Genius Hour: ART ATTACK!

Welcome back bloggers!

I have decided to change my genius hour question, as I struck interest into creating something else I was always passionate about...

QUESTION: How can I learn how to sketch?

Ever since I was young, I have always wanted to learn how to sketch pictures of people, places and even objects. I would be the type of person to doodle on anything I could get my hands on. I absolutely loved arts and crafts, and would make many of my own art creations on my spare time. I can currently say I’m pretty adequate at drawing, but I wish to learn how to advance myself in it. I was never taught how to properly sketch or draw, it was sort of a “free-hand” on my part. I am very excited that I now have the opportunity to be creative and a temporary “artist” through my university class! Who would’ve known that I would be doing something that I have always been passionate about in one of my post-secondary classes. Just like the saying goes…“It’s better late, than never.”

Retrieved From: https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2015/08/best-drawing-pencils/

First of all… What is sketching?

“In terms of art, a sketch refers to a quick, informal drawing usually done from life.” A sketch displays the rudiments of the subject; the whole form and perspective. It captures a sense of volume and shade and is something that should not be overworked.

Retrieved From: https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-images-apple-sketch-image2723604

My main goal that I have in mind is to sketch at least 3 full drawings by the end of the semester. The three potential sketches I would like to create are a face, an object and a cartoon. For the face drawing in particular, I want to learn how to draw each feature in detail. In order to do so, I am going to have to break down and sketch a couple parts of the face for each week. The face is a sketch that I cannot just free-hand all at once. By the end of the first week, I plan on learning how to draw eyes and eyebrows. By the end of the second week, I plan on learning how to sketch a nose. By the end of the third week, I plan on learning how to draw lips and ears. By the end of the fourth week, I plan on learning how to draw facial shape, neck and hair. By the end of the fifth week, I plan on learning how to draw an object (i.e. a fruit).  By the end of the sixth week I plan on learning how to draw a cartoon. I am not 100% sure on what object and cartoon in particular I want to draw just yet. Tentative ideas for the object include a fruit/fruit bowl or a coffee mug with a doughnut. Tentative ideas for the cartoon sketch would be to draw any Disney cartoon character (i.e. Ariel, Simba, Mickey Mouse, etc).

I am beyond thrilled and over-joyed to start my genius hour mission. I feel like sketching is not only a fantastic skill to learn, but also a very therapeutic process to be involved in. University can be extremely hectic and stressful at times, which is why I am happy to resort to something that I have always dreamed of doing. 

Genius Hour: Creating a Children's Book

I remember curling up in bed with my favourite book when I was younger, completely immersed in the world of the story. Books allow people to use their imagination, permitting the reader to travel to a distant realm of fantasy. Children books are written to teach youngsters valuable lessons which deliver them springs of enjoyment and inspiration. Have you ever thought about creating your own children’s book? This is a process I have always wondered about and something I have been interested in doing myself. So…I propose the question: How can I write and illustrate my own children’s book?

       

The first step in creating a children’s book would be to actually read many of them again. This will give me a good idea as to if I want to make my book fiction or non-fiction, what age group I should target, etc. During this process I would also decide if my book were to be mostly words, mainly pictures or a good balance of the two. I would then start thinking about the writing process. First I would focus and brainstorm on the main components of the story (i.e. characters, setting, plot, climax, resolution). I would then think of and include a “message” or “lesson” of the book. After I have finished the brainstorming process, I would start writing the rough draft. During this phase I will need to be cautious of the vocabulary and sentence structure depending on the age group I decide to write for. Revising my book over and over again would be a huge part of the process. Not only is spelling and grammar an important element of writing, but taking out irrelevant pieces of the writing is a huge part of the art of literacy. Publishing the book would be a step of the process I am very unfamiliar with; I will need to take this stage into further consideration and ask many questions. My goal is to have created and published a children's book by January. Do you think this is possible? 

Thanks for reading! I will keep you posted with weekly updates on my genius hour. 

Miss Le Pera

Images: 

"Very Hungry Catepillar" Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Very_Hungry_Caterpillar

"Goodnight Moon: Retrieved from: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/goodnight-moon-board-margaret-wise-brown/1105127857

Copyright

What is copyright?

Retrieved From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suMza6Q8J08

Copyright protects things like…music, words, artwork, images, choreography, sound recordings, dramatic works, writing, etc… the list can go on. Copyright is a law that gives you ownership over things you create and protects your original work. Creative Commons (CC) set out licenses that enable authors to declare how their work/creations can be used by others in their original works which includes attribution, share-alike, non-commercial and no derivative works. It is important to give credit to the authors and creators where it is due, because if you do not…this results in plagiarism. Plagiarism would be a very important topic to cover towards my students in terms of copyright. Plagiarism is the act of stealing or passing off the words or ideas of someone and using it as one’s own. It is using someone else’s work without crediting the source. Especially in terms of writing, I would plan a mini lesson on how to prevent plagiarism from occurring. For example, start out with steps on planning to write a paper (i.e. consult with your instructor, take effective notes). While writing the paper, it is crucial to keep in mind when you are ever having any doubts about citing, do it anyway! Make it clear who said what in your paper and also know how to paraphrase. Lastly, analyze and evaluate your sources (not all sources are legitimate, so make sure you double check them). This website explains the simple steps discussed on avoiding plagiarism: Preventing Plagiarism

Retrieved From: http://bookwormtranslations.com/copyright-

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What is Genius Hour?

Welcome back! 

What exactly is Genius Hour?

Genius hour is a time that allows students to discover their own passions and motivates creativity in the classroom environment. Genius hour doesn't necessarily mean that students only get one hour to complete the activity. It can range from 30 minutes of class activities to months of hard passion-based projects. Imagine working on and creating something you absolutely love? Students in this case, will be more determined and take more initiative to complete their final task. They communicate and connect with teachers and even peers to plan and produce and community members to form a sense of purpose for their work. The main goal of Genius hour is student-centered, providing students with freedom to design their own learning.