Pirate in the Art Room

Just before school started this year I read an amazing book - Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess

Dave Burgess has totally transformed my art lessons.
He talks about "hooks" - ideas that get the student engaged.
Each "hook" can easily be incorporated into an art lesson.
We all naturally do the "Picasso Hook" each class period
but what about "Safari" or "Magic and Amazing"?

Sketch by Matt Miller in Ditch that Textbook

"Safari Hook" - Change a Location

For several class periods we spent the first ten minutes of our art class outside 

sketching trees. 

Students were creating a landscape filled with trees as the art project.

Going outside to draw the trees was a natural change.

Students also learned about "Plein Aire" (drawing on location.)

The Impressionist were some of the first artist to paint on the spot - in plain air.

"Magic and Amazing"

Some days in the art room are "Magic Days. "

On these special days I wear a magic cape teaching the the lesson.
For Kindergarten classes mixing color was a "Magic Day."
There nothing more magic than making green from blue and yellow.

"3D Hook"

At the beginning of an acrylic painting project - creating a house in the style of Antonio  Gaudi

I added a 3D component.

After the students drew their Gaudi inspired house in their sketch book

They were given a small amount of clay and asked to recreate the house in clay.

An architect's challenge emerged - could their imaginary house be made?

Would it stand?

"Interior Designer"

Whenever it fits the lesson I rearrange the art room.
Love to see the students faces when they walk into the room and it is totally different.
All the tables might be crammed together in a huge rectangle in the middle of the art room.
Sometimes they form a large U shape.