Objectives
Here is how I display my daily objectives for my young artists! I have a page protector stapled onto my boards so I can quickly switch out objectives every morning. I teach at a dual language school so all of my objectives are written in both English (typed in blue) y Español (typed in green). I also include a few visuals and student examples as well.
Artwork Storage
Most of our art projects take several weeks to complete and since we have around 500 students that is a lot of artwork to store from week to week! Luckily I have these great flat shelves in my art room that we use! For each class I have 6 colored folders that correspond to a table color. Students at each table store their sketchbook and work inside the folders. Since one of the art jobs that I have is that of 'Art Associates' my young artists are able to distribute and collect all artwork quickly and efficiently! This was a huge upgrade from my first system where I would call out individual names to pass back work at the beginning of class.
Painting Set up and Management
Download my Painting Elements handouts and learn more about this 3rd-grade Surrealism painting unit!
Here is how I have my painting station set up in my elementary art studio. I keep most of our painting supplies by the sink area, which makes setting up and cleaning up much more manageable. Here are some helpful tips I have learned over the years!
My young artists wash their own paintbrushes and palettes. A dish rack by the sink provides a space for these supplies to dry.
I purchased wire shelving from the Container Store to stack my painting supplies in one area.
Everything is labeled in English and Spanish, so my young artists know where to return materials (I teach at a two-way immersion school).
I use mini ice cube trays with lids to store my tempera paint. This allows me to stack the paint and makes distribution/collection a breeze. The covers keep the paint moist, so I don't have to refill them often.
I LOVE these broad wash basins. They are sturdy, so they do not fall over, and the three separate wells mean that the water can be changed infrequently. In addition, I can stack them to save more space (these also happen to come with lids).
I have an assortment of brushes already available for each table. I also have a shelf with additional brushes if artists need specific sizes/shapes/hair. I prefer short-handled synthetic Taklon brushes as they can be used with various media.
Sponges are important! After washing their paintbrushes in the water, I teach my young artists to wipe their brushes onto a sponge to remove any excess paint/water.
Rags- I have wet and dry rags to clean tables. At the end of every day, I wash the rags and hang them on hooks over my sink to dry.
Clay Set up and management
WATCH MY CLAY CART VIDEO: Here is the clay cart I use to store all my clay supplies. Having everything on a cart makes setting up and cleaning up incredibly easy (especially with only 5-minute transitions between classes). My elementary classes will go from drawing to sculpting to painting, so being organized is essential. I can roll this out during my clay classes, then roll it back in. Also, pre-cutting my clay and placing them in these air-tight containers is a HUGE time saver!
Dry Materials Set Up and Management
Special Art Supplies and Material Bins
Most of the materials in my room are open and readily accessible to my young artists. However, I occasionally have specific materials, handouts, and resources that may be needed for a particular lesson. This is how I organize all those materials so I can readily distribute and collect them during my 5-minute transitions.
Lesson Plan Organization
This is how I keep all of my unit plans, resources, and objectives organized for the school year!
Each grade level is color coded and has it's own expandable file folder. Within each grade level, for each specific unit, I have a smaller clear plastic envelope folder. This way I am able to store all of my objectives (which I display in the front of my room as can be seen in my previous post), unit/lesson plans, resources, and other materials in one place.
I personally prefer these expandable folders over a traditional filing system. Because my resources are of various sizes, sometimes things wouldn't fit, would fall out, or tear. The plastic envelopes make it so everything stays safe in one convenient location!
I was able to find these online (search for Wallet Expandable File Folders and Clear Plastic Envelope Folder with Button). You can also likely find similar folders at an office/school supply store.