Drawing Magic

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Drawing Magic
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• Rosalie Claussen and Tabi Zimmerman
• Lincoln Public Schools
• Lincoln, Nebraska
• March 2007

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Lincoln Public SchoolsLincoln, Nebraska

• 32,500 students
• 7,000 employees
• 2,800 certified teachers
• 36 elementary, 11 m.s., 6 h.s., 1 alternative h.s
  and
• 3 focus programs (science, arts humanities and
  technology) 2 elementary and 1 middle school
  under construction
• Art Specialists, full part-time, in all but 4
  elementary schools
• Collaborative colleagues and a supportive
  District
• Art Consultant - Nancy Childs

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My Background

• I have 380 art students - middle to upper class
  families
• I see students once a week for 50 minutes at a
  time.
• I teach art three days a week at Pyrtle
  Elementary and
• I am the Gifted Facilitator at Belmont
  Elementary two
• days a week
• This is my 18th year teaching elementary art for
  LPS.

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Pyrtle Elementary

• 12 free and reduced lunch
• 14 special Education
• 11 mobility
• 4 students of color
• 8 gifted
• 37 attend on permit from other neighborhoods
• 96 average daily attendance

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Meeting the National Standards

• The Lincoln Public Schools art curriculum
• is based on 7 Core Abilities which are directly
• correlated to the National Standards.
• Meeting the Core Abilities with sketchbook
  drawing.

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Why artists use sketchbooks

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What third graders say.

• start an idea
• save ideas
• To define the problem / plan
• practice
• To incubate / cook and idea
• get ideas
• try an idea
• find more ideas
• To research
• to remember
• For a history / look back, compare

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Why I use sketchbooks in my classroom

• A tool for the Creative Process
• Thumbnail sketches
• Practice, practice, practice drawing
• Assessment tool
• Because real artists use them
• Convenience

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Who uses sketchbooks
2006 - 2007 All grades (K - 5th) 2005 -
2006 1st - 5th 2004 - 2005 2nd - 5th 2003 -
2004 3rd - 5th
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2003 - 2004

• I purchased 50 page spiral bound sketchbooks
  with
• 50 lb. paper.
• Each 3rd, 4th and 5th grader received a book.
• I teach in a low mobility school. The
  sketchbooks remain at school until
  the end of 5th grade or until a students moves.
• I purchased the books with district art supply
  funds, donations from PTO and funds received from
  an art competition sponsored by the Lincoln Home
  Builders Association.

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2006-2007

• This year 2nd through 5th grade have purchased
• sketchbooks. I was able to buy 100 page books
• for second so we can use them through 5th
• grade.
• (I will talk more about the books later)
• Kindergarten and first grades have other
• sketchbooks and use them only for thumbnail
• sketching. (Ill show examples later)

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• The first year I used the sketchbook for
• thumbnail sketches and convenience. I also
• let students work in their sketchbooks
• whenever they had the time in class.

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Thumbnail sketches
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I discovered

• Students liked the sketchbooks. It made them
  feel like a
• real artist.
• It was a very convenient way to keep track of
  drawings and
• review papers as part of the assessment
  process.
• Unless the drawing was directed by me a lot of
  pages were being
• wasted because students were starting over
  multiple times,
• just doodling, and using them as scrap
  paper.

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2004-2005
After evaluating the use of sketchbooks I
realized I needed to exercise more control and
not allow students to use them for free
drawing. I decided I wanted to emphasize
drawing practice along with the Creative Process
and thumbnail sketches.
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So, the question I asked myself was

• How can I provide students with drawing time
  during each class without eliminating
• an essential element of the art class time?
• I decided to try drawing the first 10 minutes
  of each class.

