ART AWARENESS VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK White Eagle Elementary School 2011-2012
White Eagle Elementary Art Awareness Program Dear Parent Volunteer, Welcome to the White Eagle Art Awareness Program. I am very excited to be starting another year of this program. Through the contributions of the PTA, prints from several well-known artists have been purchased, framed, and hung throughout the school. The main objective of this program is to use these prints and other resources to introduce and acquaint the students with some of the best works of these famous artists. It is hoped that they will learn to recognize these works, learn about the different styles and mediums involved, and generally gain an appreciation for art. Each print can also lead to a multitude of other educational areas, such as science, math, music, literature and drama. The White Eagle School PTA currently has 80 prints (58 of them in active rotation). Each print is numbered and has a corresponding information packet. The packet contains information about the artist and the piece along with comments from previous volunteers and ideas for presentations. Table of Contents Art Awareness 2011-12 Calendar... 3 Getting Started:... 3 Preparing:... 3 Classroom Presentations:... 5 Final Steps... 5 Example Comment Sheet 1:... 6 Example Comment Sheet 2:... 6 Helpful Hints... 7
Art Awareness 2011-12 Calendar Preparation Week Presentation Week Pick up folder and set date/time with teacher Present artist, return materials October 4 October 11 & 17* October 31 November 7 & 14* December 5 December 12 January 9 January 17 & 23* February 6 February 13 March 5 March 12 April 2 April 9 May 7 May 15 & 23 *Due to the 2 nd week of this month having shortened attendance, the Art Awareness presentation week can be done on either the 2 nd or 3 rd week of the month. Getting Started: 1. Please pick up your Art Awareness information packet one week prior to your scheduled presentation (see Calendar section). The packets are stored in the art closet Room #122-A, which is through the LMC just into the hallway past the stair well. 2. A map of where the print is hanging in the school should be in the Art packet as well as hanging on the wall (or binder) in the art closet. It is recommended to locate and view your print at this time; however, it is not to be removed from the school. 3. Please remember to sign out the packet, supplies, and other reference materials that you intend to take out of the building. The sign-out/in sheet is located in a purple binder in the art closet. Preparing: 1. Most (or usually all) of your preparation can be done at home. However, in the case that you need more information than what s provided in the packet, Art Awareness has a section of reference books located in the art
closet. Please do not remove the reference books from the school, but copy any sections you would like to take home. Current books are: a. Masters of Art: Rembrandt and Seventeenth Century Holland b. Masters of Art: Leonardo Da Vinci c. Masters of Art: Michelangelo d. Masters of Art: Chagall e. Masters of Art: The Impressionists f. Masters of Art: Van Gogh g. Masters of Art: Picasso h. Masterpieces Coloring Book i. National Gallery of Art Activity Book j. Essential Van Gogh k. Van Gogh (Trewin Copplestone) l. Cezanne (Trewin Copplestone) m. Leonardo (Trewin Copplestone) n. Degas (Trewin Copplestone) 2. The LMC also has numerous other books about art and artists that you may check out as needed. Your public library and the internet are other excellent resources for information about your artist and their works. 3. There are a handful of items that are directly and specifically intended for certain art packets that are also stored in the art closet because they are too big to be included in the packet. Examples include: a. # : Larger hand mirrors (if you use this, please let me know for which packet #) b. # : Sandstone (if you use this, please let me know for which packet #) c. #20: Large poster sized paper d. #47: Container of several small square mirrors e. #60: Large poster on foam board f. #64: Baggie of material scraps for project 4. If you need to reserve art materials located in the art closet for the day of your presentation, please write your name, and classroom, along with your reservation date & time on the attached label of the actual item in the supply closet. Hopefully this step will assure that the supply is available for you on your actual day of the presentation. Returning the supplies promptly would be greatly appreciated for the next volunteer. 5. Important Reminder: It is the volunteer s responsibility to fully preview ALL materials at home in advance. Since there can works of art that contain sensitive materials or even facts about an artist s life that may not be ageappropriate to the students, it is your responsibility to make sure the materials presented are classroom appropriate.
