Be Creative Center Day!

If my classes earn 6 crayons (they get one crayon per week based on good behavior) they get to have a Be Creative Center Day. Students have the entire class time to do various activities such as finger weaving, straw construction, play balancing games, Lego architecture and more. Here are some of the super creative things grades K-5 made over the past couple of weeks.


Is this students a future Frank Lloyd Wright?






Great balancing!



A creative way to learn spelling words?


















Carolyn J. Braden
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A good idea from Kroger

In a recent mailing from Kroger, there was a section about how to connect with your children. Here is an idea they had for making an "artistic connection."

It's All In the Presentation
"It doesn't take a lot to make school-produced illustrations look terrific. Go to the local craft shop and get some matted frames with protective glass. 'Display your children's work like it is great art,' says Pablo Solomon, an artist/designer who also has degrees in psychology and sociology. 'Some of it is remarkably good. Picasso was often quoted about the need to recapture your inner child's openness and freedom as an artist.' "

Keeping it for Life
"By the time children leave the nest, you're going to want to have these items on hand. Take photos of the artwork and transfer to files for your digital photo archives. Remember to do a "Save As" on the best of the computer generated essays and tuck them into a desktop file. Keep original on-paper work in a nice album that will protect it from dust, moisture and sunlight."

Hope you like these ideas! The suggestion to take pictures of your children's art is great. Take a picture of their art with your cell phone (make sure there is plenty of natural light for a great photo) to share with family and friends. 

The Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft: Second Grade Field Trip to Make Folk Art!

The Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft: Second Grade Field Trip to Make Folk Art!

Carolyn Braden's Article on E-How: Games for a Child at Five Years Old

During W.A.A.S. Friday's (We Are Art Stars) students get to vote on fun activities they wish do do. Classes must have 3 out of 4 stars on my star chart to earn these fun days. Students work very hard to earn them. Kid's need a break in the classroom sometimes and WAAS days provided them with that. When they choose Be Creative Centers, I love watching them play games, play-doh, puzzles and more. I learned what the different age levels love to play just by observing them. Click the link below to go to an article I wrote about some ideas for games you can play with a child at age 5. 


http://www.ehow.com/info_7861023_games-child-five-years.html

Carolyn Braden's How-To: Make Tissue Paper Pom-Poms/Flowers

This is a fun craft!  I've hung these in my classroom and received many compliments on how pretty they were.  I thought I'd share the craft with everyone since it's so easy!  Click the link below to see my YouTube video to learn to make them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCHnUECp3r0