Posts Tagged ‘art’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Examine the Artwork of M.C. Escher

May 14th, 2022

It’s Saturday, May 14, 2022, and time for Art at ClickSchooling!

National Gallery of Art: M.C. Escher – Life and Work

(www.nga.gov/features/slideshows/mc-escher-life-and-work.html)

All grades; children with parental supervision

The National Gallery of Art sponsors this site that offers a virtual tour of the artwork of M.C. Escher.

If your students have studied math tessellations they may have been introduced to some of Escher’s work already — as he used patterns of interlocking forms and architectural mazes in his artwork. He also created unusual spatial effects by drawing a picture from different perspectives, for instance, looking up and down at the same time. Escher really contributed to the idea of metamorphosis drawing where one shape or object turns into something completely different. This tour offers examples of all of these aspects of his work and most kids will find the “morph” prints and drawings especially fascinating.

When you get to the site you can read the “Overview” for a biography and explanation of Escher’s work. Then click on the right arrow to view all of the many works in this virtual gallery. Each piece of art comes with a text explanation that helps the viewer to appreciate what they are looking at.

No comments »

Posted in math

Tags:

Favorite Science Activities & Lesssons!

May 10th, 2022

It’s Tuesday, May 10, 2022, and time for Science at ClickSchooling!

The Science Spot

(www.sciencespot.net/)

Grades 6-8, with parental supervision

A clever and innovative science teacher developed this free website where she shares her favorite science activities, lessons, and printables.

When you get to the site you’ll see a menu that includes:

  • Science Classroom – Get an abundance of free lesson plans, activities, printable worksheets, and links to other resources on general science, ecology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, earth science, biology, insects, eagles, the metric system, forensic science, archaeology, and more.

  • Reference Desk – An archive of links to educational science websites, lesson plans, clip art resources and much more. We didn’t follow all of these links — so parent supervision, as always, is advised.

  • Puzzle Corner – This is a cool resource! Print out free word search and crossword puzzles on cells, invertebrates, the skeletal and muscular system, genetics, rocks and minerals, constellations and much, much more! Great material for DIY science activity books!

There is much more material for classroom teachers provided at this site. Much of it can be tweaked to suit homeschoolers.

No comments »

Posted in art

Tags:

Learn to Draw with Jan Brett

April 16th, 2022

It’s Saturday, April 16, 2022, and time for Art at ClickSchooling!

The World of Jan Brett

(www.janbrett.com/index.html)

Grades K-12, with parental supervision

Visit the world of American illustrator and writer of children’s picture books, Jan Brett. At this website, visitors will find a treasure trove of activities for hours of fun. In addition to loads of educational activity pages to print out, there are tons of printable coloring pages, fun games to play online or print out, and cards to either email or print.

One of the highlights of this website is the video art lessons. Join Mrs. Brett as she teaches visitors to draw some of the characters from her books such as:

  • A dolphin
  • A chick
  • A hedgehog
  • A creature of the deep
  • A bear
  • An elephant
  • Dots and Stripes – Two African Animals
  • A bunny
  • Gingerbread Baby, Friends and Peppermint Puppy
  • Horses
  • African Okapi
  • A lion
  • A polar bear
  • A stork
  • A Siberian Husky
  • A viper fish
  • A train

And much more. You will want to bookmark this website and come back often to enjoy all that is available here.

No comments »

Posted in art

Tags:

Virtually Cruise Historic Route 66!

April 1st, 2022

It’s Friday, April 1, 2022, and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

Roadside Peek: Learn History & Get Your Kicks on Route 66

(www.roadsidepeek.com/)

Grades 5 & up, with parental supervision

One of the great things about a summer road trip is seeing the landscape that reflects our culture through the architecture and signage along the way.

At this website, you can take a virtual journey along old routes and highways (through photographs and text) to see the long-gone, but not forgotten drive-in restaurants, gas stations, motels, neon signs, and tourist traps of the 1950s-1970s.

Many are the roadside haunts of your parents and grandparents – so, ask them to take this nostalgic online tour with you, and I’ll bet they’ll provide some personal and historical perspective for your whole family.