Classroom Presentations: 1. It is VITAL that you make arrangements with the teacher in advance. Some of the teachers are familiar with this program and others are not. It is your responsibility to coordinate a day and time that will work into each teacher s schedule. The first week of each month has been designated for preparation (viewing the print, picking up your packet and gathering any additional information). The second week will be for the presentation, unless otherwise noted. (See Calendar section above for exact dates.) Maintaining this schedule helps ensure that prints are available for the next volunteer in a coordinated manner. 2. Your presentation should last no longer than 20-30 minutes. If an art project or video is used, please limit your time to meet these guidelines. 3. If a conflict develops where you cannot make a scheduled presentation, please, as a matter of courtesy, notify the teacher as soon as possible so he/she can adjust. 4. Important Reminders: If you haven t fully reviewed certain material at home, please not present it to the classroom. Since many works of art contain sensitive materials or facts about an artist s life that may not be ageappropriate to the students, it is imperative that you do NOT include that in your presentation. Due to the number of children with allergies, no snacks are to be brought into the classroom. Final Steps 1. When your classroom presentation is concluded, please return and sign in the packet, any reference material and re-hang the print BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE SCHOOL. 2. Don t forget to complete a comment sheet so that the next volunteer has any new feedback or ideas that you ve come across. You can pick up this form when you pick up your packet; it too is located in the purple binder or you can use the electronic template was emailed to you & send to stephwy04@hotmail.com.
Example Comment Sheet 1: TITLE: St. Romaine Quarter ARTIST: Maurice Utrillo VOLUNTEER: Volunteer Name TEACHER: Mrs. Teacher DATE: January 18, 2007 GRADE: 2 MINUTES: 25 PROCEDURE FOR PRESENTATION: Introduce the print. Ask children: What is the first thing you notice? What season is it? How does it make you feel? What colors does Utrillo use for the buildings? How does the artist show things far away? Discuss Utrillo s biography. I used Christine Day s typed report. It was perfect for second graders. I also used the pictures of Utrillo s other paintings mounted on construction paper that were provided in the packet. COMMENTS: It went very well. I didn t mention his drinking problem; I didn t feel that is was appropriate for this grade level. The kids loved the art bags and the project. ART PROJECT: I provided each child with an art bag. I have done this with each artist that I have presented. The art bag contains the tools for the art project. The kids love getting these and it helps organize the art project. This bag contained 5 colored pencils, and yellow, red, orange and green tissue paper squares. I mounted a black and white copy of Utrillo s featured painting on blue construction paper. The children colored the buildings and then were instructed on how to add the four trees (this taught them perspective). After adding the trees, we glued wadded up tissue paper in fall colors to add the leaves. Example Comment Sheet 2: TITLE: The Purple Robe ARTIST: Henri Matisse VOLUNTEER: Volunteer Name TEACHER: Mr. Teacher DATE: May 10, 2007 GRADE: 2 MINUTES: 30 PROCEDURE FOR PRESENTATION: Introduce the print. I read the book, Henri Matisse, which is included in the packet. The book was very informative, and covered all aspects of Matisse s life; therefore, we continued on to our crafts and class project. COMMENTS: It went very well. The children are very excited to receive a copy of their class poem, which I will print and distribute the next afternoon. ART PROJECT: I provided each child with an art bag. I have done this with each artist that I have presented. The art bag contains the tools for the art project. The kids love getting these and it helps organize the art project. This bag contained 6 pieces of colored tissue paper and a green pipe cleaner. We made tissue flowers. This tied into the painting as there is a vase of flowers in The Purple Robe. I also provided Mrs. Lippe with a vase for their class bouquet. We also made a class painting using Matisse s cutout method. I had a large piece of posterboard. Each child was given a piece of colored paper in which to cut out any shape he or she wished. They took turns gluing it on to the posterboard. Finally, we created a class poem. Each child s art bag also contained a index card. On it they were instructed to write their favorite color and how it makes them feel or what it reminds them of. I will take the index cards home and turn these into a class poem to pass out the following day.
Helpful Hints Art Awareness information packets are stored in the art closet Room #122-A, which is just into the hallway leading to the new addition. Please sign out the art packets. Actual prints DO NOT leave the building. Plan presentations at home. Review all materials at home before presenting to the class. Plan enough time on presentation day to locate your print so you can take it with you to your classroom. Enter the classroom with enthusiasm it s always contagious! I thank the PTA for their generous support of this program and hope that it will continue for years to come. I also thank YOU for volunteering. Your positive response and interest has been tremendous and we are confident that you will find this classroom experience both enjoyable and rewarding. I welcome your calls if you need additional information or have any comments or questions about the program. Sincerely, Art Awareness Coordinators Aruna Davis / 630-605-7516 arunadavis@yahoo.com Stephanie Wylie / 630-229-0200 / Stephwy04@hotmail.com