Category Archives: Art In Action

Giving Tuesday – Direct Donation Drive!

This giving season give back to one of the most important causes in your child’s life – their school!

Contribute ANY amount to the Clifford School Direct Donation Drive to keep the following programs going: PE, Marine Science Institute, Art in Action, class supplies, outdoor education, community events & dances, 8th grade graduation, books for our library, etc.  NO amount is too small! If you can, become a Dolphin Sponsor with a donation of at least $500 per student. Our Dolphin Sponsors will be recognized on our PTO website, should you choose. Company matching for charitable donations is a great easy way to increase your donation! Please check to see if your company offers this today!

Clifford PTO is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation. Our tax id number is 94-2975493.

Download the Direct Donation Form or give online.


Esta temporada de a una de las mas importantes causas en la vida de su hijo – su escuela!

Contribuya con CUALQUIER cantidad a la unidad de donación directa de la escuela de Clifford para continuar manteniendo los programas siguientes: PE, Marina Instituto de Ciencias, arte en acción, materiales de clase, educación al aire libre, eventos comunitarios y danzas, graduación de 8vo grado, libros para nuestra biblioteca, etcetera.  Ninguna cantidad es demasiado pequeña! Si puede, conviertese en patrocinador de delfín con una donación de al menos $500 por estudiante. Nuestros patrocinadores delfín serán reconocidos en nuestra página web de la PTO, si usted elige. Si su compañía de empleo empareja donaciones de caridad, seria una gran manera fácil para aumentar su donación! Por favor verifique si su compañía de empleo ofrece esto hoy!

Descargue el formulario de donación directa o online.

Clifford 2nd Grade Artists Featured at Downtown Library

clifford_aia_2017Head downtown to the Redwood City Library and see the beautiful, smiling faces of our Clifford 2nd graders! Artwork will be on display in the Children’s section through mid-March.  This library Art in Action display changes monthly, so stop in regularly and check out all the fabulous art each month – 3rd grade coming soon.

Los Artistas del 2ndo grado de Clifford presentaran su arte en la biblioteca central de Redwood City

¡Vaya a la biblioteca central de Redwood City y vea las caras preciosas y sonrientes de los estudiantes de segundo grado de Clifford! El arte será mostrado en la sección de los niños hasta mediados del mes de  marzo. Esta exposición de Arte en Acción cambia cada mes, así que pase por hay regularmente para poder ver todo el arte fabuloso expuesto cada mes- se acerca la exposición del tercer grado.

 

Art in Action Volunteers Needed

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Our students love their Art in Action lessons! We need parent volunteers in every classroom, grades 1st-5th, to make sure all students get these fabulous, fun lessons that teach our kids how to talk about art and express themselves through drawing, painting and sculpture. Each classroom needs a parent docent, and a few classroom helpers for a 1-2hr lesson, once per month (scheduling is flexible!). No art experience necessary. All the lessons are pre-planned and materials are provided. If behind the scenes is more your style, we also need helpers who can prepare art supplies at home.

To find out more, email one of Clifford’s Art in Action Coordinators: Rachel Winmill (wade_rachel@hotmail.com) or Kay Rim (kaysuzu70@yahoo.com).

Already know you love Art in Action and can’t wait to get started? Sign up for one of the hands on training sessions at AiA headquarters in Menlo Park. These fun, free, hands on lessons are open to anyone interested in volunteering, and will guide you through the curriculum and give you a chance to make some art of your own! Training sessions are offered throughout September and early October, check the Art in Action website for dates.

Art Show at Peets

On March 7, our young 2nd and 3rd grade artists got a chance to have their art featured at Peets on Laurel Street. It was a wonderful and fun evening for our school community to gather while taking in the art work from our students. The artists loved seeing their art work on display and LOVED their complimentary hot cocoa!

A huge thank you to the Laurel Street Peet’s for hosting us!

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Art in Action: Top Tips for Clay Classes!

3rd Graders create their own clay shields, and decorate them with beads and feathers, inspired by Native American Art.
Here is a sampling of 3rd Grade artwork inspired by Native American traditions: The students use clay and glazes to create their own shields; then they decorate them with beads and feathers.

WORKING WITH CLAY

Thank you for leading a clay class, as part of Art in Action — or for helping out during a lesson! Clay is such a fun medium to work with; our students love it!

Scroll to the end of this post for some handy definitions.

And have fun!

