​Fourth grade art students are currently working on the sailboat project.  The hull of the boat is an origami structure.  The mast is supported by a  pyramid-like cardstock structure that is carefully measured, cut, and taped in place.  The mast and boom are made of drinking straws.  The entire boat is sealed with tape to make it impermeable to the water in the colorful paper mache coating.  Each boat will be mounted on a wave structure composed of wadded paper, cardboard, tape, and paper mache.   The boats will be attached to the waves with glue and one Phillips screw.  Cotton will form the foam on the waves.      

Recently, the 5th grade art classes have been making relief sculptures of sea animals.  The project began with careful drawings of photos of fish, dolphins, and killer whales (Two of those drawings are shown here.)    Students drew grids with one-inch squares on photos.  They drew grids with two-inch squares on drawing paper.   The shapes observed in each square of the photo were drawn in the corresponding squares on the drawing paper.  Students transferred the edges of their drawings to sheets of Styrofoam, which they cut out with hacksaw blades.  The form of the animals was built up with wadded paper and tape.  The skin is a coating of colored tissue paper and glitter glue. Students also made hanging hooks for their sea animals with paper clips, screws, and tape. 

Recently, third graders have been creating doghouses, dog pens, and dogs with Sketch Up  computer-aided design software on their Chromebooks.  This geometry-based architectural software allows students to integrate their creative art production with math and engineering.  Some students of the 3H art class are shown here with their drawings in progress.  ​