If we had school today, it would have been the last day of classes for Term 2. Since we have been passing back work since last week, everyone should have their art work by now, except the work we put aside for the art show, which is on April 9. I’m so glad we did this in advance, and I thank my weather-watcher husband for giving me a heads-up last week on today’s storm.

Tomorrow is the first day of Term 3. With that, I will welcome another 250 students and a new schedule. It is a lot like the first day of school…in January! Tomorrow and Friday we will cover the classroom routines and expectations and create folders to hold student artwork. It is very important that every art student has a sketchbook. Typically these are 8.5 x 11 or 9 x 12. They may be purchased at the usual art supply stores, or Staples, Walmart, Ocean State Job Lot, and oftentimes even at CVS, Rite Aid, and Shaws. Please choose the spiral binding (so the pages don’t fall out), preferably on the left side, not the top. Please see me or send along an email if you are challenged financially or in any way from buying a sketchbook. I can help!

If we had school today, we would have talked about your favorite activities in art this year and then we would have played some art games. We would have said goodbye, but I would have reminded you that I will see 5th grade artists next year, and all middle school art students can continue to make art all year long in after-school Enrichment classes.

Next session I am offering Clay+Animals=Clanimals and 5/6 Art Club, which right now I think will involve a 3D papier mache project or two. Exiting students typically have half a sketchbook available for drawing and painting – set a goal to try to fill it! Very soon all fifth grade students will join the sixth graders in having iPads, which are AWESOME for creating artwork! Here is a short list of one free app for each art medium:

Drawing/Painting: Sketchbook X 

Photography: Photo Wizard

Collage: Pic Collage

Stop Motion Video: Time-Lapse HD

Sculpture: 123D Sculpt

Enjoy your snow day today, I know I will! I think I’ll go out to the pasture and check on our animals to make sure they’re not having a snow ball fight or something…