We Love Worms!

Visiting Author Scott Stoll came to Randall STEM today to take the all-school photograph that will appear on his highly anticipated book, Ruby the Red Worm's Dirty Job.  STEM artists drew all of the illustrations for the book!  Everyone wore their STEM tie-dye t-shirts or red t-shirts and were organized into a human worm for the all-school photograph.  Be sure to check out Scott's book, due out in May!

Second Grade STEM students wait for the photograph to be taken.

Fourth grade students started the heart.

Building STEaM in 2010 (and 2011)!

All lined up for their photograph!  Scott Stoll is on the rooftop telling everyone to smile!  :)

Flashback to Pinwheels for Peace

This was an all-school installation for the International Day of Peace!  For more information on this world-wide project, visit http://www.pinwheelsforpeace.com/.

Graphic Design: Words as Negative Space

Students in second grade created a theme for their mixed-media drawings and incorporated writing about their theme into the background of the picture as an integral part of the design.  Words do not always have to be in front, as we discovered!  They can become lines and shapes too!

by Hannah

by Elle

Global Cinderella

First grade students in Ms. Sprader's class self-organized in groups based on which version of a Cinderella-like story they would like to read.  Students were amazed to hear that there are hundreds of versions of this famous tale all around the world. 

In order to map out similarities and differences between Disney's Cinderella and the book the group read, groups completed a comparing and contrasting chart.  Once their chart was complete, students collaboratively illustrated the most important part of their story and shared their insights with other groups.

collaborative illustration of Yeh-Shen by Joelle, Kaeley and Rylee

Fractions are Everywhere!

1st Grade artists connected math with art when they created designs from fraction pieces they cut themselves.  Students practiced making and writing fractions that represented 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, and 1/8. 

To make lifelike backgrounds, students learned how to blend chalk pastels smoothly or use various line types to add texture.



The Spring Field by Clarissa



How can art show emotion?

After viewing the life-size plaster sculptures of George Segal, fourth grade artists were given the task of making a plaster sculpture that captured a human emotion.  Students created show cards to display their writing alongside their artwork, and this writing explained how the artist used visual clues to portray their chosen emotion.

by Ethan

Klimt Trees of Life



Recycling Tree by Anan



Second grade artists studied the meaning of the tree of life symbol and how it relates to a symbol of a leaning tree that we have at STEM.  One student remarked,

"I think it means that we are learning in a new way at STEM."

  After viewing Gustav Klimt's Tree of Life painting as inspiration, students created their own tree symbol to send a message of how to take care of our Earth.

What are Masks For?

Third grade explored many purposes of masks as they designed their own interpretation of a plaster mask.  Students chose their own materials to add clues that would make viewers guess the purpose of their mask. 

Spanish Dancer mask by Isabel

Earth Day Still Life Flowers

In order to pay tribute to flowers that make our earth so beautiful, Kindergarten artists designed a mixed-media paint and oil pastel background that would show off their bright tissue paper flowers and crafted a vase to display the flowers in with colorful plastic.  They learned that painting objects from life that are not moving is called a still life.

by Marina




 

by Jacob

Go Fish with Kindergarten!

Kindergarten began applying their knowledge of fish anatomy and tissue paper techniques to create fish mobiles that look a lot like the work of famous artist Alexander Calder! 

Fish Mobile by Peyton G.