Ok...well our little art class just grew even smaller and turned into a private class for Shelly! Liron decided she didnt want to come anymore...(still smiling and ready for more hurdles) ...i am continuing with Shelly alone. It is different and the dynamics are very different...

We began the subject of 'shape' today by looking at these two pictures...


Matisse's 'The snail'


Mondrian's 'Tableau ll'

Both the pictures demonstrate shape in a great way and yet both are so different. I asked Shelly which picture she liked more and surprisingly she chose Mondrians. I thought she would go for the more colourful picture. I think this emphasises her attention to detail and preference for order. We discussed the pictures at length. Only in the end did i tell Shelly that Matisses picture is called 'The snail'...and we talked about how if you look carefully it does follow the lines of a snail. She seemed to find it harder to talk openly without a friend there to make it into a 'game'.

I gave Shelly some pipe cleaners (lines) and showed her how we can bend them how we like and create shapes with them. I asked her to make a triangle, a square and a circle.



I wanted to introduce the idea of form...to allow her to play around with the pipe-cleaners and enjoy 'drawing' with them in the air. She did enjoy this exercise but although she knows the shapes she found it quite hard to form a triangle and square with the wire.


Then i told Shelly we were going to play a game...i blindfolded her and found all sorts of objects around the house of different shapes. I wanted her to feel the objects and tell me what they were and about their shapes.

She enjoyed this a lot and again, i think this exercise emphasised the idea of form and shape. This lesson was quite different...no drawing or sticking...but i think Shelly enjoyed the game-like activities and it made her think about shapes more.

14 Comments:

  1. Anonymous said...
    Oh it sounds wonderful. Lovely to see busy little hands learning.
    shari said...
    in montessori, we do the same activity (shapes in bag and the children have to guess what they are). we call it a mystery bag. it is usually a favorite in the classroom. we also teach the names of the geometric solids: cone, sphere, cube, etc.. thanks for sharing julie! xo s
    Anonymous said...
    I´d love to stand in for liron ;)
    and I love shapes!!
    lisa solomon said...
    so good.... line, form.... what's next... shade??
    ruby-crowned kinglette said...
    wonderful. i love sitting here trying to imagine the conversations you are having with shelly...
    Anastasia said...
    These art classes are such a wonderful idea! a great bonding experience Im sure!
    bugheart said...
    i am so
    sorry
    you lost
    a student...
    your lessons
    sound
    so interesting
    and fun...
    can i join in
    a be
    your
    new student!
    Anonymous said...
    How fun, learning through play is the best way to understand. Sorry that Liron left the class, children are missing out on your wonderful lessons. I love your analysis of Shelley's choice between Mondrian and Matisse, I agree with you!
    Anonymous said...
    Pipe cleaners AND Mondrian... not to mention Matisse... your classes keep getting better & better.
    see you, grache
    Anonymous said...
    you are such a wonderful teacher! i love how al of your lessons are thought our carefully and seem totally age appropriate and fun! i´m sorry you lost a student but now you will have some serious mother daugther bonding time!
    Anonymous said...
    Just remember, that while you might only have one in your class in "real time" you have another lot of "students" eagerly awaiting each lesson installment online....I'm going to try this one with Rose this weekend and I will take some pictures of the results so that you can see your teachings in action! So keep smiling and jumping those hurdles- your Sydney "class" is loving it!
    paula said...
    You seem to be having lots of fun with Shelly and that's the important thing.
    Anonymous said...
    wow! introducing the young'uns to matisse and mondrian at such an early age, they're so lucky! i wish i had an art teacher like you when i was growing up!! :(
    Marieke said...
    I love enjoying your classes through your website - keep it up! :-)

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