Can you say EXHAUSTED?

I can.
Prom week can be fun, but I'm BEAT!
I hope everyone comes to Grand March to see the culmination of months of planning, preparing, organizing, building, creating, etc.

My classes helped Miss J with Elementary Farm Day today (a lot of them...some of them did do their work for me). It was fun seeing the kids get excited and good to see many of the sweet familiar faces of the 3rd and 4th grade as well!

We will be preparing for Cinco de Mayo with pinatas on Monday. Fine Arts Concert Monday night, where we will be displaying art work. Open House tuesday night, Knight's JAM presentations are Wednesday night, (and we will be having a celebration for CdM as well). I will need a break, so am taking one next Friday.

Then it's on to creating the class composite, and cleaning/preparing for my daughter's graduation on the 22/23rd.

I guess you could say folks...my life is NEVER dull!

Lately...

It's been non stop crazy in my classroom!
The Elementary students are working on things for Cinco de Mayo.
K-Siesta "Pillows"
1st--Colorful "Serapes" (actually made from a grocery sack)
2nd--Talavera "tiles". Made with Crayola Model Magic on a used CD.

I just finished painting circus animals for HyVee, so if you go in
to shop there in Estherville, check out the 3 lions, 1 tiger, 1 giraffe,
and 1 gorilla. It's not often when I actually get to create my own
artwork and it's good for students to see that I can actually do a pretty
good job. : ) (Pictures to follow)

HS students attended the Conference Art Show on Monday April 19th in Ruthven.
We then went to Spencer for lunch and a trip to Bogenrief Glass Studios.
It was very interesting and fun! Morgan Whitney received 3rd place Best in Show,
an award given by the attending art instructors. Congrats Morgan!

Now students all are working on various different projects, or helping me.

CrAzYYYYY BUsY!

BUt I wanted to share this with everyone before I forget:



Ellie and I found this in TAG as we are learning about paper marbeling.
It is SOOOOO cool we had to share it with all of you!

df
out.

April 5th-9th!

So...I had a VERY interesting break. The best thing about it was that we surprised my little brother with a party.
Proud to say he WAS really surprised and touched! yeah! I thought he might be really mad at me (especially about the
bunny cake I made for him and presented in front of all his friends), but he even thanked me! Wow.

2nd Grade students had a review of color and are creating a patterned pinwheel. Hopefully I will remember to get 24 pencils to pin them to!

1st Grade students played "catch up" this week and worked on their watercolor pencil shape drawings and their cityscape we created several weeks ago. : )

Kindergarten will be making a kite complete with tails! We will review shapes we know and discuss color and line as well.

This week in the high school we are finishing up some things...Art II--colored pencil drawings for the Art Show April 19th (at Ruthven-Ayrshire).
Morgan finished 3 pieces--one graphite, one charcoal pencil and one chalk pastel pencil.
Sandy will enter some commercial art items and graphic design items she has created.
Jeff will enter a watercolor he did last semester and he is busy building his Knight's Jam website:
http://www.petrichsportfolio.webs.com

Phillip is working on yearbook items that need addressed.
Heather is almost done with all the portrait pages. She is "Miss attention to detail", so we named her editor this year.

The photography students continue to work on the list we created and I have been resorting to worksheets to keep them
a bit more "contained". They have a tendency to wander or do nothing if I don't keep them on task.

Graphic Designers will finish their "Celebrity" pieces and then work on a commercial art piece to be determined through class discussion.

Prom invitations are being delivered this week! We will plan more about the meal, discuss waiter and waitress attire/duties and continue working on decorations. The centerpieces are basically ready to assemble. The 50's theme is really FUN!

It's time for me to get out the mat cutter and begin matting pieces. NOT my favorite activity! I try and do it when most people aren't around. It's frustrating...and VERY time consuming.

I will begin working on the Open House which is scheduled May 4th (the night after the Fine Arts Concert, where we will have artwork displayed as part of the evening.)

Mrs. Thoreson wants to have another Cinco de Mayo celebration. I'm game and will come up for ways for all my students to be involved again.

Hy Vee is asking us to create large cardboard circus animals. I said yes, but may regret being so busy, one of these days!

You all know that my daughter is graduating, which is at times sad for me, but what you may not know is that I'm VERY fond of the 4 seniors I currently see every day...somebody better have lots of kleenex at Graduation. I don't think I'll make it through without several!

Oh...that reminds me--another reason I need senior photos is for the Class Composite I create at graduation. I need them ASAP because I HATE waiting until the last minute!

Last week...

The 2nd Grade students played "catch up". We are trying to complete several projects so that we have work to show at Open House. I think the Castle compositions we did with a collage background will be a big hit. : )

First Grade students finished up their shape/line designs with watercolor pencil and used water to disperse the color evenly.

Kindergarten students had a real treat...Allison Peyton and Alison Buechler were home from college and happened to be visiting.
I roped them into helping with creating melted crayon/waxed paper eggs. It got a little rowdy...and I sure appreciated all the extra help!

Graphic Design students are working on a piece that involves a celebrity, photos, type presented in a collage style. Some chose to do an cut and pasted piece on board or paper, others have chosen to complete their piece on the computer in Photoshop.
I am always surprised by the scope of ideas I am presented with that come from a specific rubric. Makes my job interesting!

