Georgia O'Keefe Flowers

Since I am beginning art in the middle of the year, I was lucky to have an awesome teacher who had already begun the year and was doing great. She just didn't want to be the visual arts teacher, just the graphic arts teacher. She already had Kinder through 3rd started on the Georgia O'Keefe flowers. We began by reading the book about Georgia O'Keefe (see below).  After giving the students some background on Georgia, we discussed how a bee would see a flower (bee's eye view). We wanted to focus drawing the flower big even off of the paper. After the first class, I learned quickly I had to discuss we are not drawing the stem or leaves just the flower. I placed paper on top of the tables so students would feel comfortable drawing off the paper. The different grades were going to use different mediums. Kindergarden drew then painted their flower using red, green and white. First grade drew the flower and painted using yellow, green white. Second and 3rd both drew the flower, outlined with white glue then used chalk pastels. Kindergarden was the only grade that finished in one class, since they are with me for 50 mintues where everyone else is only with me for 30 minutes.

My arts major students (4th and 5th graders) were also introduced to Georgia O'Keefe but from a different angle.  O'Keefe drew a painting called Blue and Green Music, using her method of music and art I played a CD of guitar music for them and had them draw how the music sounded. After I showed them my version of how the guitar music looked to me I had the students research other instruments. They each choose their own instrument and followed the same theme.