Summer

Summer is upon us here in the middle of North Carolina and when I say summer, I'm not kidding.  The last week has seen record breaking temperatures often over 100 degrees and it has been muggy.

I also ended up having a sinus infection and a nasty case of bronchitis so my summer hasn't been off to a great start.  I have taken this week to sit quietly and fold laundry and get all my photography gear in place and ready.  I'm planning on doing a lot of wandering this summer and need to have my camera by my side.  I also purchased a couple of new batteries because the original battery isn't holding it's charge as long as it did when it was new.  Along with the packs, I purchased a battery grip as well. I've never used one before, even when I had my old Canon slr, but I like the fact that if I need to, I can use double A batteries in it.  I have been told however, that rechargeable double A's are better and don't drain as fast.

All this camera and photography talk has me really wishing that I could teach a photography class.  The problem is cameras.  Most of my students have smart phones and I am wondering if there is a way that I can use what the students already have available to them in a visual literacy project.  It might have to be a partially in - partially out of class assignment where they are tasked with taking different kinds of pictures, which we can then manipulate in class and then write about.  I've always been a proponent of visual literacy and interpreting signs and symbols.  I also think that images that we create ourselves are easier for us to write about.  It's still early in the summer so I have some time to think about this.

I wonder if my students are getting bored yet?  I hope not, but here is my annual summer drawing challenge if any of them are interested.  I can't take credit for most of the challenges as I gleaned them from more than one site, made some up and changed some to be regionally appropriate.  

If you are bored, get creative! 

 

I promise to take lots of pictures and I'll try to post them often.

In the meantime, enjoy your summer!

Summer Drawing Challenge

I am sorry that I have been such a loser pants when it comes to blogging.  The last couple of months have been a storm of trying to get things together for the end of the year coupled with not feeling too great as well.  I am sure that some of you can relate but the only thing that I have wanted to do when I get home is to pull the covers over my head.  I keep telling myself that summer will make it all okay and I hope that is true.

That being said, I know that many of my students start looking for something to do during the summer no more than 2 weeks into vacation.  After seeing all the "30 Day" photography (and such) challenges on Instagram, I thought that it would be fun to issue a 'Summer Drawing Challenge' to my students.  I came up with 25 fairly broad things for them to draw over the summer to be turned in the first week of school, next year.  For their efforts, they will receive a 'free' 100% in whatever exploratory class that they have the first quarter of the 2013-2014 school year.

I opened up the challenge to all of my students, even going as far as inviting our rising 5th graders to participate.  I asked our High School art teacher if she wanted to play along as well and she said that she would give her rising 9th graders credit as well.  We might even go so far as having a Summer Techy Challenge and a Summer Music Challenge as well.  What better way to start off the new school year than with a free 100%?

The rules are simple:

·    Draw all 25 of the Challenge prompts during the summer

·    Drawings DO NOT need to be on 25 consecutive days, but please do put the date that you drew each challenge on your drawing

·    Put your first and last name on each drawing

·    Drawings should be in a folder that you design for The Day One design (can be just a large piece of paper folded in half)

·    Drawings are due back to Miss Smith at school the first week of school to get full credit

·    If all 25 drawings are done correctly, you will receive a free 100% in your first quarter enrichment class.