Firstly, here are some lesson tips:

  • Clay fresh from the bag has been pre-wedged; all of the air bubbles have been removed. Since air bubbles in the clay can cause pieces to break when fired, encourage students not to overwork the clay, and keep this in mind when recycling extra scraps.
  • Try to keep finished pieces not more than about an inch thick. If too thick, the clay may not be able to dry completely and can break when fired. If a sculpture is thicker, you can carve out clay from the base or poke a hole to make it hollow.
  • Etch the students’ initials, name or student number on the bottom of each piece.

After your class with raw clay is complete:

  • DO NOT ALLOW CLAY TO GO DOWN THE DRAIN! Always have students rinse hands in a bucket of water, and dump the bucket outside.
  • Place finished pieces in cardboard flats–extras are available in the art closet–and label the flat with the teacher/grade and the date it was finished.
  • Place boxed pieces on the shelves in the back right of the art closet to dry. They will dry for 2-3 weeks before being bisque fired. When fired, they will be returned to the shelves (leave your name and # on the box if you want to be called when they’re done).
  • After the pieces are fired, if you want to add color, they can be painted with Tempera, then sprayed with a clear varnish, or glazed with the ceramic glaze. When painting with the ceramic glazes, 2-3 coats should be used for best color (the glaze dries very quickly and extra coats can be done immediately).
  • After glazing, the pieces will need to be fired again, so use the same boxes and labeling as described above, and put them back on the drying shelves to wait for the next firing.

Some definitions:

Kiln: The oven used to harden clay. When clay is “fired” in the kiln (typically at 1800-2500 degrees F), all the water is removed and the clay is chemically changed so that it is permanently hardened.

Slip: Clay mixed with a lot of water. Slip can be used as a glue to hold pieces together. First scratch or “score” the clay surfaces to be connected then apply slip like glue and make sure the pieces are well connected so they don’t fall apart as the clay shrinks in the kiln.

Wedging: This is a method of carefully kneading clay to remove any air bubbles . Air bubbles in the clay can cause pieces to explode in the kiln.

Bisque: This is the first firing. After a piece is bisque fired, it can be glazed, painted or left as is.

Glaze: This is like a “liquid glass” that is painted on bisque fired clay to add color and give the piece a smooth shiny finish. After glazing, pieces will require a second firing to finish.

–Rachel Winmill

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Clifford Art Exhibit Topped with Hot Chocolate

 

Two artists pose for the camera with fun "arty" props during the Clifford event in October 2015.
Two Clifford artists pose with fun “arty” props during our first Peet’s event in October 2015.

 

What do you do on a (potentially) chilly Monday afternoon in March?

Why, you go to Peet’s in San Carlos, of course!

Come soak up our students’ artwork, enjoy fun activities, and sip – or knock back – Peet’s delicious beverages. And/or eat!

Clifford families, teachers, and staff: You are all invited to this special Art in Action show!

Thanks to classes taught by parent volunteers, 2nd and 3rd Grade artwork will be on display.

Here are the details:

What: Clifford Art Show & Cocoa Night
Where: Peet’s Coffee & Tea, 677 Laurel Street, San Carlos.
When: Monday, March 7, 2016
Time: 4:00-6:30PM

2nd Graders and 3rd Graders will be entitled to a coupon for one free hot chocolate to be used on March 7 at Peet’s during our event (check your 2nd or 3rd Grader’s folder for the coupon to bring to Peet’s, closer to the time).

Back in October, Peet’s very kindly let us celebrate 1st Grade and 4th Grade artwork with our debut Art Show & Cocoa Night, so we are grateful to Peet’s for welcoming the Clifford community again.

Questions? Contact us.

Presented by Clifford’s Art in Action team.

4th Grade artwork inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe.
On display at Peet’s during our Hot Cocoa gathering: Artwork inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe (4th Grade, above) and Marc Chagall (1st Grade, below).

Art in Action: Are You Ready for Action?

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Art in Action for some classes at Clifford has already begun, and we are excited to have parents sign up to volunteer.

 

What’s it all about? 

In case you are new to Clifford School or haven’t heard about it before, Art in Action is a PTO-funded and parent-driven art program for our students, from 1st Grade through 5th Grade. (We have a plan to bring Art in Action back to Middle School – stay tuned!)

A parent, along with a merry band of helpers, facilitates a brief discussion of a work of art – a painting or a ceramics piece, for example — and then leads the students through a fun creative process. All the art supplies are assembled for you, as long as you give us a few days’ notice. A typical Art in Action class will take about an hour – or less, or more — depending on the amount of time you have and how detailed you want things to go.

It’s a wonderful program; the students dig it. And we need volunteers!

Oh, and in case you’re wondering. . . .

NO: You don’t need to work in design or feel “artsy” to lead a class. Nor do you need to have a background in art history or be a whiz with watercolors – or anything like that!

