LESSON 3

In today´s lesson we have learned new applications that can  be used in art class, such as:

- http://www.screencast-o-matic.com

-  www.tony-b.org

- http://www.artrage.com

- www.voicethread.co

- www.inredibox.com 

- Flixel (IPad), fotodanz (android)

- Color splash

- Stop motion

    In the previous lesson the teacher gave us some instructions to prepare the task for the next class. We had to choose a painter and one of his paintings.

I’ve chosen Sorolla  because he was born in Valencia, so he is a Valencian painter. Where I live there are many places called Sorolla, such as one important street, a subway station, a hotel, and of course the Museum of Fine Arts where you can find more than 42 works of this great painter. This is why I’ve chosen him, and besides, he reminds me of my country and all the things that I miss so much.

The painting I would like to focus on is called: “Paseo a orillas del mar” (“Walk on the beach”)

    Now, we should propose an activity that relates the picture with one of the news applications we have learned. So, my task is as follows:

-First of all, the children watch the picture. Then, the teacher asks them some questions. For instance: What do you feel?, What can you see?, What does it suggest to you? ...”

Perhaps, some children will answer: “I feel relaxed, it conveys a sense of peace, it makes me think of a quiet place ….”  Sensations all related to the sea.

-Secondly, using the new application to create mandalas, the children are going to create mandalas. As one of the aims of mandalas is to get a less tense atmosphere and more relaxed people.

-Then, the children should look at the picture again and try to find as many different materials as possible: sand, water, white colors, clothes, flowers…. In groups, they have to go out of the classroom and gather every material related with the picture.

-After that, they have to create a big mandala in groups. This mandala could be drawn on  a big paper or maybe could be done on the floor; but it´s necessary for them to use these materials they have just found around the school.

I really think this is a good activity to carry out with students. In my last semester I did  a similar one and the results were fantastic indeed.

Children can be extremely creative and, quite incredibly, they can enjoy while they are doing a quiet activity.

      On the other hand, I would like to show you the end result of my puppet. Finally, it is a zebra and it’s called ARBEZ.

  I’ve found this lesson very interesting. I’ve never worked with computers in art class before and now I can claim that it´s fantastic! There are different ways to teach art to children, and in this course my resources are increasing. I’m very happy and grateful for that.