Space!
Spring 2021
For my school-wide spring unit, I look typically look for inspiration from current world events, popular artists, or student interests. This year there's been a large number of students drawing little crewmates in space...so a SPACE theme it was! Students in all grade levels created two projects (one two-dimensional, one three-dimensional) featuring themes revolving around space, aliens, monsters, and all things science fiction.
Kindergarten made Aliens Love Underpants, inspired by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort's book, as well as creating symmetrical alien masks based on concept art from Lilo and Stitch. First grade made 3D spaceships inspired by the same book, as well as rockets in the style of artist Peter Thorpe. 2nd grade got Lost in Spice and made aliens frolicking on a 3D planet, as well as finding some inspiration from Star Wars rebels by creating symbols of hope with embroidery.
3rd grade designed their own space stations, inspired by the creations of California native Pam Peacock.Grades 3, 4, 5, and mixed ages made very expressive and comical monsters based on the ceramics of Oregon based artist James DeRosso. Virtual learners, as well as some in-person students created recycled spaceships by drawing inspiration from the masters at Industrial Light and Magic. ILM is the special effects company behind Star Wars movie magic, and they literally made the life-sized Millennium Falcon from "junk," including old airplane parts. Virtual learners also did a 'mash up' lesson, combining the Cubist style of Pablo Picasso with modern space imagery, such as astronauts and aliens.
4th, 5th, and 6th grade all made work inspired by Star Wars; 4th grade focused on Ralph McQuarrie's concept art, and 5th and 6th grade made creatures trapped in carbonite, as seen an iconic scene from The Empire Strikes Back. 5th grade got a taste of linear perspective by creating imaginary 3D worlds in the style of Texan artist Ricardo Paniagua. The grand finale that no one got to see came from 6th grade, who created impossible rooms in space using linear perspective in the style of artist M.C. Escher. The school year ended before they could be displayed in the hallways, but they turned out to be so out of this world that the project will definitely be repeated in the future!
Kindergarten made Aliens Love Underpants, inspired by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort's book, as well as creating symmetrical alien masks based on concept art from Lilo and Stitch. First grade made 3D spaceships inspired by the same book, as well as rockets in the style of artist Peter Thorpe. 2nd grade got Lost in Spice and made aliens frolicking on a 3D planet, as well as finding some inspiration from Star Wars rebels by creating symbols of hope with embroidery.
3rd grade designed their own space stations, inspired by the creations of California native Pam Peacock.Grades 3, 4, 5, and mixed ages made very expressive and comical monsters based on the ceramics of Oregon based artist James DeRosso. Virtual learners, as well as some in-person students created recycled spaceships by drawing inspiration from the masters at Industrial Light and Magic. ILM is the special effects company behind Star Wars movie magic, and they literally made the life-sized Millennium Falcon from "junk," including old airplane parts. Virtual learners also did a 'mash up' lesson, combining the Cubist style of Pablo Picasso with modern space imagery, such as astronauts and aliens.
4th, 5th, and 6th grade all made work inspired by Star Wars; 4th grade focused on Ralph McQuarrie's concept art, and 5th and 6th grade made creatures trapped in carbonite, as seen an iconic scene from The Empire Strikes Back. 5th grade got a taste of linear perspective by creating imaginary 3D worlds in the style of Texan artist Ricardo Paniagua. The grand finale that no one got to see came from 6th grade, who created impossible rooms in space using linear perspective in the style of artist M.C. Escher. The school year ended before they could be displayed in the hallways, but they turned out to be so out of this world that the project will definitely be repeated in the future!