I am a second-year art teacher, teaching kindergarten through 5th grade. I am eager to give my students and my school an in-depth, interdisciplinary art program. I have plenty of energy and fresh ideas, now I just need a few additional resources!
Our elementary school is lucky enough to have an arts focus and many of the students thrive in my classroom. For some who may not excel in core courses, or struggle with discipline issues elsewhere, they often flourish in the art room. I see a great deal of curiosity and creativity in my students, and it excites me. I would love to help them further develop those traits.
One of my biggest goals in teaching is to make sure I can show students evidence of art or artistic possibilities in subjects they may have difficulty with. Making that small connection for some students is all they need to get motivated or regain focus. If they can turn their science knowledge and studies into an art project, it may suddenly become much more intriguing to them.
Another goal I strive to reach in teaching art to elementary age students is to have them become appreciators of art, and to value the work they create. I find that this can often be achieved by having students create art that is both attractive to their individual eyes, as well as functional. Students LOVE art that has a dual purpose. We have created Alexander Calder-like mobiles to entertain younger siblings, Huichol Indian-like yarn bottles to hold flowers or other miscellany, and pinch pots to hold change or jewelry, to name a few.
For this particular project, I would like to utilize fused glass arts to help 4th graders better understand the process of carbonization which creates fossils. This will help to reinforce the information they learn about the process of rock formation and layers of earth during their science studies in their homeroom, as well as introduce them to a new material in the art room. For this project students will use organic materials, which burn away between two pieces of melted glass during the kiln firing and leave a silvery outline, representational of the impression of a fossil. The students will be able to frame their artworks like a traditional fossil collection, or wrap them in jewelry wire to create pendants and necklaces.
To do all of this, I would need to have a small tabletop glass kiln (which could be used again and again, for other glass projects, small ceramic pieces, and metal enameling) an accessory kit with kiln shelves and kiln wash, a number of 6" x 6" glass sheets in clear and various colors, glass stringers, and multiple glass tools, such as cutters, pliers and a sander.
Your help will allow my already talented students to hone some of their artistic skills and push themselves just a little bit further. Your help will allow me to present a fun, engaging and interactive art and science lesson. This project will yield an impressive artifact which the students will cherish and hang on to for years to come. This is NOT a throw-away art project.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Mauer Taflinger and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.