Off to a GREAT start in 2014 !

The artists at Underhill school have been busy creating many new masterpieces since school began in September. The Boucher Bunch and the Lynch Learners have begun exploring color - primary, secondary, warm and cool colors. All of the projects will be bound into a book and will go home with the students mid January. The first graders created a Fall landscape, showing foreground, middle ground and back ground. We then squirted a little "ketchup and mustard " on the branches of the tree to make leaves! These were proudly displayed at the Ice Cream Social. The second graders began a unit on Pop Art and Andy Warhol. To integrate with their unit on Johnny Appleseed, we created apple prints, using complementary colors, and assembled the prints to mimic Mr. Warhol's style. 

Happy Fall !

Soo Busy in the Art Room!

The Underhill Artists wrapped up the rest of the 2013 - 14 school year with many fun projects! Color exploration in Kindergarten, Friendly Rock Monsters, along with their habitats in first grade and a zoo full of papier mache animals in second grade!

Our final project school wide was the creation of tie-dye t-shirts for Field Day. Through the generosity  of the PTA and the help of MANY parent and grandparent volunteers, every student made their own shirt. Each grade level had their own combination of primary colors and the results were AMAZING!

Field Day 2014

Hibernating Happenings !

We enjoyed the month of January in the Art Room by focusing our attention on the artwork for Art To Remember, a fundraising project that our PTA has participated in for many years.

The kindergarten artists created rainbow colored caterpillars, the first graders created sunflower watercolor paintings while channeling Vincent van Gogh and in second grade our artists illustrated underwater scenes using the crayon resist method.

I'm sure you will be impressed with the masterpieces !

The Rich Rascals continued with art pieces that will complete their study of color during the second trimester of this school year. All the work will be bound together to create a wonderful representation of your child's Kindergarten art experience with Mrs. White. Look for their Kindergarten Color Book to arrive in April.

January felt like the perfect time to learn about collage and create a snow friend out of torn colored papers and crayon in first grade. We heard the story Snowmen at Night by, Sharon Arrowood and were inspired to make fun snow scenes.The students will use this artwork as a writing prompt and you will see both pieces of work in their First Grade Art and Literature Book at the end of the school year.

The first grade artists additional completed a study of line, shape, color and form by creating a Friendly Rock Monster. We painted our rocks one color and then when dry completed as many lines and patterns as we could to create many silly features. Pom poms and wiggle eyes were also added. This project will also be used as a writing prompt by the students with their classroom teachers.

In second grade we experimented with printing bubble wrap to create a textured paper. It was VERY difficult not to pop it! Once the papers dried we used them to created Snow People collages. The students did a fantastic job adding many details to make an interesting work of art. They will use this with their classroom teachers as a writing prompt and you will see it in their Second Grade Art and Literature Book at the end of this school year.

December Recap 

Many exciting things happened in the Art Room during the month of December! 
The Rich Rascals, the kindergarten group having art during the second trimester of this school year, completed a collaborative elf project that would impress even Will Farrell! Every student decorated a life size replica of themselves as an elf with the help of a second grade buddy. They began by using marker to add some colorful patterns to their paper cut out, then they chose outfits to dress their elf in and finished the design with pom poms and other fabulous embellishments. Each student loved the opportunity to work with a partner and was incredibly proud of their creation!

In first grade the students work diligently for three class times on some incredible gingerbread house sculptures. We began with simple brown paper bags which magically became beautifully decorated three dimensional masterpieces. 

Many of the decorations were donated by the first grade parents and all of the children benefited from your generosity. Thank you!

Mrs. Field's Class

Mrs. Whittum's Class

Mrs. Lyscar's Class

Ms. Couture's Class

Mrs. Newcomb's Class

Mrs. Baldoumas's Class

Mrs. Pawlusiak's Class

Mrs. Lynch's Class

Second graders began the month by making a three dimensional grasshopper, which was completed as the students where studying the insect with their classroom teachers. Next we moved on to creating a seasonal ornament. The students experimented with lines and patterns while using "slick paint". Our focus is always on identifying the elements of art in each project, while enjoying the creative process. We wrapped up the month with each class creating headbands to wear to the PBIS assembly.

Thankful Underhill Artists!

Second grade Native Americans. 

First grade turkeys.

Second grade pilgrims.

All students in the first and second grades practiced their artistic skills creating headbands to celebrate Thanksgiving in our school cafe.

Fall Fun Festival 2013 !

Despite the challenging weather, the annual Fall Fun Festival was a tremendous success thanks to the collaborative help from many members of the Underhill staff and school volunteers !

Every student participated in age appropriate activities that channeled their creative, musical and physical energies in positive experiences. 

The second grade students work with their classmates, in groups of 4 or 5 to create a scarecrow.

Each work of art was incredibly unique and reinforced team work and group decision making. If you visit the second grade wing you will see the masterpieces!

All reports confirmed that a great time was had by ALL!

The first graders worked on class murals of fall apple trees. Every student put multiple, warm colored hand prints on the tree and finished up with an apple print on or around the tree.

Each student was invited to sign the class project and they are now proudly hanging in the hallways ! 

The Kindergarten friends worked together to create a class pumpkin patch ! Each artist painted their own version of a pumpkin to add to their class garden along with vines and leaves!

Due to unforeseen complications from a recent foot surgery, I was unable to attend the actual activities. I would like to thank our school volunteer coordinator, Georgette Peltak and the MANY school volunteers who pitched in to help make this day possible. I would also like to thank Amanda Stark, who stepped up and took over my responsibilities for the day. It certainly was a Gigantic relief to me to have such a wonderful group of people working together. That is what makes Underhill such a special place to be!

Fall Festival news!

The annual Fall Festival is rapidly approaching and our students are in for many fun activities to fill the afternoon of November 1.

The  morning kindergarten will be participating in all of the same activities as the afternoon classes during their regular school time. 

The collaborative art activities will include a pumpkin patch mural painting for each kindergarten class, a fall tree mural for each first grade class and in the second grade a new spin on creating a scarecrow. 

Many thanks in advance for all the volunteer help that is essential to organizing and facilitating a day like this. Behind the scenes preparation and participation during the events is greatly appreciated! I also want to thank all those who donated supplies needed for this event! Together we all make Underhill a great place to be! 

Photos and details to follow !