Cascadia Elementary PTA

Hello Cascadia Families!

If you haven’t met me yet, let me introduce myself, I’m Ms. Bush and I am Cascadia’s new art teacher. Please feel free to come by and introduce yourself to me in person. I am making updates on Schoology so please look there for more information about lessons. It has been a wonderful year so far! My basis for the art program is to teach students dispositions so that they can learn to think like an artist. Those dispositions are based on research done out of Harvard called the eight studio habits of mind: develop craft, engage and persist, envision, express, observe, reflect, stretch and explore, and understand the art world. Through these dispositions we learn ways of thinking that are important to developing 21^st Century skills.

5^th and 4^th grade have now worked very successfully on two group projects. They worked on masks inspired by West African art, and were fully engaged in performing and writing dialogue. Many 5^th graders worked on the big idea, “We All Live Here,” based on the artist Richard Alapack from Chicago who wanted to bring community together through art.

3^rd grade has been focused mostly on contemporary artist’s like Yayoi Kusama and Faith Ringgold. They recently finished artwork inspired by their families and by Faith Ringgold’s book Tar Beach. They are currently completing their work and moving on to working on their art journals more and learning different collage techniques.

 1^st and 2^nd grade did a whole unit on monsters that included wax resist, rubbings to make textures, and storytelling through art. We are now moving on to make Super Hero Selfies.

While some work is already up in the hallways, a lot more work will be put up for our Arts & Talent Show Night on May 22^nd. So please stay tuned and please feel free to contact me if you are interested in volunteering that day for the show. During the event you will see an art exhibit representing all students as well as exciting student performances. All lessons include learning objectives based on the National Standards in Arts and Washington State Standards in the Arts. Creating, presenting, responding, and connecting are the four pillars of the national standards. Learning is assessed using a fall baseline and Spring final SPS assessment tool designed to show growth, through ongoing teacher observations and lesson linked rubrics as well as through self-reflection activities, written response and class presentations.

Most importantly, the Art Studio is a place for students to have some serious fun and explore their unique identity and confidence through art and self-expression!