Cassie Stephens's Blog, page 8

First Day in Art with First through Fourth Grade

I know, I know, I can hear you now:
STOP! NO! I DON'T WANNA THINK ABOUT THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL DURING MY SUMMER VACATION!
Juuuuuuuust hear me out: isn't it far less stressful to think of it now, with your feet in the kiddie pool and your bowl of ice cream-for-lunch slowly melting in the summer sun? Instead of, let's say, stressing during those dreadful back-to-school faculty meetings as you count the long list of endless things you need to do before the kids arrive? When you are so busy setting up your room that you lose track of all that you want to cover that very first day? See? It's not that bad!
My first day with my first through fourth graders is an easy-peasy one. You'll see it in this video, complete with a breakdown of why I introduce what and when. Please pardon the location placed on the video...it's clear that me and iMovie are still getting to know each other after all these years. Anyway! I know it looks like a bunch fun and games BUT there is a method behind my madness...and that's teaching kids my routines: 
* Our Art Class Greeting* Our Art Class Catchphrase* Our Open/Closed sign * Our Behavior Management System (not that we call it that!)* Call and Response and how it works* Learning my name...and me learning theirs* Becoming comfortable with making our voice heard* Learning how to become an active and considerate listener
What's not shown is how we get our seats, practice emergency drills and lining up properly. 
I have art class with my students for 30 minutes twice a week. We manage to knock out ALL of that in the first 30 minutes. And, you may notice in the video, the kids already seem to know a lot of the routines. That's because I taught them in kindergarten. And even though my first day with kindergarten looks a lot different...we do eventually cover all of these things. 
AND if you just want more...I wrote a whole book on this topic! I lay it all out for you in my book Art Teacherin' 101. It has ALL that you need for a successful year no matter your teaching situation. You can find it right here. 
I also have a TON of videos on this topic on my YouTube channel. If you subscribe, you can stay posted because with it being 'the season', I'll be adding a lot more video content on back to school soon. 

Art Room Ideas: Finish the Drawing!

Have I got something for you, y'all! Check this out: Finish the Drawing! I explain it real quick in this video but more details on the supplies used and how it works below...
I got this idea because of the following:

* I got lots of paper scraps. Like, LOTS. So this helps me not waste any of that paper!
* I got lots of kids who wanna do Free Draw but LOOK HERE: my art classes are 30 minutes long! And we all know how they be treatin' that paper that they draw on for a minute and then toss in the trash. 
* I got the desire to have kids create...with each other! BUT lack the time to make it happen. This, THIS can make my art teacherin' dreams come true, y'all!
Supplies:
* The pencil is from Chris Uphues. I added the wording to it with my Cricut. BUT you don't need a fancy sign! You're an art teacher, you can make it yourself!
* The frames came from the thrift store, Dollar Tree and my storage closet.
* The clips I picked up from Amazon.
* Paper from the scrap bin!

The premise is simple: pick a piece of paper and draw on it for as long or as short as you'd like! Then, sign it and hang it back up.

OR...pick an unfinished drawing that you'd like to add to. Be kind, considerate and do your best. It is someone's drawing, afterall. Then, of course, sign it. Hang it back up!

Finished pieces get hung in our Masterpiece Gallery or we just keep the fun going by having the work returned to the wall for more artists to add to it!
I hope you give it a shot! You and your kids will love it!

Top Tips and Lessons for Using Chalk in your Art Room!

Hello!
Last week I dumped everything I could think of into one video all about watercolor painting with kids. I hope you got something out of that video and enjoyed it! I made it just for you (and your sanity.
This week, I thought I'd share all things chalk! I know a lot of art teachers avoid chalk because of the mess. I'm going to encourage you to give this video a watch and try some of these tips on for size. I think you'll find it helpful...and maybe even fall in love with using chalk with your students! 
Also in this post, I'm throwing in all of my very favorite chalk lessons and projects. All are free for you and your students to enjoy. 

I shared several projects in that video so I thought I'd place them and the links below for you to use! Always a hit! This one is done with the liquid starch and chalk hack I shared. Here's the video. And here is a blog post of the finished results! This project was done with the same method of starch and chalk. It's a huge hit with the kids. Video lesson is included here! Another method for liquid starch and chalk is this one I did with my fourth grade! Video lesson included here. 

