MANAGING THE ART ROOM

Student artworks submitted for the I’m Hungry challenge. Using a variety of media, students created artworks that incorporate food.

Mollie Ahlers

For the next month, my classroom will be filled with excited conversations about sound as students find ways to portray noise in visual artworks. 

During my second year of TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behavior), I developed art challenges in response to the disconnect between the teacher’s mini-lessons about artists and techniques and students’ learning and artworks. Open-ended, themed challenges offer numerous benefits to the art room, including: (1) connecting mini-lessons from day to day throughout each month; (2) challenging students to think critically and step outside of their comfort zones; and (3) supporting natural student collaboration and conversation about art.

I developed art challenges in response to the disconnect between the teacher’s mini-lessons about artists and techniques and students’ learning and artworks.

In this article, I outline how to originate a thought-provoking theme, create mini-lessons connected by that theme, and generate an impressive presentation of student work each month.

When choosing a monthly theme, I make a list of ten different projects I could make in response to a topic. I consider using a range of subject matter, studios, materials, and techniques. I avoid choosing themes that would only elicit a certain type of work, such as “Animals.” The more open-ended the challenge, the better. For example, “I’m Hungry” invites students to draw feasting animals, sculpt a bowl of fruits, paint a robot eating pizza, create a digital art piece of fairies in a cupcake kingdom, or sew an ice cream sundae pillow. This art challenge requires students to take risks, personalize their art, and explore a large spectrum of subject matter. 

While the first day’s mini-lesson is spent brainstorming, the rest of the month is devoted to lessons about artists who explore the same ideas in their subject matter or process. Mini-lessons allow students to study art history and make connections between their art and other artists’ work. While the larger theme unifies all grades’ art endeavors, the lessons can be adjusted to meet each grade level’s standards. For example, all students might be studying self-portraits by van Gogh and Frida Kahlo for a self-portrait art challenge, while grades K–2 might explore the placement of facial features in mini-lessons, and grades 3–5 practice drawing features in correct and exaggerated proportions.

Students write an artist statement that explains how their work connects to the month’s chosen theme. This is hung next to their artwork and displayed in the hallway.

Each month, students, teachers, and administrators vote on their favorite artworks. Winners are announced over the intercom. Although this competition is for fun, the larger goal is for all students to express their creativity and originality in response to a new idea. Students build self-confidence through presenting their work to the school community and talking about their art with their peers.

I encourage you to inspire learning in your classroom by proposing an open-ended art challenge. I’ve provided a few art challenges to get you started.

Art Challenges

• What’s That Sound? Students find ways to portray noise in visual artworks. Examples of artworks to show might include Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie-Woogie, Romare Bearden’s musicians, and Rene Magritte’s Time Transfixed.
• One Fact I Know Each artwork students create must be accompanied by a related fact. For example, Andy Goldsworthy’s Rowan Leaves and Hole is presented with the fact “The first day of fall is September 22.”
• I’m Hungry Using a variety of media, students create artworks that incorporate food. Examples of artworks to show might include Dutch food art (still lifes), Paul Cézanne still lifes, and Lucy Sparrow’s felt foods.

Mollie Ahlers is an art teacher at Bridgeway Elementary School in Bridgeton, Missouri. mabaumann3@gmail.com