#firstgradeart

First Grade Bird Paintings

As a follow-up from their sculptures, first grade students with time then painted and drew a bird. Many chose to use the same bird, while some chose a new one.  They drew their birds from observation using photographs as a reference, and were encouraged to add details from New York City to show that’s where there birds live. 

First Grade Paper Mâché Birds

Here are some of the finished birds by our first graders. All of the birds were on display--and flying around--at the students’ parks unit capstone event in late May!

First Grade Paper Mâché Birds

For their final unit of the year, and as part of their parks unit, the first graders discussed types of birds they had seen in New York City.  They then began to create New York City bird of their own. 

First, they discussed the parts of a bird, and chose a bird based on a range of photographs that Wu Laoshi and Chen Laoshi provided. Students chose birds such as cardinals, blue jays, hermit thrushes and pigeons. The students also made the form of their bird using newspaper, masking tape, and cardboard. 

in the following week, the students used a paper mâché technique, by mixing paper mâché paste and adding strips of newspaper. They were all very familiar with this process, having made their lions’ heads at Chinese New Year out of paper mâché as well! 

First Grade Ceramic Platters with Fruit

After their project looking at fruit and vegetables in two dimensions, first graders began to take their skills into three dimensions. Using real-life fruits and vegetables, or images of them, they sculpted their edibles from clay.

In the following week, the students learned about glazes, and how they often change color in the kiln. Each student worked carefully to glaze their forms with true-to-life colors. 

In the subsequent week, the students made a clay platter for one of their sculptures, and added beads to their platters for embellishement. Here, the students were encouraged to think about patterns and balance while placing their beads.