(Full disclosure: The writer of this post, in fact, can’t draw her way out of a paper bag, and has adored teaching Art in Action for five years.)

All you need is a willingness and enthusiasm for leading students through a creative process — and you can rely on Art in Action’s helpful resources online (and other parents, of course) to make your class happen! Plus, you will have a captive audience. We’ll say it again: Students love having parents teach Art in Action.

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A selection of artwork on display during Maze Day.

 

You can volunteer in three ways:

  1. Lead or facilitate a class (consider sharing the role with another parent)
  2. Assist during class (hand out art materials)
  3. Help in your own time at home (prepping supplies, mounting artwork, and so on)

To volunteer, sign up during Back to School Night (September 24) and/or tell your child’s teacher that you are interested in leading a class or helping out!

 

New from Art in Action

If you are leading a class and want to access Art in Action’s online resources — video tutorials and lesson guidelines, for instance — you need to create a new account at the new Art in Action website. (Your old login/password won’t work past November 30, 2015, says Art in Action.)

To create a new account:

  1. Visit the Clifford-specific registration page.
  2. Fill out the details.
  3. Enter the access code:  Clifford2015

 

What’s the next step?

After creating an account, you can browse through the respective Grade-level lesson plans if you’re leading a class. You choose the lesson and then coordinate with your child’s teacher. (Some teachers may request specific lessons for their students.)

You can teach in your child’s classroom — or in Room 10 or Room 12 — depending on your preference and the teacher’s. Note: You’ll need to reserve Room 10 and 12 through the school office — and the rooms may not be available when you want them.

Before your class, find fell0w-parents to assist you (your child’s teacher will probably know who has expressed an interest in helping). If you need help recruiting a volunteer or two, contact us.

 

Special plea

If you’ve already assisted in class – handing out paint brushes and refilling water containers, for example – please consider leading a class yourself next time! If you need help figuring this out, contact us.

 

Additional resources

To see an overview of Art in Action lessons, 1st through 5th Grade — and to add your own scheduled classes, when firmed up — please use this online spreadsheet. Thank you.

Check out the PTO’s Art in Action page, where you’ll find details about logistics, links to training info, photos, and more.

Keep an eye out for emails from Clifford’s Art in Action coordinator along with updates in the Clifford School PTO email newsletters (here’s where you sign up to receive the newsletter).

Here’s the latest Art in Action flyer: English and Spanish.

We look forward to a terrific year of Art in Action!

Strike a pose: Each 4th grader had to create a version of themselves with wire!
4th Grade students use wire and other materials to create an upright model of themselves!

 

Calling all Art Class Volunteers: Ready for the New Year?

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4th Graders paint their own flower close-ups, inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Poppies.”

We are already dreaming up and planning fantastic parent-led art classes from Grades 1 through 5 for the upcoming year! Thanks to an amazing program funded by the PTO called Art in Action, our students have the opportunity to get creative with all kinds of artistic tools and techniques! Whether you’ve taught or helped out in an art class previously—or this is your family’s first year at Clifford—find tons of info and links to resources on the PTO website. No art experience–whatsoever–required!

If you’re interested in attending a free Art in Action training session (organized by grade level) in Menlo Park, sign up as soon as you can. These in-person training seminars run from August 31 through October 16, 2015. Free Webinars are also scheduled for September 2015 (no dates posted as of this writing; check  the Art in Action website soon.

Remember also that there’s an Art in Action parent team dedicated to helping and supporting you throughout the year. Whether you need more information about how to get started or want somebody to assemble all your art materials — or have ideas about how to display art around town — please contact us using this form.

 

Ya estamos soñando y planeando fantásticas clases de arte dirigida por los padres de los grados 1 a 5 para el próximo año! Gracias a un programa increíble financiado por la toma de fuerza llamado Arte en Acción, nuestros estudiantes tienen la oportunidad de ser creativo con todo tipo de herramientas y técnicas artísticas! Tanto si has enseñado o ayudaste en una clase de arte previamente o este es el primer año de su familia en Clifford-encontrar toneladas de información y enlaces a recursos en el sitio web de la TDF. Ningún arte-alguna-requiere experiencia!

Si estás interesado en asistir a un arte libre en la sesión de entrenamiento de Acción (organizadas por nivel de grado) en Menlo Park, crea tan pronto como sea posible. Estos seminarios de capacitación en persona correr a partir del 31 de agosto al 16 de octubre de 2015. Los Webinars gratuitos también están programadas para septiembre de 2015 (no hay fechas publicadas partir de este escrito; comprobar el Arte en el sitio web de Acción pronto.