Photography students completed their series and began working on a new "list". Students were also given the opportunity to create their own list to photograph, edit and print. They're due the 9th...

Morgan is completing her pieces for the art show. She has really come a long way since she was a freshman...I'm sure you would agree! I love the chalk pastel pencil eye she is doing right now!

Sandy is working on editing engagement photos of her sister and fiance, their wedding invitations, announcements, monogram and program. She has also created a huge variety of graduation announcements for herself and others.

Jeff is creating a website to host his Knight's Jam presentation, which will include music, artwork, videos, and photos. He's learning how to use iMovie (clips, stills, titles, transitions and voice overs) and how to upload materials to his site. He is having a ball, as I thought he might. Given an idea, Jeff will take it and RUN!

Heather is dilligently plugging away at the portrait pages in the 2010 yearbook. She will be hounding the seniors soon...so you had better let the G/T senior you know that they should get their pictures in PRONTO!

Art II students are working on colored pencil drawings. I have seen much improvement in several of these folks too this year.

Now that Dance Team is done for the year, and the MS Musical is over I am concentrating more on Prom and the committee is really gung ho and way ahead of many of the former juniors I've worked with the past 9 years.

We started watching "The Blindside" in homeroom with several other homerooms...what a great movie. If you haven't seen it yet I highly recommend it! Think of this: If we were all as generous and accepting as the Tuohys, the world would be a much better place!

I'm happy to have a break about now. It's busy, busy, busy, from here until May 23rd for me!

ARRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

I typed a WHOLE bunch more about HS etc. on that last post and even though I clicked save a zillion times when I published it's GONE...technology, is great WHEN IT WORKS!

ptewey~!!

Okay, I finally have a free moment between doing dishes, vacuuming and laundry to post for last week.

So last week...in the HS:

Jeff worked on his mixed media car piece and seems closer to being completion.

Sandy and Heather sold Yearbook Ads and worked on various Graphic Design projects.
One being the Typography assignment, which I will explain later.

Phillip, being our right hand man around school was busy...the new sound system came in and he marked it all and put it in the cabinet. He also hauled it to Terril for the play, set it up for us and ran it friday night!!! Thanks very much Phil!



Morgan is working on this amazing COLORED chalk pastel drawing of an eye. When she's done I will post a photo here. She also volunteered to video tape at the show Friday night. Thanks Morgan! Now we will have a video memory of the Music Man Jr. to share!

Side note: I'm really going to miss "MY" seniors...while my own daughter graduates and the thought brings tears already, the idea that the four students I have from the class of 2010 at G/T chokes me up as well. Someone remember to have a box of kleenex handy at commencement, ok?

The photography students are working on a photographic series. They were to shoot a procedure of some sort. So far we have a shaken can of soda...making a pb&j sandwich...and a yo yo trick. I wonder what else students will come up with? I have also had to create daily assignments as well. Students who either aren't on task or who finish assignments are allowed the opportunity to summarize articles about photography topics/photographs. I must say that this is not a popular activity...but I am tiring of "riding herd" and constantly monitoring both inappropriate behaviors and conversations both in 6th and 8th hours. Is it Spring? Yes. But is that an excuse? NO. People are still responsible for, and should be held accountable for their actions. Blaming someone or something doesn't solve the problem nor does it correct it. Oh, sorry...I digress.

In Graphic Design we have been created painted Typography studies. It is based on an assignment I found on the internet. The assignment discussed the works of Charles DeMuth and Jasper Johns. I then created my own version on the white board. Each student has come up with their own version using letters, their initials, their name, etc. As usual, we have some very unique and interesting works!

MUSIC MAN JUNIOR!!!!

I hope you will join us as G/T MS presents Music Man Jr. at 7 PM in the Terril Gymnasium!
It has been a privilege to be a part of this production.
This being one of my favorite musicals, I knew what to do in designing and building the set...
My hat is off to the stars Josh Petrich and Grace Skattebo and to the rest of the cast and crew!
Oh, and don't forget the "School Board" played by our own Misters' Hector, Sansgaard, Benedict
and Pedersen! You don't want to miss THAT! They are truly awesome!
Special thanks to student helpers: Phillip Schmitt, Kayla Sandbeck, Kelsey Hart and Morgan Whitney!

Ok. I am still trying to teach the children, even tho' Spring has sprung and it's very obvious, especially
amongst the HS crowd...'nough said!

We played "catch up" in 2nd Grade Art, trying to complete some projects I had on the shelf and finishing
our paper to be folded (Origami box--thanks to YouTube!) into a basket next week. Everyone PRAY!
I know I will do the majority of work on the end product, but it will be worth it!

In First Grade Mrs. Cindy Voss from the American Red Cross came to visit and students shared what
they had learned a few weeks ago and shared their thank you cards they had created for the Hometown
Heros. ; ) Watch for something in the paper soon...yes, that's them in the photo above!
We also did a draw-along of the Easter Bunny...using lines and shapes...mostly letters, like L and O and shapes
like triangles and "footballs". They will finish them while I help students fold their baskets next week!

Kindergarten...after an interesting "finger painting with pudding session" last week, we will create our own
special Easter egg designs using lines and shapes. My idea is to do a wax resist and paint over the crayon
next week. It would be really nice to have Mother Nature cooperate, as it would be great to paint them outside!