Art with a splash of English- Trees for Tu BiShvat (Tal Menashe)

Something fun for my littlies!(Preschoolers & grade 1’s)

 Being close to "Tu BiShvat" the Jewish Holiday celebrating the birthday of the trees I thought it appropriate to do something fun with trees. After seeing how successfully the kids at school had drawn their hands I thought it would be a great start for the tree.

After reading our English story together and having our normal discussions & giggles we all sat around our table ready to start.

I gave then each a brown recycled page of paper & they drew their hands, cut them out & stuck them on beautifully radiant blue paper!

They have finally caught on to collaging & love it! They also worked with markers and stickers.

I think it was a greatly successful project! So colourful & fun!

Trees for Tu BiShvat- Studio in Tal Menashe

The Underwater World: Grade 1- 3 (November 2013)

I work as a roaming Art Teacher for grades 1-3 in Ben Tzvi in Afula once a week.

I have 2 classes of each grade and 143 pupils all in all! And teach them ALL in 1 day!

It’s definitely quite a challenge, but ever so rewarding!!And I love it!!!!

I wanted to do a project with all 3 of my grades .Something that we could collaborate to make something special! To show them that each on his own is special & beautiful but together we are amazing!

I thought underwater would be something bright & colourful!

I must say I was a bit apprehensive but it was a very successful, though hard working project!

The grade 3’s started with the background, I took them out of the classroom and I must say it was a bit wild!but they had fun & made beautiful backgrounds! I decided not to take the others out as 45 mins just isn’t enough!

The grade 2’s & 1’s were instructed to draw fish and seaweed (I prepared some worksheets with ideas which I handed out for those that wanted inspiration) I reminded the kids that if we copy something we must always change some details to make it our own!

I then took home all the paintings of fish and that’s when the hard work started I cut out all the fish & stuck them on the backgrounds (a surprisingly long process! Really it took me over 3 hours!)

Just look at the wonderful results!!!We are all very proud!

And the schools walls are brightened up!

Grade 3's working together

Great textures happening

Working together

Different shades of blue

Paints, pastels, markers, pencils and happily painting children

Cutting out the fish

One board done!

And another

Loving those colours!

Each fish has its place under the sea!

Even mermaids & castles!

Three boards connected and up on the wall!

Two boards connected & up on our walls!

Art with a splash of English-Collage Owls(my Studio & Tal Menashe)

After reading “Wow said the Owl”(Tim Hopgood) I was greatly inspired by the pictures and the story …a great way for my kids to learn the colours!

I absolutely love working in textures & collage, so this was a must!

And my kids have finally caught onto the wonders of collaging! Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t work the first time you collage with  the kids …the second time round it just clicks!

Beautiful collage work starting

With the addition of pastels, giving a great effect!

Great eyes with different colours to his classmates

Adding pattern in markers

A family of owls

I just love how the different personalities come through!

I just love the happiness in this little owl!

Collage Owls

Art with a splash of English –Baskets of Fruit

Being a Children’s Book Illustrator myself I like to incorporate stories & books wherever I can!

Greatly inspired by this book “Handa’s Surprise” by Eileen Browne I decided to do an activity, for my grade 1’s, based on it.

After reading them the story, which they loved, we got to learn all the names for fruit, as well as the animals that surprise us!

I gave them each a paper plate and we looked decorative baskets from Africa. They then decorated their plates with a black marker using ideas of the patterning that we had looked at.

We had a bowl of fruit on the table and they got to draw the different fruit. We used marker pens & my watercolour pencils from Caran d’ache .We then carefully cut out the fruit and filled our baskets.

The kids were delighted and enjoyed every moment!!

Handa's Suprise

Drawing fruit

Decorating plates & cutting out fruit

Mmmm yummy colours!

Wow!Look at Bel's wonderous bowl!

I love this bowl and all the delicate fruit!

Love this energetic bowl and fruit!!

So vibrant and full of life!!Beautiful!

Art with a splash of English – Houses & Buildings

Being a Children’s Book Illustrator myself I like to incorporate stories & books wherever I can!

Teaching English in a fun & creative way I decided today we would learn words for buildings.

We looked at different houses & buildings around the world. I showed them a book that I had written & illustrated "Save the Star" . We saw that buildings looked different in different parts of the world. We looked at huts, castles, flats, temples, towers and more. We learnt words like windows, doors, walls….

We folded our papers in half, drawing the building on the top half and then carefully cut the doors and windows open to reveal what was inside. The kids delighted in surprising me with all kinds of creatures, messages & even curtains.

One kid, inspired by the floods in Tel Aviv on that particular day & the book "All Afloat on Noah's Boat", drew Noah's Ark as his building

Great fun was had by all!

Houses & buildings in a city, love those colourful windows!

Castles & towers, just love the gold!

I love the detail of the roof tops!

Yay!markers or if you're South African "kokis"!

Art with a splash of English – Cupboard & Clothes

Teaching English in a fun & creative way I decided today we would learn words for clothing.

I cut out little items of clothing on hard board. We had a dress, a skirt, a shirt, pants, socks, shoes, buttons and more. I gave the kids different samples of material & paper that I have been collecting over the years (it was divine to see their faces light up at all the colours & patterns!)

They used my cut-outs as stencils and cut up the materials and decorated papers. I gave them beads & buttons and they embellished their clothing with great excitement. I made them little hangers out of wire & we made a cupboard out of ice-cream lids & other recycled items.

The kids were delighted to take home their beautiful cupboards stocked with hand-made clothing.

It definitely was one of our favorite classes!and a great way to end the calender year!

Just look at these precious works of art!

Shahar chose to do draw on recyled paper, a great look!

Bat'el working so delicately and beautifully

Atarah's beautiful display of clothing!

I love this pic!!

Mica's beautiful clothing, adorned with beads!