Tangle your page, untangle your mind.

Author:Simon Peters

Licence: Free for commercial use

from http://all-free-download.com/

It's not December yet, but it's ok to admit, here, just between us, if you're already feeling a wee bit Grinch-y round the edges.

What do you do need a little brain-break but need something to do with your hands?
Try tangle patterns. (Maybe you know them as Zentangles®. It's a registered trademark, use it respectfully!) Almost as addictive as coffee or chocolate, but way better for you. And NO, you don't need to be an artist and you don't even need to be able to draw a straight line. TANGLE patterns, for a reason. So that's the lame excuses binned!

Start small, doodle some lines and swirls and see where they take you. There are no mistakes, just variations in pattern. If you really need some ideas, knock yourself out with Google Images, Pinterest and YouTube. Type in "Christmas Zentangles" and lose yourself for a while. But don't just look, pick up a pen (OK, a pencil, if you've lost too many points on your Pen License) and have a go. Search "Zentangle for Beginners" and start to fill a small shape. (Sticky notes are great. I love sticky notes! Carry them everywhere. With a nice smooth pen, they are the ultimate multi-tasking organisational and de-stressing accessory!)

My most recent tangle, 

see it doesn't need to be perfect. 

And my sticky note stash (well, some of it!)

Kids love tangle patterns too. You can almost see the creative neurones sparking as they become engaged with them. Our students (and families) also need some de-stressing, mind-quietening opportunities at this time of year, just as much as we do. So start your Christmas art activities with this Elements of (Christmas) Art: Line lesson and you'll set your class up for a peaceful, creative December. Not an year-end time filler, a Visual Arts which lesson reviews and explores the artistic element of Line before engaging the students in the tangle pattern activity. A suggested learning intention, success criteria and assessment rubric is included in the lesson pack, as well as suggestions for adaptation and extension.  The possibilities are endless. Have fun with it!

EDITED TO ADD: Buy this weekend, (November 24-26) for a 10% discount from TES and the opportunity to enter win 27 top teaching gadgets! Santa might come early! Yes, there ARE sticky notes! (and some nice higher tech jobbies too, so do yourself a favour!)

Cracker Christmas Bundle

Save time, save money, enjoy and extra Christmas coffee catch-up with friends. You know you deserve it!

Enjoy a creative Christmas in your classroom, with this comprehensive collection of Advent and Christmas resources. These resources are for real learning in Visual Arts, Literacy and RE as you countdown to Christmas. Adaptable for a range of ages and grades and anchored to the elements of art, imaginative and persuasive texts and religious traditions and themes, these resources include many suggestions for adaptation and extension. Time-saving for class and subject teachers. Excellent resources for casual relief (substitute) teachers, and student teachers to have in their "bag of tricks" as the festive season approaches. Also suitable for out-of-school groups and programs. 

Bundle purchase saves 80% Why wait? 

Merry Creative Christmas!

(Coffee photo from pixabay.com)

In which I reveal I'm a Word Search Grinch....

So, the reports are under control (or they will be soon)  and we're ready for some fun. So are our students. More than ready! But, of course, we're 21st Century educators and we're all on board with making the most of the valuable learning time remaining until Christmas.  And so the cry goes out - "Break out the Find-A-Words!"

Sigh.

I think this is one Christmas tradition that we can quietly retire.  A find-a-word is a fun way to while away a long train journey - well, it was before we had mobile phones. (Oops showing my age again! ) Does that make word-searches the new retro hipster thing now? Hmmm.....maybe there's a market..... but not for school! At this time of year, the Christmas word search book should be a stocking filler not a classroom time filler.

'Tis the Season to Imagine! What better time to spark some imaginative writing integrated with art and design? Choose just one of these these tasks for a class brainstorm and watch the creative ideas fly. Even reluctant writers will be inspired by these Christmas Writing and Design prompts which are a little bit different to the traditional letter to Santa. Use as task cards for individual choice extension or develop a whole lesson sequence around them. Each task which can be scaffolded to address a variety of needs and abilities as students develop their skills with imaginative and persuasive texts. Students will be able to work individually or collaboratively in small groups or on a class-wide project.

This collection of eight creative Christmas prompts includes something for a variety of interests, from the future automotive (or aeronautic) designers, to the fashion-conscious, to the foodies. A range of texts are suggested, including personal narratives, plays, poetry, comic strip, and screen and paper-based advertising.

Check out  "Tis the Season to Imagine!" writing and design prompts for your class and retire the find-a-words. Give the photocopier a rest. Save them for your next long trip and save on phone data and battery too!

Jump on the Picasso Express

Need an art lesson in a hurry? Addled by assessment requirements? Perplexed by Picasso?

Problems solved!

This Picasso Artist Study for Primary (Elementary) / Middle School years has everything a time-poor teacher needs to introduce the great artistic innovator, inspiring creativity and confidence in students, while ticking all the planning and assessment boxes, and maintaining and demonstrating curriculum and syllabus alignment.

Each comprehensive, flexible and adaptable lesson can stand alone, but for great value, pick up the bundled Picasso Artist Study Unit.

Each lesson pack includes resources for the lesson, a detailed and fully editable lesson plan, including a Learning Intention and Success Criteria, as well as an editable rubric and assessment recording sheet for implementing and recording the formative and/or summative assessment of your choice.  All the hard work is done so you can relax and enjoy some art with your students.

Follow the text link above or click on the picture. Have fun with it!