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Acquire technical skills in drawing
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Heres How it Works! 2nd through 5th grades
Every week I choose a mini still life to place
in the middle of each of my seven tables. These
are classroom items or simple things from home
(more about this later.) Students walk into the
classroom. Sketchbooks are distributed. Drawing
begins..
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Four easy drawing rules

• Do not touch items in the middle of the table.
• (We talk about how that will mess up someone
  elses drawing)
• You may only draw what you see on the table
• (no additional wordsnot the time for
  imagination..)
• You dont have to draw everything you see
• but you cant draw what you dont see
• (you are an artist, not a camera)
• And the most important rule No talking

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Other things I ask

• use only one page per class and it should be
  the next page.
• date the page
• I post the date (3/14/07) everyday and for
  younger students explain what the numbers mean
• I ask for their best effort. I emphasize over
  and over again that this is
• practice and I dont care how they draw at the
  beginning. Ill be looking for effort and
  improvement.
• The student who draws well, puts forth very
  little effort and does not improve will not
  receive as good a
• grade as the student who gives a lot of effort
  and improves their drawing ability.
• If you make a mistake you can erase if it is
  small,
• draw over the lines, or start again on the
  same page.
• No big XS over the mistake. Use your
  mistake to see what youd like to
• change. This is for learning and
  practice..

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Pencils and erasers
I always try to keep sharp pencils and erasers
available for students. If their pencil breaks
during drawing time they must raise their hand.
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Mini Still Life items

• In the middle of each table I place the Mini
  Still Life on
• an 12 x 18 piece of construction paper.
• That defines the area for the students.
• They are always items that can easily be
  removed after
• the drawing and placed quickly again for the
  next class.

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Mini Still Lifes

• Some rotations I use multiple still life items so
  all tables draw the
• same thing.
• Some rotations I have a different object on each
  table and rotate
• them each week. I have 7 tables so students will
  draw the
• 7 items for 7 weeks.
• They always come into art wanting to know what is
  on the table
• for drawing.

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No talking
I tell the students that we use different parts
of our brain for drawing and talking. In order
for them to do their best we have a no talking
rule. I have done this long enough now that my
third through fifth graders can easily draw for10
minutes without talking. It has almost become a
habit. Second grade can draw the entire 10
minutes by the end of the first semester. I
start them at 5 to 6 minutes and then gradually
increase the time.
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What happens when its quiet

• The drawing is better
• The beginning of class is very predictable
• It has a calming effect after transition
• It encourages focus and concentration

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Back to the time
Once students learn the routine I can use some of
the drawing time to set out other supplies and
get audio/video equipment ready. That way when
the drawing activity is complete we are ready to
immediately begin our other activities.
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From No Talking to Talk about Art!
One of our goals is for students to be able to
look at and talk about their work and the work
of others using the language of art.
National Standard 5 and our LPS Core Ability 7
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Time to talk

• While students are drawing I walk around and
  observe.
• I choose three students to share their
  drawings. I keep track of this so
• everyone will eventually have a change to
  share
• When the 10 minutes are up we gather on a
  carpet area so it is
• easier to look closely at the drawings and
  them.
• Again I teach the rules
• Only positive comments
• Talk about one art element you observe in the
  drawing
• (I limit it to one so others have a chance.)

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Know the art elements
Line Shape Texture Form Space Value (no color)
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How it works..

• I say Raise you hand if you see something you
  like about
• this drawing.
• The student artist gets to choose someone.
• We listen to the comment and I might add a
• comment or ask a clarifying question.
• The student artist then chooses someone else. If
  theyve
• already shared that day I ask them to no
  longer raise their
• hand so others can have a turn.

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What I discovered

• I started the sharing as an assessment tool.
  What I discovered was this
• The students like to share. They are
  disappointed if we dont do it.
• They are very kind and always find positive
  things to say.
• They have become very good at describing the
  drawings using
• the art elements and art terms.
• For example I like the value. It makes the
  pot look 3-dimensional.
• It is an easy assessment tool. I do keep track
  of who has shared
• and ever so often just call on someone so
  they also have a chance.
• The drawings are much better - that surprised
  me!

