There's something... unique about subbing in the art room with 1st graders.
The assignment seemed simple enough. I was to pass out a large sheet of paper to each child, make sure there were crayons on the table for them to use and then play some music. The kids were supposed to listen to the music with their eyes closed and draw what they felt based on the music in the form of lines or squiggles.
This was only the first part of the activity. You can only half imagine where this ended up.
I tried a variety of things when it came to handing out the supplies, but I find that passing out the paper and having the crayons ready in bowls on each table is really the best way to go about it. The next magical step was to have everyone pick out one crayon and hold it up when they had it so I could see that everyone was ready to start. I had no idea it would be so hard to pick out a single color. Then again, I probably had that trouble when I was their age. Or maybe last week.
So they close their eyes and I start the music. I picked out two pieces, one that was slow and mellow and one that was more upbeat. It doesn't really matter what the music was like. Some of the kids were scribbling their little hearts out. Some were drawing tractors and trees and puppies. (Of course when they open their eyes they say, "Wow! Ms. M look what I drew! And I had my eyes closed!!!") I tried telling them that I would be able to tell who had their eyes open by what was on their papers... Other kids were getting kind of into it and you could see they were really trying. Very cute.
Then they open their eyes and flip their papers open with a lot of oohs and aahs and wows or look what I dids. The next piece of music starts and we do it all over again.
Once they're done I try to explain to them that they're supposed to look for shapes in the lines. Maybe they see a heart, or a fish or an alien. I tell them to search with their imaginations. A lot of the kids are already saying they can't find shapes in their lines. I'm not sure they've even started. I spent the next however long walking around trying to help them find shapes, answering questions and praising kids that can find triangles or "drew a tractor with [their] eyes closed!"
After they found the shapes they were supposed to color every internal line space a different color but mostly they just colored things however they wanted. And when they were done they got to draw whatever they wanted. I have serveral drawings on my fridge now. One is a pink butterly, another is a family of dogs and I have a very cute note from a young man that is filled with red hearts on the inside.
The crazy unexpected fun of these days always make me consider teaching elementry and the I remember all the crayons on the floor and realize I'll be happier at the high school.