Thanks to the World Wide Web, it is now easier than ever for educators to gain from each other's knowledge and experiences. Over the past few years, more teachers have turned to the web as a way of connecting with other educators. Today teachers around the country, as well as around the globe, are sharing their experiences in their classrooms on their very own blogs. Below several teachers blogs can be found that I have found to be of value for the elementary educator.
The Teaching Palette
The Teaching Palette is an educator's dream! Information can easily be accessed regarding a wide range of topic from classroom management to actual art lesson plans. There are even useful reviews of current technology trends and books in regard to art and art curriculum. This can be very useful for educators trying to constantly evolve their curriculum to mirror current trends in the home, classroom, and workplace. The lesson plans on this website are what are most useful to educators who are interested in art-integrated education as well as those educators who are full-time art teachers. These lesson plans are .PDF files that can easily be printed or downloaded for modifications for one's unique blend of students. Lesson plans are broken down by grade level. Overall this is an excellent site that is visually appealing and easy to use!
Dryden Elementary Art
This site is one that is laced in multimedia. Videos are plentiful, perfect for those who prefer visual presentations of information over the typed word. The videos are made for ease of viewing with plenty of colors and proper film editing that provide the audience with a pleasant viewing experience. This blog is perfect for those looking for ideas, but educator beware, there are not full lesson plans available. Another thing to take note of is that most of the information is actually linked to a site called artsonia, which is not as easy to use as the blog itself.
Art for Small Hands
This teacher's blog is both visually pleasing and pleasantly simple. Each post is a lesson plan, complete with a list of materials and step-by-step instructions on how to create each work of art. Sample works are shown and even a few photographs of the art making process are included with each lesson plan. Lessons are available for approximately ages 3-13. One downfall of this site is the lack of updates. Posts are only made once every few weeks.
The Art of Education
This website is actually an online magazine for art educators, which provides a very professional feel and layout to the site. Articles can be found on topics such as classroom management, engaging male students in art, and even the process of art evaluation. Professional lesson plans can be found easily via the topics tab. Lesson plans are available for students starting at kindergarten and ending with 5th grade. Many comments can be found at the end of each lesson plan, which can provide teachers with feedback by others working in the classroom with the lesson plans they found on The Art of Education website.
Adventures of an Art Teacher
This blog is definitely perfect for those who love down-to-earth people. The creator of this blog, Katie Morris is obviously not afraid of sharing her personal opinions of her own lessons. She shares what works, and what doesn't. Lesson ideas can be found for grades K-6, as well as for specific art history topics. Some of the lessons contain sample works, as well as photos depicting students creating the works of art at various points. The best part of this blog is truly the feeling one gets when interacting with it.