French Leaf Identification Worksheets

I've made some french versions of my leaf identification handouts and worksheets. They are now available here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/French-Leaf-Identification-Worksheets-Fiches-didentification-des-feuilles-7123234

These are great for fall tree walks and for french language, science and art activities. I have enjoyed using them as part of an interdisciplinary approach to the Ontario Science curriculum. Students collect and identify leaves. Then they complete a scientific illustration about their leaf. After that we learn about the communities and habitats of the trees and the species that live around our school.

- Patrick

Leaf Identification Worksheets

I have just added a new resource to my TeachersPayTeachers site that I am excited about. My class had a great time using these this fall. These are worksheets that teach how to identify deciduous and coniferous trees based on the characteristics of leaves. These are cross-curricular worksheets that combines science, environment, art, language and outdoor activity. This resource works well with any age level. It works with the science curriculum, outdoor exploration, student inquiry project, visual arts and language.

- Patrick

Tree identification Unit

 I've just finished a new teaching resource that is available on my teacherspayteachers page here:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Tree-Identification-Unit-6641761

This resource is a cross-curricular unit plan for Grade 4 Communities and Habitats, from the Ontario curriculum. It combines science, environment, art, language and outdoor activity. This resource can be used for a variety other learning purposes. It can work well with Grades 4, 5 and 6 for science curriculum, outdoor exploration, student inquiry project, visual arts and language. 

I created this unit based on lessons, activities and ideas that I worked out in the classroom. It is an engaging unit that kids will enjoy and is also fun to teach!

- Patrick 

Happy Halloween! Symmetrical Pumpkin Project

It's been a busy fall! I just finished Inktober (doing one ink drawing a day for the month of October). I highly recommend this challenge - and it may be a fun class project for higher grades. For the younger grades, my class had a great time doing these Symmetrical Pumpkins.

We've just started 2D Geometry in Math, so this project is great way to practice symmetry and to celebrate Halloween with a fun craft project. This is also a great way to introduce the concept of negative space. 

Step 1: Draw half a pumpkin on a half sheet of orange construction paper.

Step 2: Cut out the pumpkin and then the eye and the mouth. *Keep all the pieces of orange paper*

Step 3: Flip and glue the orange pieces onto the full piece of black construction paper. 

Patrick

Cool stuff coming up at the A.G.O.

There's lots of cool stuff coming up at the A.G.O., check out their site for more info: https://ago.ca/

First of all, starting today (May 25th) and going for the next year for sure,
anyone under 25 gets in free!!!!!
Also, annual passes are $35!!!!!  
A few great changes from C.E.O. Stephan Jost- thank you!

I can't wait to check out:

Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirrored Room (now open and part of the permanent collection)
Brian Jungen: Friendship Centre (opening June 20th)

- Patrick

Beautiful Jamaican Wildlife Poster

Check out this beautiful Jamaican Wildlife Poster- a wonderful educational resource by Liz:
https://sawwhetstudio.tumblr.com/

"What is art for? Alain de Botton's animated guide"

Here is a wonderful, quick video that addresses a question that many people find challenging to answer. This would be a great way to start an art class or a unit on art history.

Cheers,

Patrick

Art & Nationhood- AGO Creative Minds- April 21st, 2017

A fascinating conversation about art and nationhood happened last night at Massey Hall in Toronto, featuring: Christi Belcourt, Sir David Adjaye, Junot Diaz and Paul Gross. In light of the upcoming Canada 150, the conversation gets to the heart of some of the serious problems with trying to define nationhood in Canada- hearing from Indigenous, American, British and Canadian perspectives. Looking forward, the talk brings up the idea of "radical hope" and the role that art can have in breaking down our barriers and illusions and allowing us to reveal and share in our humanity. Definitely worth a watch!

See the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TukxNhN740M

And find out more about AGO Creative Minds here: http://www.agocreativeminds.ca/

- Patrick

Sketching The Line

If you take the T.T.C. regularly, you will have seen the "Sketching The Line" series of artists' drawings of scenes/people on the T.T.C. Submission are open now until February 28th for anyone interested. Find out details here: http://www.artintransit.ca/archives/pattison-outdoor-and-the-ttc-announce-call-for-submissions-for-sketching-the-line.html

Happy sketching!

- Patrick

photobash.org

Here's a great resource for visual artists, royalty-free photo reference packs:

http://www.photobash.org

Sci Art Field Trip to Allen Gardens!

The art studio blog that I contribute to: Saw-Whet Studio is organizing a field trip for anyone interested- and not students for once! This is definitely in line with the post I made a few weeks ago about Cross-curricular Learning. Here's a chance for you to start (or add to) your own "Grail Diary" project. This Science/Art trip will take place in Toronto at the beautiful (and free) Allen Gardens, on Saturday, October 22nd, 12-2pm. All are welcome!

- Patrick

Cardboard House Exhibition

I just saw this on the Ontario Art Education Association's Facebook page, it looks like so much fun, and definitely a good STEAM project idea:

http://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/article/amazing-carton-house-exhibition/

- Patrick

Neil Degrasse Tyson & David Byrne explaining the importance of art education

Here's a great, quick video of Neil Degrasse Tyson and David Byrne explaining the importance of art education: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/startalk/videos/the-importance-of-art-education/

I think what they are saying is that education/real learning is interdisciplinary in nature. Studying art and science go well together - the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. You will become a better engineer or scientist if you study art and you will become a better artist if you study science.

I'm currently developing my first online course (for Blyth Academy Online), and it's a Grade 12 Interdisciplinary Studies course on Museum Studies. It combines visual arts, social sciences, marketing and technology to introduce students to the world of museums and galleries. I'm really enjoying putting it together and it should be up and running by February 2017. More info to come...

Thanks to the OAEA for making it easy for me to find this video!

- Patrick

A few wonderful artists to check out:

I find so many inspirational artists online- in this post I'll share a few of the ones I've found recently. In our daily online exploration, we are inundated with images and works from a seemingly endless stream of artists. It is important to slow down and appreciate them sometimes.

An idea for a class activity:

Have students research and explore art sites online and make a list of 10 artists that inspire them. Using curriculum/project-specific criteria, have them narrow down their list to the 3 most inspirational and course-relevant artists. Have them prepare a brief slide show presentation with examples of the artists' work, a bio and 1 example of the application of the critical analysis process to analyze 1 work from each of their chosen artists.

Here are 3 that I choose:

Dan McCarthy: http://www.danmccarthy.org

Beth Zaiken: http://www.bethzaiken.com/projects.html

Song Kang: http://www.song-kang.com


Enjoy!

- Patrick

Tree Mural Video

                                         

Last term, my Integrated Arts class painted a mural at our neighbouring Fun Community School. We enjoyed working on this project and I made the film above as an example of a high-speed movie for my grade 10 Communications Technology class.