Koi Fish Kites

Inspired by our theme this month "Art from Around the World," the Kindergartners created Koi Fish Kites. This was a 2-3 day lesson for most of my students.

Day 1- Looked and talked about Koi fish- basics: Their appearance (color, shape, body size), their environment, the meaning of "koi" and where we might have seen Koi fish before. Then, I did a demonstration of creating scales of the Koi fish with oil pastel, followed by watercolor.
** I stapled the flat sheets into tubes shapes between day one and day two.**
Day 2- I set up stations for the Kindergartners to move around the room and add tails (tissue paper, colored wax paper), GLITTER, scales/textures, and strings to their kites. I really enjoy witnessing  "Aha" moments when they are moving around the room, making decisions, collaborating and communicating with their peers.

I displayed the kites from the ceiling in my room...The older grades were quite impressed by the young artists' work.

Soft Sculpture Fish

Painting with both hands?! We painted each side, stapled, stuffed with news paper and collaged on "fish textures"

A blowfish!

Inspired by Lois Ehlert's story Fish Eyes, the second graders have been busy creating gigantic fish sculptures. Focusing on Symmetrical designs, transferring sketched ideas into finished works of art, painting and collaging techniques. My room looks like a giant aquarium with the fish suspended from the ceiling. Again,  I thought this project was a success, however it has taken us many class periods already, and I still have a few students that need more time. So, before I do this project again I think it could use some refining- maybe line design/texture with ink or marker and possibly replicating a specific fish or sea creature... hmmm?! Suggestions?