When you get to the site use the menu to explore:

  • Architecture – See examples of Art Deco, Googie (space-age architecture), Tiki Villages and more.
  • Auto Alley – Visit vintage auto showrooms, gas stations, and car washes.
  • Eateries – Check out the burger joints, coffee shops, diners, and hot dog stands of bygone eras – often shaped like the food they served!
  • Entertainment – Explore bowling alleys, drive-in theaters, and skating rinks of yesteryear.
  • Neon – Be dazzled by the neon lights advertising motels, theaters, eateries, and more.
  • Road Icons – Discover roadside attractions that include giant cows, artichokes, and dinosaurs, as well as legendary folk heroes.

You can even explore these memorable roadside stops by regions including the East, Great Plains, Midwest, Rocky Mountains, Pacific Northwest, and the Southwest.

If this makes you want to hop in the car and find your own roadside treasures, be sure to check out RoadsideAmerica.com for an online guide to offbeat tourist attractions.

And don’t forget to take along my book, Carschooling, to entertain the family between roadside attractions.

No comments »

Posted in Virtual Field Trip

Tags:

History of British Kingdoms for Kids

March 24th, 2022

David Nash Ford: History of Early British Kingdoms

(www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/)

All grades, with parental supervision

This website provides the history of the rise of Celtic nations and kingdoms (in what is now England and Scotland) after the end of the Roman occupation in the Dark Ages.

It’s divided into two parts:

1) The main site is for older students about ages 11 and up (grades 6-12) and beyond. Use the link above to access the main site.

2) There is also a section especially for kids ages 5-10 (grades K-5) that you can access through an alternate link that is posted below.

When you get to the main site you’ll see a menu of topics including:

  • Kingdoms – Learn the history and timeline of the early kingdoms and explore maps of the territories they occupied.
  • Arthur – A terrific account of King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table, and the many engaging legends.
  • Archaeology – See the ruins of ancient castles, abbeys, and churches and virtually examine artifacts.
  • Saints – Read the biographies of Celtic saints, and learn about their gifts and sacrifices.
  • Adversaries – Learn about ancient warring Celtic tribes.

Click on any one and a new page opens with a menu that allows you to explore the topic in depth through text, illustrations, and pictures.

As mentioned above, just for youngsters, the site offers a Kids Page here: Early British Kingdoms for Kids

Fun, cartoon art illustrates the answers to questions about:

  • The Dark Ages
  • Why the Romans left Britain
  • Britons, Saxons, Scots, and Picts
  • King Arthur, the Sword in the Stone, and Arthurian legend
  • Other Famous Kings
  • Minstrels
  • Saints, Monks & Nuns
  • Life in Farms, Villages, and Towns
  • Christianity and Pagans
  • Runes
  • Weapons
  • Treasures

And much more! You’ll even find printable coloring pages!

No comments »

Posted in social sciences

Tags:

Art Tutorials for Middle & High School

March 19th, 2022

John MacTaggart: Artyfactory

(www.artyfactory.com/)

Grades 6 and up, with parental supervision

This ad-supported website includes step-by-step, how-to art lessons. It also offers art appreciation tutorials on topics like “Still Life” or “Animals in Art” or broader “Art Movements.”

Description: When you get to the site, choose from:

  • Art Lessons
  • Art Appreciation
  • Design Lessons

Little ones can’t interact with Artyfactory on their own. The content and writing are at an advanced level. (In fact, it is suspect most of the content doubles as MacTaggart’s college course material.) But there’s tremendous potential here for a creative homeschooler as follows:

  • Use it directly as reading or coursework for a high school student.

  • Adapt the lessons for younger pupils. The “Pencil Shading” exercises, for example, found under “Pencil Portraits” in the Art Lessons section, would be a fun challenge. The “How to Draw Animals” lessons might work with a talented middle school student, too, but these are no Ed Emberley thumbprints: they require a good eye and a controlled hand.
  • Fill in holes in your own knowledge. After spending some time on this site you’ll be able to introduce your children to Expressionism paintings and more next time you visit a museum.

There’s a wealth of information here: color theory (both technical stuff like the color wheel and the emotional impact of colors in painting), a thorough overview of African masks and Egyptian hieroglyphs, shading techniques in pen and ink, etc.

NOTE: As always, PARENTS SHOULD PREVIEW the site to determine suitability of content for your own children.

No comments »

Posted in art

Tags:

css.php