quickly, and although not all of them have finished yet, I do have a few to share with you today.





One last thing ... I'm not sure how many Ontario followers I have, but for those that are, I have a question for you.  Are you required to post your learning goal for every lesson?  We are.  I find myself quickly typing up the goal, or writing it down on chart paper at the beginning of every lesson ... and I'm going through SO much paper.  I've been seeing sets of the Common Core standards  made by my American blogging friends, so I decided to make up a set using the Ontario curriculum.  I just finished the language set for grade 6 earlier today.  I plan to attach some page protectors to my blackboard and slip in a new learning goal for each lesson.  I'll post some pictures when I get it all set up - hopefully by Monday (want to have it in place before our big walk-through).  Here is an example of what the learning goals will look like:
I'm going to post them to my TPT store when I get them all finished - still have math, science, and social studies to go.  I don't think I'm going to make them up for the other subjects.  I plan to make up sets for grades 4 - 8.  What do you think?  

Happy Thursday!!!  (and happy PD day to me tomorrow - no kids at school, no kids to take care of at home ... it's as close to a day off as I get!!!).




20 comments

  1. Jen, I haven't heard anything about posting learning goals for a lesson but I'd be interested in looking at it. I can't believe that you guys have a PD for reports tomorrow! Ours go home on the 9th!! We are already over half way through the editing.

    Also....love the perspective drawing...I'll be pinning this!
    Beth
    Beth
    Thinking of Teaching

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  2. Oh my gosh! Our art teacher did this with my students last year and, when they didn't know the word "perpendicular" she freaked out and made them start all over! Yours came out great though...since yours actually were finished :) I think I will have to try it again with my class this year (minus the art teacher)

    ~Stephanie
    Teaching in Room 6

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  3. been following your blog for a while and never realized you were from Ontario too! where in Ontario? I have never heard of posting learning goals for each lesson, goodness... i couldn't even imagine!

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  4. Hello I am from Southern Ontario and just starterd following your blog. I am finding it so useful!! We do not have to post learning goals for each lesson. We are currently focusing on language as a school board so we only do learning goals and success criteria for that subject. As a school we do three TLCPs and each has a few expectations. So for the school year we complete three pathways and each has it's own learning goals. So we do learning goals everyday but it is the same one for quite a few weeks!!

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  5. I love your idea and hope to incorporate it into Geometry next week! I will be pinning as well.
    Thanks!!

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  6. Some of the regions do post these in the classroom and with their work on display. I would LOVE to see the junior ones! I think you should come do a workshop for your fellow Ontario friends! You have so many awesome ideas! Come visit in Niagara! Your kids can go to the water slide at the Great Wolf and we can talk shop! LOL No, I am not that kinda of stalker. I just like to work with people who seem to be headed in the same direction. Smarter, not harder! Have a great weekend!

    Jen B, Niagara Falls

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  7. These look fantastic! I don't teach my own art this year and miss it a lot. So many things you can tie it into..... (@Jen B. -- I'm also from Niagara :)

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  8. You've been tagged!! Head over to my blog to check it out.
    Beth
    Thinking of Teaching

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  9. I am so impressed by this art lesson... I wish I had some artistic talent !!

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  10. Loving your building drawings! And you've been tagged! Hop over to my blog to see how it works...

    Lisa
    Mrs. Tilmon Says…

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  11. We don't have to post our learning goals in New Brunswick but we are encouraged to post them. I just have a corner of my board where I post them each day rather than doing them on paper.

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  12. Hi there! Hope your report cards went well. Ours went home on Friday so I'm having a bit of a relaxing weekend. LOVE the art.

    I teach grade 4/5 in Southwestern Ontario and we are currently working on Learning Goals and Success Criteria as a board. Specifically my principal would like us to focus on using learning goals and success criteria in language and math. My only problem is that I have to create them WITH my students. Hopefully I'll be able to use your idea as a starting point to guide my students into creating the learning goal. We are also supposed to create the success criteria with the students as well. Learning Goals and Success Criteria are GREAT and my students do enjoy them but I often find them time consuming. I look forward to your post on TPT.

    Point of Interest: My students REALLY find the learning goals useful when they are posted. They have expressed to me that when the learning goals and success criteria were not posted they had a difficult time understanding what they should do. AND THEY USED THE LANGUAGE! WOO HOO!

    Thanks for everything you do. Your blog is a FABULOUS resource.
    P.S(I grew up in Sault Ste. Marie!)

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  13. Love this! So many options with so many different mediums possible using this while teaching perspective. So glad I found you through Pinterest. I have an art blog too!

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  14. What a great project & lesson! Kids need Art so much and really miss out!

    ❤ Mor Zrihen from...
    A Teacher's Treasure
    Teaching Treasures Shop

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  15. Hi Jen. I am a teacher in Ontario with the YRDSB and we also have to post our Learning Goals and success Criteria for every lesson. My school is currently working toward a consistent understanding and use of Success Criteria. It is time consuming but the long-term Learning Goals definitely make a difference for our students.

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  16. Hi Jen,
    I am also from southwestern Ontario, and at the moment we only have to have learning goals for our writing unit, meaning ONE learning goal for the whole unit, not one for each day. Each teacher must also choose one other curriculum area to begin implementing learning goals, and I've chosen reading. By the way, I love your art lessons!

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  17. P.S. Jen. Our learning goals have to be in student friendly language, not directly from the curriculum. Our principal is very firm on that point!

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  18. Hi I just stumbled onto your blog as Ontario caught my eye. I also teach in Ontario. Your life sounds just as hectic as mine. Nice to "meet" you. mary at apopovic@primus.ca

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  19. I LOVE your BLOG! You are the kind of teacher I aspire to be :)

    How can I get a hold of your Grade 6 Learning Goals and corresponding success criteria?

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