One of my most popular lessons of all time is this one! BUT don't do what I did: don't make black glue! Instead, follow my demo in the video and go the much easier route of using Elmer's Glue All and black marker.  Here's a blog post with the finished results. This one is always a crowd pleaser! Here's another one inspired by the artist Sandra Silberzweig! Video lesson included here. 
Yet another glue and chalk combo! Lesson video here. 
Before tackling their butterfly ceiling tile project, one second grade class created these beauties! A fun project for the end of the school year. 
Looking for a quick chalk project that introduces a contemporary artist? Try this one! 
I have a LOT of videos and blog posts on our annual chalked event but this blog post breaks it all down for you, if interested!
This lesson is fun to show kids how to use stencils with chalk! Full lesson and artist reference included in this blog post (with video!). Floating chalk prints is ALWAYS a huge hit! And this year, I did it with kindergarten. Independently! You can read the details here.  Still want more?! I got you! Check out even more chalk pastel lessons here and have fun!

Let's Talk Watercolor! 12 Watercolor Tips and Tricks!

Watercolor is a staple in the elementary classroom and art room BUT...it can be a bit of a headache. I recently saw on an art teacher's Facebook group a teacher sharing a brand new watercolor tray completely demolished in just one painting session (well, demolished is an exaggeration; all watercolor trays can be cured with a simple rinse at the sink). It reminded me how much I have learned from teaching art after a million years...and all that I learned about teaching watercolor paint to kids. So I put all of the tips and tricks I could think of (I'm sure I missed some!) in a video. I'll list them below but if you wanna just watch then...here ya go!
Tip #1: Ditch those cases! I kick off the video sharing super cute vintage watercolor cases and then...I tell you to ditch the case. Trust me! You will save the sanity of dealing with messy watercolor cases. AND it will help the paint to dry between use. 
Tip #2: Remove black, brown and white!THIS IS A GAME CHANGER!! Trust me on this one. You will send me letters, flowers, hugs and well wishes when you do. 
Tip #3: Customize your paint trays!I have a rainbow tray, a warm tray and a cool tray. I want to create a flesh mixing tray too. 
Tip #4: Only buy refills!So a big brand art supplier STOPPED making refills for their watercolor trays. I KNOW. However...my friends at Prang STILL DO! Hooray! You can check out all of my recommended watercolor supplies as well as those refills in my Amazon store! 
Tip #5: Use trays!They capture the mess and make transport of supplies easy for you and your students. Need a supplier for trays? See my Amazon link...OR...check Dollar Tree's website! I often buy those trays in bulk on their website; I never see them in their stores. 
Tip #6: Try dog dishes!I did add a link to these in my Amazon store BUT you can find them cheaper at Dollar Tree. These I actually do see in the stores!
Tip #7: Use wake up juice!This might be the kids' favorite trick. They LOVE Wake Up Juice! They think it's so funny and my older kids love to use it independently. 
Tip #8: Teach proper brush care!Isn't that the worst?! Seeing your precious paintbrushes ground to bits? Not to mention your paint pans demolished?! Try teaching a couple of my hacks: Ballerina Paintbrush and Pet the Kitten.
Tip #9: Cleaning the brush!Nothing muddies up a paint set like not cleaning the paintbrush correctly. Get a sponge for this and thank me later!
Tip #10: Explain translucence!So that kids know the difference between watercolor paint and tempera, you may want to explain the difference between translucence and opaque. 
Tip #11: No waster watercolor!I'm getting tired of typing so check out the video on how I use every last drop of watercolor paint!
Tip #12: Let the paint dry out!I share my simple hack for letting paint dry completely between use.
Now, I have chatted about watercolor paint in the past. You can see my video about watercolor here. And if you want to see me teaching watercolor to my students, you can check out this playlist! Or check out the one called A Glimpse Inside on my YouTube channel.  

Classroom Management: A Simple Behavioral System that Kids Love!

Hey there! 
I tried a new classroom management system this past year and I LOVED it. I shared about it on my Instagram at the start of the school year but hesitated to do so here. I wanted to make sure it was a system I could stick with. If you've read my book, Art Teacherin' 101, then you know I ONLY do systems that are easy and ones I can keep up with. This one...is it. Here's a video of just how it works:

And if you need a refresher on my classroom management series (much more to come!) here is my last video (blog post here):
If you are looking for the supplies I share in these videos, then look no further than here. I've put them all in one place for you! Having this board near my entrance really worked well to serve as a reminder at the start and end of class. 
You don't have to get too fancy like I did. You could always just write their teacher's names in sharpie!
Comments are turned off here because of spam but my comments are open on my YouTube channel. I check them frequently, so if you have any questions, please feel free to ask! I also am updating my YouTube with videos multiple times a week so...subscribe if you like! 
Some of the TOP HITS for party themes:* No Shoes Art Class (they LOVE this!)* Open Seating* Dance Party
Those are the top three. As far as the 20 Questions and Mr. Predicto...stay tuned! More on that to come. 

What the Art Teacher Wore Closet Tour!

