Eric Carle!

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of meeting one of my idols, Eric Carle. Mr. Carle was receiving an honorary degree from Amherst College where my younger brother was graduating from. I had the chance to speak with Mr. Carle and I mentioned that Byam students were inspired by his books and even created their own collage artwork. Mr. Carle was very kind and gentle and I felt honored to be in the presence of such a talented artist. Here are a few pictures below!

 

2nd Grade Butterflies

2nd grade has been learning about the life cycle of a butterfly. Each student was given a caterpillar and they watched as it turned into a chrysalis and then emerged into their very own butterfly. In art, we studied the Monarch Butterfly and learned about different lines of symmetry. Next, we painted the outline of our butterflies and then colored them in with chalk pastel. They came out very bright and beautiful, great work 2nd graders!

Kindergarten Eric Carle Collage

This week in the art room, Kindergarteners learned about Eric Carle and his collage technique. An artist from the Eric Carle Museum even came in to do a workshop with all K classes and showed them how Mr. Carle worked in his studio. After reading The Tiny Seed and The Hungry Caterpillar in my class, we created a collage of our own. Here are some beautiful flowers with some caterpillars and butterflies below!

4th Grade Abstract Landscapes

This week, 4th graders took a look at the difference between abstract and realistic landscapes. We looked at some artwork by Claude Monet, Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, Frank Hobbs, Liza Hirst, Erin Gregory, and myself too! We noticed the different brushstrokes and the attention to detail. We imagined how these artists created their paintings and then we painted our own abstract landscapes on a canvas board. The students used large brushes and acrylic paints. I especially love how each one is so different. Check out the results below and come see them at the art show on June 10th!

Principal's Gallery April

Congratulations to the students who were chosen for this month's Principal's Gallery! Here are the names below.

Kindergarten - Kaylee B.

First Grade - Lucian P.

Second Grade - Ethan W.

Third Grade - Ceilagh H.

Fourth Grade - Sidney S. 

First Grade Rainbow Fish

This month, first graders at Byam saw the Rainbow Fish story acted out on stage. We talked about the play and then read the book "Rainbow Fish Discovers the Deep Sea". After, we created our own Rainbow Fish and added some of our own sparkling scales on top (If any parents have been wondering why their child has come home with glitter on them, this may help explain! I'm sorry =)

Check out some beautiful Rainbow Fish below!

4th Grade Adinkra Symbols

This week, 4th graders learned about West African Adinkra Symbols. We talked about how the symbols were printed and what each symbol represented.

Students then created their own symbol designs on a piece of Styrofoam. After, we rolled black ink onto the Styrofoam and printed it onto a colored piece of paper. Each of their symbols has a different meaning and the students explained why they chose that symbol on the back of their paper. We talked about how each letter in P.R.I.D.E. has a different meaning and how Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Dedication, and Empathy can be applied to everyday life. These came out awesome! Check out the designs below.