First Week of School

During the first weeks of school, artists discuss expectations we have of each other in the art room and also get reacquainted with the space. This year, we played an art room "I Spy" game. Students looked at photos of places in the art room. These photos were intentionally taken from close up or interesting angles so that it would be more challenging to identify. Students rotated around the room to look at all the photos and correctly identify the different places and parts of the art room and their purpose.

Students also began their monochromatic self portraits. Monochromatic means one color, so students used one color to draw a picture of themselves. Even though students were limited to one color, there were many different shades of that color available through markers, crayons and colored pencils. Students could represent themselves in a variety of different ways. Below are some photos of work in progress. 

These monochromatic self portraits will be put together in large rainbow displays, so keep a look out for those coming soon!

Doodle Mural

4th and 5th grade artists started off the year by doodling! After discussing art class expectations and a quick art room scavenger hunt, we got right down to art making on the first day. 

Doodles are usually simple drawings. They can be abstract, with repeated lines, shapes and patterns, or they can be representational, with recognizable objects and characters. Everyone can doodle! Although doodles are often seen as a sign of being bored, many people find that doodling can help them focus.

Students selected a Post-It and a ballpoint pen, skinny marker and/or Sharpie marker to doodle with. Doodling is often done spontaneously, without advance planning, so students were encouraged to just begin and see where it took them. Some students started in the middle of their Post-It paper and worked their way outwards, while others started in the corners. 

Some students thought about a specific theme, such as outer space, animals or cartoon characters. Others experimented with a variety of lines and shapes, or repeating a pattern. Some students included their name or initials within their doodle.

After finishing their doodle, students brought their Post-It over to a larger grid and chose a spot for their doodle. Some students selected a spot based on the doodles around it, to connect with someone else's doodle. After a week of art classes, it was transformed into a collaborative mural! 

The doodle mural is now on display in the connector hallway, on a bulletin board, so look for our doodles!

Welcome Back!

Welcome back Hosmer artists and families! I hope everyone had a fun and relaxing summer! I look forward to seeing returning artists and meeting our new ones this September. 

For those of you new to Hosmer, my name is Ms. Kim and I am the art teacher. I am excited to be going into my second year teaching and making art with Hosmer students. I moved to the Boston area last year, from New York. I had most recently been living and teaching in Brooklyn, and before that, I worked for several years in an arts non-profit organization in Manhattan. 

In art this year, we will be exploring a variety of materials and techniques, learning about artists and art forms from around the world, and creating art works that express who we are as artists and human beings. I strive to create student-centered lessons and emphasize process over product. We will also focus on engaging in direct inquiry and problem solving in creative ways!  

In addition, this summer I met up with our fantastic music teacher, Ms. Patashnick, to plan ideas and work on curricula together. We designed an 'Around the World' theme for 2nd grade this year, complete with passports! We will be learning about art from around the globe, including India, Morocco, France, Japan and Australia.

This year, we have a Word Wall on the back wall of the art room. The Word Wall is to help us remember the art vocabulary words that we learn throughout the year. Words are color coded, so you can tell which vocabulary words connect to art materials, techniques, artist's names, etc. 

Every student has one 40-minute art class each week. Student artwork is displayed throughout the school and in the spring, we have the district-wide art show, as well as our annual Art & Music Extravaganza.

Check back here often to stay updated on what each grade level is learning about and making in art. You can also follow or subscribe to our blog by adding your email in the 'Follow by Email' box on the upper right hand side of the site.  

We also have an 'Amazing Arts' newsletter that comes out every term for more information on what students are learning in music and art, as well as upcoming dates for concerts and exhibitions. We will be sending home a newsletter in the beginning of September. If you would like to contact me directly, please send me an email: haein.kim@watertown.k12.ma.us

Art is Hands On

3rd, 4th and 5th grade artists started off the year by creating colorful hands, using lines, shapes and patterns to fill in the shape of their hand. They thought about how they could use a variety of lines to make an interesting pattern or express their personality. They started with pencil and outlined their lines in Sharpie marker once they were ready. They then incorporated warm, cool and complementary colors in their design, using markers.

The last step was to cut out their hand. All of the hands became part of a larger display on the bulletin board outside the art room:

 Art is hands on!

Welcome!

Welcome to art at Hosmer!

My name is Ms. Kim and I am in my fourth year teaching art at Hosmer Elementary School in Watertown, MA. I moved to the Boston area from New York City, where I previously taught elementary art in Brooklyn. 

In art class we will be exploring different materials and techniques so that we can express ourselves and tell our own stories, make connections across disciplines, and problem-solve in creative ways. We will be engaging in direct inquiry and experiencing materials hands-on. 

In art making, different materials provide different experiences. We will be building up a rich and expressive vocabulary with different materials and techniques, so that we can translate our thoughts into action!

Teaching and learning are woven together. I am excited to educate, challenge and inspire each other through art! If you would like to contact me with questions, please send me an email: haein.kim@watertown.k12.ma.us