Hey there! Today I thought I'd share a tour of my closet!
I've been asked many times to do a little closet tour and I DID do one a while back...when my closet was an actual closet. You can check that blog post out here. But there have been MANY reasons why I've always hesitated:
1. Because my closet is now a room. And, like, that's kinda crazy. And excessive. And...a lot of things. I know this. But honestly, this room was just sitting unused. We don't have kids and we don't host house guests (yes, the family stays at hotels when they visit. Trust me when I say it's a beautiful thing). So we had this unused room. And now it's my closet. 2. Because...I have an embarrassing amount of stuff. I don't get rid of anything, y'all. Well, I take that back. I do weed out 'trendy' impulse-buy items. These days I try to only pick up thrifted and resale clothing as well as artist-made goods. Notice the key words "I try"...but fashion is my creative outlet so and your girl loves to create ;).
3. Because this space is usually messy. I've had it kinda organized for a while but not until recently did I really get a place for everything. And while it's clean, I thought what better time to tour!
It's a long-winded tour. I had to stop and share all my fave things, right? So I apologize for the length but...here you go! My closet tour!

I created an Amazon store with links to all of the organizational items I share so I'll be posting those down below. I know I struggled to find what works for me. Being a visual person, all of my stuff has to be out where I can see it. I tried to fight that method of organizing for a long time...but now I embrace it. It works for me!
Closet organizational items can be found here. From the pegboard, to the storage stool; from the cart to everything else, it's all in that link! I will be creating a Thrift Shop video soon in case you aren't sure where to start when you hit the thrift. It's a blast but can be discouraging if you don't have any luck. It's one of those things where you gotta go often and keep an open mind. 
Whenever we travel to towns, I always look for thrift and vintage shops to hit up. Fabric stores are fun too because then I can score something unusual to make into a dress!
For links to these wire racks and more home organization, check here. 
If you saw my sewing room tour, then you know my love for clear bins and wire racks! 
Here are more links to things you might see in the video:
* Crinolines* My fave health and beauty items* Shoes* Some of my fave earrings* Tights* Big ole belts!* Fanny packs
If you have any questions, feel free to drop them in the comments on the YouTube video. I had to turn off the comments here; I was getting so much spam it was crazy! 
But if you are looking to embrace your inner fashionista or just wanna organize as a visual person, lemme know. I'd be happy to help!
Until then, thanks for joining me!

5 Earth Day Art Projects You'll Love!

Hello, friends! Earth Day is coming up and so I thought I'd put together all of my very favorite Earth Day videos and lessons right here! I'm even placing the videos in this post so you don't need to hop all over the place. That's right, it's a one-stop-shop today on my blog. Enjoy!
First up is this Draw-Along Give the Earth a Hug.
Supplies needed:* Scissors* Paper* Markers* Crayons* Glue
This project is another Draw Along but you also get to add color with a fun printmaking activity! Here's what you'll need:
* Black permanent marker* Markers* Paper* Aluminum Foil


Making salt-dough clay is a blast! Just by itself! But to make something with it is even more fun. Here's what you'll need:
* Cardboard* Flour* Salt* Food Coloring* Crayons* Markers


This pop-up poster involves turning markers into paint! Here's what you'll need to have:
* Paper* Construction paper* Markers* Cup of water* Paintbrush* Scissors* Glue
Who doesn't love to make a pop-up?! And this one just requires a few supplies:
* Crayons* Paper* Scissors
That's it!Have fun creating!

15 of my Favorite Lessons for Spring!

