Last updated 01/10/2012

 

              

WELCOME

TO

MRS. MASSA'S

ART CLASS

 

                                                                                                                                     

                                                                      Many thanks to all those families who donated to th Teacher's Purse... your thoughtfulness & generousity

                                                                          is appreciated very much!

                                         

                                                                                                      January   

                                                                                                                                                

       This month the students are busy working on projects for our school-wide art show. The    art show this year will be apart of IHM school's Open House which is scheduled for Sunday, January 22nd.  The theme for this year's show is based on the well-known  Impressionist artist Claude Monet.  We will transform the art room into a scene from  his famous Water Lilies painting.    

 
     
 

  Here are some of the projects we are working on this month:

 

 

 

Grade Level

 

 

 Activity

5

 

                   

 

           

                                                

 

 

The 5th grade will  create a clay animal  (frogs, turtles, fish, birds, insects etc.) sculpture that might be found in this pond-type setting to be used in an art installation piece.  They will also create their own watercolor water lily painting.

6

 

                

                      

 

 

The 6th grade will make tissue paper flowers, water lilies and cattails to add to the scene.

The Pottery enrichment classes made a clay waterlily votive candle holder to be an additional sculptural element to the show.

 

7

 

 

 

  

 

The 7th grade will paint Impressionistic landscape murals to add to the room setting.

8

 

   

The 8th grade classes experimented with finger paint to create fun Impressionistic mural paintings of the water from the scene using a layering technique of many reflected colors.

They also are working on a tissue paper collage of the water lily work.
 
Each student will be required to have a sketchbook for class. This will be used for class notes, sketches as well as homework and extra credit work. It will be collected for a grade once a quarter.

 
Art grades are based on a 100 point scale. Long term projects will be evaluated on 4 categories for 25 points each: Creativity, Participation/ Effort, Craftsmanship and Presentation. A critique sheet with graded points and comments will contain all this information.
 All art classes meet once a week. Since many of the projects involve specialized materials and techniques, artwork can take 3-4 weeks to complete. Grades therefore can not be posted weekly but will be recorded in a timely manner once all classes have completed the project. It is very important that students do their best on every project and that they are productive in class. In addition, they can work in their sketchbook for practice and extra-credit bonus points.
 
 

About Me

I received my Bachelor of Science in Art Education from the University of   Dayton  .  Upon  graduating , I began teaching at Purcell Marian High School as an art instructor and soccer coach . I also taught at St. Mary's Elementary, starting their school's first art program in 1984. In 1986 , I began my 13 year career in the Forest Hills School District as an art instructor at Wilson Elementary. I am excited about returning to the classroom here at Immaculate Heart of  Mary, my alma mater and the school where my children presently attend . I am looking forward to the opportunity to share my art ideas and experience with the students here at IHM  school !

My Teaching Philosophy

 My philosophy as an art educator in working with students of all ages, abilities and learning styles consists of three important elements: the development of the child's aesthetic sense, an awareness of man's artistic heritage, as well as the realization of their own personal, creative powers and artistic skills . Each process must reinforce each other .

 Learning "  to  see and understand art " can be accomplished by guiding the child in their appreciation of the world around them and by exposing them to the works of artists from every age and society. 

 Learning "to make art " can be fostered by instructing in techniques and processes, but more importantly by appreciating and encouraging the honest, creative efforts of the child .  Art class should  an opportunity for the students to learn, develop their creative thinking skills and allow for their  artistic expression.