At PS 33, I was fortunate enough to be able to build a comprehensive visual arts curriculum serving students (grades K-5) with a wide range of interests and abilities. In doing so, I focused primarily on engaging my students by introducing them to innovative approaches and techniques as well as opening up their minds to the artist’s ability to play, inspire and transform. Projects spanned everything from outdoor chalk murals (K) and elaborate cityscapes (1g) to Keith Haring-inspired calls to action (2g) and 3D cube creatures (5g). Below, I’ve outlined a few of the many highlights from each grade and encourage you to visit the accompanying photo galleries for more incredible examples of student artists at work.
Early learners at CP explored different shapes, artists and lines and experimented with everything from drawing, painting and paper cutting to advanced collage techniques and different styles of mark making. We also studied monsters and sea creatures, made our own “It’s Not a Box” masterpieces and turned the schoolyard into our own personal canvas!
First graders had a lot of fun exploring (and blurring) the line between fantasy and reality! Together, we created imaginative food monsters and mixed media cityscapes, redesigned our favorite book covers, developed our own contemporary superheroes and covered the hallways with colorful Jackson Pollack and Kandinsky-inspired abstractions.