"Happiness... it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort."- Vincent Van Gogh

Hello. I am currently teaching art in an elementary school afterschool program. I teach students ranging from Kindergarteners to 5th graders. I am using this blog to write about my different arts and crafts projects I have been doing with the students. I usually do a theme or holiday art each week or month. I am trying to expose the students to different types of art concepts and materials. I am open to any ideas to other arts and crafts projects. I want to share my projects with other teachers! Enjoy!

First I will begin with Halloween Art Projects:
3-D Pumpkins- Lay 11 strips of orange paper in a straight pile. Then, hole punch each side and then put a brad in the hole. Next, trace your hand on green paper and cut it out. If you want you can curl the ends of paper. Then, put it in the top brad of your pumpkin. Next fold out the strips of paper to make your pumpkin.
Haunted houses- Chalk or Colored pencil on black paper. You can add doors and windows that open and close!
Bats- Cut out a circle and then cut a line down the raidus of the circle. Then, staple the two sides together. Cut out ears and wings out of the scraps of black paper
Orange and Black placements- Weaves the black paper through the orange paper. Add witches, cats, ghosts etc.
Halloween door hangers- We made black cats, ghosts, haunted houses etc.
Spiders-Egg cartons, black tempra paint and pipe cleaners. First, you need to cut the egg cartons and then paint them. Next, hole punch four holes on each side and then string through the pipe clearners
Witches- Green and black paper needed. Make a stencil of the head, body, arms and legs. Cut out all of the parts and then glue the head and body together. Then, attach the arms and legs with brads so they can move!
Painted pumpkins- Use orange and green tempra paint. ( You can also make cats, haunted houses etc.)
Black Cat Masks- Use tempra paint and paper plates

Miscellaneous Art projects
Leaves-Water colors and crayons. Draw with crayons and then paint over with the water colors
Self portraits- Using oil pastels make a self portrait
scraffito- Use oil pastels to cover the paper and then cover with black paint. Then, scratch the paper using the end of the paintbrush.