Part of the Cool Sites series
Many schools have cut out the Arts from the curriculum due to budget cuts and the emphasis on raising standardized test scores. Art is important in our lives. Many students express themselves through art. In my personal experience I have seen how painting community murals, creating music, choreographing a dance, designing a stage set, taking incredible photographs, or reciting self-created poetry has given children in hopeless situations hope. I have helped provide summer art programs and creative writing programs for children who were in juvenile detention centers, living in homeless shelters, or struggling with peer pressure. For other children, art becomes an outlet for feeling achievement. Many children who struggle with reading and math need self belief that they are not stupid and can be successful in school. Art, music, dance, photography, and creative writing programs can help these students receive this confidence. In society, we admire and praise artists, but we send a mix message to children when we abandon the Arts at our schools.
Maybe we do not have an Arts curriculum in our schools, but we can and should incorporate the Arts in our lessons. I love letting my students get creative when it comes to projects. My students are given general objectives to achieve but are allowed to use whatever media they wish to show their work. Some make videos, some use posters, some create live productions with other students playing the guitar, and some create online presentations. I have even let my students create poetry or comic strips for their journal entries. I just found that some of my students would learn the material better if I let them choose how to learn it. What did I observe when I no longer limited them? I found many came alive, shared their passions, and got the rest of the students in the class excited! I found that they would approach their classmates or others in the school to be part of their presentations. The entire school would want to come to my class to see the collaborations! We had so much fun and the students enjoyed learning.
Top Art Sites
These are my favorites free tools and resources to get students creating! Included is a brief description and helpful links to facilitate using these tools more effectively.
- Drawing: How to Draw– Several drawing tutorials.
- Deviant Art– World’s largest online community of artists and art lovers.
- Digital Storytelling Resources and Ideas Wiki– Find several ideas for claymation, stop motion, and other films.
- 40 Writing, Music, and Art Resources
- Animata– Free software for editing and creating brilliant animation films.
- Dismantling the Bomb– Great interactive website that explores the fine line between art and graffit.
- Onemotion– Sketch and paint on a canvas with many tools, play games, or make music on the drum machine.
- Odosketch– Fantastic and easy tool for students to create detailed sketches. For more information see David Kapular’s post.
- Slimber– Draw on this canvas, choose the background color and the dimensions. The best drawings are featured on the front of the website so gives the students some incentives.
- Artpad– Similar to Canvastic where students paint and can playback. However, you can select frames and this has a nicer look. Also has an iPad app.
- Canvastic– An easy tool for students to paint. Students are able to playback how they painted their masterpiece.
- Rate My Drawing– Nice chat and collaborative drawing feature. You can also draw on a sketch pad which is animated. Huge community of artists that share their work.
- Guess A Sketch– Draw online and others try to guess what it is! Great collaborative online game and has an iPhone app (the app costs $1.99).
- Artsonia– Kids can display and sell their art on this online museum.
- Playful Learning Experiences– This wonderful site provides you with many activities in writing and arts and crafts!
- Artopia– Teachers can create art galleries of students work. See Kelly Tenkely’s post for classroom application ideas.
- Sketchcast– Students can draw in several different colors, add text, narrate the drawing, and embed it into a wiki or blog.
- Doink– Students create free animation videos.
- VoiceDraw– Draw with the sound of your voice. A high voice goes one direction while a medium voice creates a straight line. It’s in beta and a bit tricky but a fun experiment.
- Art, Drawing and Art Educational Freeware– Whatever your students want to do artistically you can find a free tool on this website!
- Best Art sites for Learning English– Larry Ferlazzo provides you with many tools and explains why they made his best list.
Challenge:
Integrate art in at least one lesson this semester.
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What tools inspire your students to be creative?
