Davis Elementary school includes grades Pre-Kindergarten through grade two.   My name is Jessica McCauley.  I have been teaching art at Davis school since 1998. Please stop by the school and see your child’s art work. Displays of student work will be ongoing throughout the school year, in our lobby and in the hallway “Art Gallery” outside of the art room.

• At Davis Elementary School, the students attend art once a week , in a six day cycle, for forty-five minutes.
• The students learn to use each type of art media; including drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, printing and fiber arts.   They also are introduced to a variety of artists and art history, and are exposed to several techniques.
• The students learn about cultures around the world and gain an appreciation for the arts.



• Each school year a self-portrait drawing or painting and a hand print will be saved in their permanent portfolios. 
• When the students reach grade five, upon their awards assembly, these portfolios will be returned to the student’s family.  The idea behind this portfolio is to document the child’s artistic growth and skill development through their primary years in school.  This portfolio is also a priceless keepsake for the parents.
• Throughout the school year a variety of projects are done at each grade level. 

Pre-Kindergarten:

• At the Pre-K level, the students are taught all of the fundamentals of art, and the most basic of skills.  They learn the “thumbs up” rule of cutting, and  the “dot, dot not a lot” technique of using glue.
• They are introduced to drawing, coloring, collage, sculpture and painting. With each project, I read a story to the students that accompanies the theme of the lesson.
• We also look at a variety of artists or a period in art history, such as Eric Carle (author/Illustrator) or the Cave Paintings of Lascaux France.  The students are provided with a very warm and friendly learning environment and a variety of fun and engaging projects.

Kindergarten: 

• The kindergarten students do a variety of fun and interesting projects that include many artists, art history, and stories
• We begin the year with drawing, coloring, collage and basic patterning skills.
• In the winter months we work on mask making, followed by several painting and color theory lessons.
• In the spring we work on an Under the Ocean Unit, more complex patterning and basic architecture. 

• Grade One:
• In grade one, we begin the year with portfolios, self-portraits, basic collage and a  fiber arts skills.
• In the winter we do a variety of mixed media projects, a color theory unit and painting lessons
• The students look at a variety of artists and cultures throughout the year, and complete a color theory workbook.
• We also work on a variety of mixed media projects, like the “winter trees” and the “spring garden projects.”
• In the spring we start working on a spring garden and flower pop-up project to accompany the “seed” unit in their classroom.
• One of the favorite projects of the year is the “Fiber Arts” Unit, in which studnets sew their own pillows. the children learn how to do the running stitch and the whip stich.

 

• Grade 2 & Primary Multi-Age:
• We begin the year with self-portrait drawings and portfolio design.  In the fall we work on stained glass and mosaics. The students learn about various artists such Louis Comfort Tiffany and Amado Pena.  We do a large sculpture unit, in which the students create a plaster animal mask. We also do an under the sea project, using oil pastels.
• In the winter months, we begin learning about color theory and painting techniques. With each lesson, the students complete the pages in a color theory workbook that accompany the color family we are currently working on.
• In the spring we work on a “dinosaur unit,” which is usually the student’s favorite project of the year.  Another big project that we do is the “Under the Sea” mixed media project.  The students really enjoy the oil pastels and the watercolor paints. and Egyptian art.
• The Primary Multi-Aged classes alternate projects each year. On odd years they follow the grade one curriculum and on even years they follow the grade two curriculum. This way, the students do not have to repeat the same projects each year.