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Sharing also addressesCore Ability 2 and 3
Criticism
Learn to read and interpret
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The sketchbooks
Sources (what I have used) SAX Arts and
Crafts NASCO Arts and Crafts donated
folders purchased folders spiral notebooks
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Sax Sketch Diary, 100-Sheet Pad100-Sheet Pad
8-1/2" x 11"50-lb. White Sulphite Drawing Paper
Spiral BoundThis budget-priced student
sketch diary of responsive, quality white
sulphite drawing paper accepts all drawing media
and inks. Rigid back. Item 805457583Your
Price 4.79Applicable Quantity Breaks
1 4.79 12 4.31 50-sheet
pad 12 2.33
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NASCO Artist's Sketchbook - 8-1/2" x 11"
Spiral-bound sketchbooks. Contain 100 sheets of
fine, white sulphite50lb. drawing paper. Paper is
erasable. Ideal for crayon, pencil, ink, tempera,
and watercolor.

• Product Number 2100130
• Quantity / Price
• 1-9 3.80/each
• 10-29 3.48/each
• 30 or more 3.32/each

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Kindergarten 1st Grade

• 1st grade and Kindergarten do not do the 10
  minute drawing
• activity. They use the sketchbooks only for
  thumbnail sketching.
• 1st grade sketchbooks were made from donated
  folders. I have also used 3-punch folders
  purchased at a discount store for .10 each.
  Each folder has 10 - 15 pages of bond paper.
• Kindergarteners are using spiral notebooks also
  purchased at a discount store for .10 each.

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Lets Twist It!

• I work at Pershing Elementary, also in Lincoln,
  Nebraska
• 356 total students
• 44 free and reduced lunch
• 21 Special Ed.
• 19 mobility
• 7 students of color
• 6 gifted.
• I see students on a three day rotation, grades
  k-5.

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I tried sketchbooks with two grade levels this
year 2nd and 3rd grade.The second grade is
at the end of the day and has very high needs.
One class had 7 students with behavioral charts
at the beginning of the year.The third grade
class is at the beginning of the day, not as many
students with high needs.
2006 - 2007
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What worked (and didnt)
I have had a lot of success with my 3rd grade
students (check out student comments on upcoming
slide)! I had difficulty with my 2nd graders.
The students with higher needs had trouble
sitting and sketching quietly for 10 minutes and
they ended up being very disruptive to the other
students. In the future I plan to start 2nd
grade with much less time and very easy still
lifes to boost their confidence early on.
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Subject matter

• I change the drawing focus
• About half of the time I use a still life,
• similar to Rosalie.
• The other half of the time I give them a
• specific concept/ idea I want them to draw.
• I also have students make thumbnail
• sketches for projects.

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Sketching Ideas (other than still life)

• Worksheets to help draw 3-D objects (Turn
  this cube into)
• Value
• drawing a value scale, practice shading spheres,
• cylinders etc. with drawing pencils
• Perspective
• overlap, changing size
• Something extremely close up, have someone guess
• Creative thinking What if.
• Genre practice
• draw a portrait of the student across the
  table,
• the landscape out the window, a favorite place
• youve been.

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What Kids Say I asked students the following
questions

• How does sketching for 10 minutes make you feel?
• Happy, Good, Glad, O.K., Great
• Challenged
• I like to share my drawings
• (and 2 students said bored)
• Why do you think we do 10 minute sketches?
• It helps me get better at drawing
• Practice
• It will help me become an art teacher (My
  favorite)
• It helps me like my artwork more

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What would you change..

• What would you change about the 10 minute
• sketch time if you could?
• MORE MINUTES
• they suggested 2-12 minutes more
• Make it harder
• I want to use color

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My Sketchbooks

• I use three prong folders with newsprint.
• I look for school sales.
• If you watch sales you can get them
• for 5 to 10 cents each.
• If you wait until late Sept./ early October you
  can find them
• super cheap. I bought enough for every student
  in my
• building next year for 23.00!
• The folder comes in handy for small pieces we
  dont want
• lost between classes.

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Live with Art!
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DRAWING MAGIC
http//artweb.lps.org/art/ LINCOLN PUBLIC
SCHOOLS / LINCOLN, NEBRASKA
Rosalie Claussen rclauss_at_lps.org Tabi
Zimmerman tzimmer_at_lps.org