Nothing Elementary About Art
By Ronelle Howell
December 18, 2009
THERE IS NOTHING ELEMENTARY ABOUT ART!
ART FUNDAMENTALS Kindergarten students spent an energetic and ambitious ten weeks illustrating their own books about art elements and color families. Students documented the excitement of the first days of school, made warm and cool color city resists and created imagination paintings inspired by composer Aaron Copeland’s The Rodeo.
NUTRITION First Graders explored a smorgasbord of fresh fruits
and vegetables in class using their Five Senses to describe color,
shape/ form, size, aroma, and taste of produce such as eggplant,
watermelon, asparagus, artichoke and broccoli. 
They learned about Nutritious plant foods
through the Food Pyramid, followed by constructing their favorite
fruit or vegetable in Papier-Mâché. These 3-dimensional forms were
used in still life groups to render drawings in values of black to
white.
ACADEMIC SUBJECTS Looking at the world through a Magnifying Glass… Students on every grade level relate art to life by connecting Language Arts, Literature, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science in the art classroom. Second Grade students covered the entire Art Tool Belt of art elements, combining five different media, while working on their SKY-
GROUND-UNDERGROUND art pieces. West Texas skies and Land Formations such as the nearby canyons motivated richly layered tactile experiences for student. Artist Marc Chagall’s joyous paintings and Faith Ringgold’s imaginary journey in Tar Beach encouraged students to “fly” over Slaton with new appreciation. Third Graders were prompted by Georgia O'Keeffe's studies of nature to enlarge their own observations of shells and flowers.
TRAVEL Second and Third Grade students traveled visually to
ancient places and cultures. Second grade applied mathematical
symmetry to African Dashiki shirt designs, while 3rd Grade used
alternating motifs to Egyptian Collar reliefs. Students were able
to examine artifacts from South Africa and Egypt. These units
heightened students’ awareness of cultures and customs around the
world, allowing a seamless transition to the Destination
Imagination theme of the Book Fair in October.
COMMUNITY Artwork by C.T.E. students was showcased at one of
the 20 exhibits in the Arts on the Slaton Square Arts Festival
October 17 this year. The newly formed Yellow House Arts Alliance
continues to work closely with Slaton ISD Art Program to provide
opportunities for the public to appreciate student art. Students
and art teachers alike were able to watch demonstrations in
pottery, jewelry making, silk screening, doll making/soft-sculpture
and Gingerbread House construction.
COMPETITION C.T.E. student talent shone brightly during this
year’s South Plains Fair. Students are currently focusing efforts
on entries for the District’s Xmas Card Competition. Several
outstanding art pieces produced this semester will be entered in
the juried YAM Capitol Exhibit in Austin come Spring 2010.
ART CLUB Students from Stephen F. Austin tackled color theory cubes using math skills, whimsical Esqueletos for Dias de los Muertos and detailed Aboriginal Dreamtime paintings this semester.
