You may call it busy work, I call it an extension!

Every once in awhile (and usually with older students) I have projects that cause students to work at drastically different paces and I end up with half the class needing one more day and the other being finished. When this happens instead of "free art", I come up with a one day activity that the students can take with them that usually involves simple materials like coloring. I don't asses these projects, nor do I hold on to them for any time. My students also know that if they don't finish the activity in that class they take it with them done or not.

Sounds like busy work right? From an outside perspective it usually does but I try to connect these activities to the project they just finished making it an EXTENSION of that project. I also think the students really enjoy these because they know that they can get silly and really think outside the box and not feel any pressure. Plus they get really excited when I snap a picture of it and tell them it might end up on my blog!

Here is the most recent extension I did with 6th grade after they finished their Keith Haring!

I introduced postage stamp art to them (a few were like "what are stamps?" GASP!) and watched part of this youtube video (about two minutes) of how they are made.

I showed them a few examples of famous art that has appeared on stamps and art stamp series. Then they had a choice of designing a page of stamps or a single stamp that reflected either Keith Haring or if they were famous artist, the stamps that would be designed for them. I think Keith would have loved stamps with his art on them!

Here are a few pictures! P.S. This was right before Halloween ergo the pumpkins!