Materials needed for Elementary "I" project:
18 x 24 inch or larger paper in black, browns, grays, and white
Various size pieces and scraps of paper in black, browns, grays, and white.
(Collect paper from all sorts of places--paper bags, typing paper, etc.)
Small pieces of brightly colored paper (These can also be textured or patterned papers.)
White, gray, black, and brown--markers, pencils, chalk, crayons
School glue (or acrylic medium) with a paste brush or glue sticks

(Could put a little Horace Pippin thumbnail here—see Artists section)

LOOK AT ART (see Artists chapter) <?>
Creating Space
Consider interior scenes created by artists such as Horace Pippin, Hollis Sigler, and Jacob Lawrence. The goal is to help students to observe, analyze, and appreciate why artists choose to represent space in various ways. It’s important to note the ease with which a few diagonal lines or changes in value in the background suggest space to the human eye. Consider with students the cultural, psychological, or metaphorical implications of only depicting space by means of classic European linear perspective.

Drawing People
Look at drawings or paintings of people by artists such as Paul Klee or Xul Solar. Consider in what ways these artworks look like the work of children. In what ways are the drawing styles different from the work of children? Conrast the words "childish" and "childlike?" What do artists hope to gain by eschewing naturalistic styles of drawing the human figure?

REMEMBER
Take some time for quiet reflection.

Remember a vivid incident that happened at your elementary school. Think about the experience of being in school during that year.

Some questions to spur your memory:
What was it like to walk to school? What did you do when you got to school? How did you enter the building? Where did you sit? What did you wear? Who sat next to you? Where did the teacher stand or sit? Remember being praised by the teacher. Remember being criticized by the teacher. Do you remember interacting with your peers during class. During recess or lunch? After school?

What kind of desk did you sit in? What did you keep inside your desk? What color was the classroom floor? Were there windows in the classroom? Could you see out of them? What decorated the walls? Was student work displayed on the walls? Was your work displayed? Where was the door? How big were you in relationship to the door? Did you ever spend time in the hall?

What was your favorite classroom activity? What activity did you most dislike? Do you remember any holiday celebrations? Do you remember bringing any personal belongings into the class? Do you remember thinking about things that happened at home or in the community while you were in school?

There is aMemory Worksheet file for downloading in the Process Chapter.


DRAW
Look at drawings by children of various ages. (Emphasis Art by Frank Wachowiak and Robert Clements has an attractive 2 page spread showing figure drawings by children of from first through eighth grade.)

Make sketches of people and objects that are important parts of your story. Draw in the style you drew in at the age the events happened.

Cut out these pictures.


MAKE SPACE
Use scissors, x-acto knife, and rulers to cut and tear paper. Do not pre-draw. Do not use a pencil until later in the project.

Begin with an 18 x 24" or larger paper in black, gray, or dark brown. Use only grays, white, black, and shades of brown papers.

First put down a few large pieces to create floors and walls.

Note how laying a diagonal line instantly creates the illusion of depth. Allow yourself to create conceptual (not necessarily) realistic space. For example, you may be able to see the side and top of a table at the same time.

After making the basic space, add doors, windows, large pieces of furniture, etc.

One great way to shape papers for your collage is to tear them, either free hand or against a ruler to create a straight, but soft edge.

Add the characters and objects you created in your child style sketching.


ADD DETAILS & CREATE TEXTURES AND PATTERNS
After you have created the basic spaces and large and small shapes, you can begin adding detail to your picture with white, black, and brown markers, pencils, and chalk.

The details may be small objects such as equipment, posters, plants, clocks, loudspeaker, etc. Consider adding actual or symbolically significant posters, pictures, maps, and charts to the wall.

Added details should include creating the patterns and textures you associate with various surfaces.

When the picture is nearing completion, you may take a small scrap of colored paper (about 4 by 6 inches) and use bits of it in places around the picture as an accent color.


WRITE
As you make visual art, you will often find that your memories of places, people, and events become more vivid. Jot down words to help describe your experience.

Write: things you remember people saying, questions you thought or asked that were not answered, opinions you had about teachers and peers. Describe a time you got in trouble. In your judgement today was it justified or unjustified. What did you worry about? What stories do you remember reading? What did you learn? What didn’t you learn? Describe something you thought was wonderful or impressive.

Choose from your writing notes: sentences, phrases, and words that will enhance your drawing. Write words on your drawing. Layer over images or write in negative space. Add any information that helps to "paint a portrait" of the discursive space in your classroom.


COMMUNICATE & RESPOND
Post the finished artwork on the walls. Assign or let each student choose a work (not his of her own). Use the Elementary I Response Form (below) to stimulate each student’s consideration of his or her chosen artwork. Have students write in answer to all the questions that seem applicable. Use the thoughts stimulated by the worksheets as the basis for classroom discussion. Share the Response Forms with the artist.