6th Night of the Arts!

It's my favorite night of the school year!  The music teacher and I have been hosting the Night of the Arts since my first year teaching.  I love having a night where kids can show their family their artwork and create art and music.  Each year the event has become bigger and better! 

Each student from pre-k through fifth grade has an artwork displayed in the exhibit.  I like to have students create 3D works or smaller works that can easily be attached to science boards because it makes the set up time much faster.  We have over 600 artworks to display in less than three hours!  I am thankful to have great support at my school and so many teachers offered to help me set up.

I do most of the work before the show on my own during every free moment I have starting all the way back in February.  Sometimes that means making tape rolls for two or three minutes and sticking them to a tray to save for later.  Other times it's labeling a few pieces of art and getting them in class boxes to be carried to the cafeteria.  I am thankful that my principal allows me to not have classes after lunch on the day of the show.  This allows me to focus on any last minute details and start displaying the work.  The mural created by third grade and kindergarten is hung the afternoon before the show because it takes so long to get up.

This year, PTO provided us with the best homemade brownies and refreshments!  They are so wonderful to prepare that aspect of the event and get it all set up.

It takes months for this all to come together, but it is always worth it!  I love seeing how proud my students are of their work and how art brings everyone together.

​The week after the show, all artwork is taken home and it really starts to feel like the end of the year.  I do leave up the mural, though.  I wait until the last minute to take it down and get those sweet little tigers back to their kindergartners.

Now to think of ideas for next year...
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Artworks:
Pre-K/ VPK: Painted butterflies
Kindergarten: Texture tigers
First grade: Apple weaving
Second grade: Heart sewing 
Third grade: Circular loom weaving and background for the mural
Fourth grade: Ceramic flowers
Fifth grade: Ceramic animal coil pots 

Activities:
Paper weaving
Bracelet making
Self portraits
Coloring sheets