One of my favorite lessons (and more popular vidoes) is this Heather Galler-inspired floral painting. We did these in April and they were always an art show show-stopper! Not to mention, a great gift for Mother's Day! Full lesson with video here.
I even love them in black and white! If you are short on time, these could be completed with tissue paper squares...see my lesson below for more details on that process.
Liquid watercolor was how we finished these off. I like using liquid watercolor on larger projects. I always save pan watercolor for more detailed work.  This lesson is a hit with ALL grade levels! I first did this lesson years ago with second grade. Last year, I did it with everyone and the results are always beautiful. Full lesson and simple video here!
So many ways to finish these beauties. We opted for chalk but we've also used bleeding tissue, watercolor and tempera paint too! THIS is kindergarten, y'all! We finished these with oil pastel and watercolor. A more updated and kid-friendly video can be found in this blog post. 
Looking for a spring-time clay project? Check out these created by my kindergarten students! You can find the details and a video tutorial here.  And if you are looking for a list of my favorite clay supplies (as well as were to snag my clay book) check out this link! Springtime is the best time to introduce landscapes to your students! This one is so fun...it's chalk like you might have never used it before! Chalk...that doesn't need to be set with a fixative. More here!
I will advise this: when adding paint after the chalking, use tempera cakes, they were so much better than the tempera paint I used in the video. So, like, basically, ANYTHING you make and put in these PLATES from Hobby Lobby looks stunning. This was a quick kindergarten lesson that you can find here. Video too!
This one was so fun! Learn a little about Warhol AND get to use Puffy Paint?! Yes please and thank you! Again, I got a video for you. Check it out here.  Nothing says spring like cherry blossoms! This one was inspired by Vincent van Gogh's love of Japanese prints. I created a video and you can find it here. 
I think my favorite part is the textured paper we created for the background! What is better than neon oil pastels and watercolor?! Not much, I say. We loved creating these coloful landscapes and they so brightened the halls. For the complete lesson and the video (I told you, I got you covered!) here.
Cereal boxes for the win, friends! Start collecting now!
Honestly, I don't know who loves puffy paint more, me or the kids! Just keep a pin on hand to unclog the nozzle. The paint does tend to dry out and clog the inside! Looking for more landscape ideas? I put together an entire blog post of my favorite landscape lessons right here! 
I want this as a quilt! Here's a little lesson I created to use up popsicle sticks (ha!) and for a sub! These turned out so cute and the kids loved them! Video lesson here. 
Please tell me I'm not the only one with three million trillion popsicle sticks! These clay flowers my third graders created were so beautiful! 
Each one was so creative. I provide the step by step photos in this blog post. 

The details! Loved the birds and bugs added!
Cute little kindergarten flowers! We even painted flower pots for Mother's Day. All the details here.  This lesson was so much fun! We used watercolor paint for the backgrounds, we drew designs on the vases, we used black ink and tissue paper! It was a big fun lesson and you can find it here. 
Love the dragon on this one! I made this mural at the start of a school year...but I also think it would be perfect for spring! It's a lot...but so many beautiful things were created. Check out the blog post here. 
Speaking of murals...this one involved the whole school! And would also be a great end of the school year collaboration. 
Happy and bright colors like this always put me in the mood for spring.
I hope you find a lesson or two here that you can use this spring! I'm always so happy to share with you all. 

Classroom Management: The 3 Things I Do Before Every Art Lesson

Okay, so I'm gonna be honest: I'm not GREAT with consistency. BUT...I am consistent when I run my art class. Full disclosure: my art classes are (and yes, I still use the present tense; I've only been out of the art room for a month and I will always consider myself an art teacher so you'll have to forgive me) 30 minutes long with all grades, kindergarten through 4th. So even tho I don't consider myself a consistent person by nature, I've had to force myself to be for the sake of getting any true art teacherin' accomplished. 
In those 30 minutes, I have a lotta routines established. Today I thought I'd share the three I use to begin each and every lesson. Some folks hate these routines of mine...and they are always sure to let me know. BUT in the end, you gotta do what works best for you, your students, your situation and your set up. 
That said, here's the three things I do before every art lesson:If you are interested, I wrote a whole dang book with my art teacherin' tips and tricks in it. You can grab a copy here, if you like. 
And if you are interested in what I'm using in this video, be sure and read the description. I added links to all of the supplies from the Open/Closed sign to the tabletop dry erase board to the happy face magnets! Tap this link to view those and...subscribe! I'm adding a ton of new content to my YouTube channel. 

DIY: Paint Pen Earrings!

Hey, y'all! 
So, backstory on this DIY:A year or so ago, I bought this super cute pair of plastic (or maybe they are acrylic) face earrings. I loved them...but they were brown, the same color as my hair. The moment, I wore them, you couldn't see them! 
They sat in my earring stash for many a day until...one day...I decided to attack them with paint pens. What's the worst that can happen? I thought. I mean, I never wore them anyway. 
Turns out, after painting them and covering them in a thin layer of ModPodge and glitter, I loved them! 
And I recently did it again! This time, I created a how-to video so...here you go:
By the way, this is just a side note, but I'm adding a ton of new content to my YouTube channel! So...if you're interested, you should subscribe. Just sayin'. If you wanna give this a go, I created a list of the supplies I used with links. Here you go:
*Super cute earrings here, here and here. * Posca pens were so fun to use!
* Glitter for some added sparkle!* And ModPodge to seal the paint and prevent the earrings from chipping. Knowing that I am always short on time, as I know you are too, I'm always looking for fun, easy and fast crafts. And this was it! 
ALSO...I'm getting back into blogging! AND I'm giving a tour of my 'closet' this week...and I'm really excited. It motivated me to clean the space! Just a little more tweaking until it's ready to share. Stay tuned!
Until then, have a great week, y'all!