Grade 5: Firebird

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) asked the art and music teachers to participate in a contest this year to design program art for their production of Stravinsky's famous Firebird.

The 5th graders listened to the Firebird Suite during Art and I read them Jane Yolen's book "Firebird". Hey, even 5th graders can set aside 10 minutes for story time!! They also had a lesson presented on Stavinsky's music during music with Mrs. Dominick. The resulting drawings, inspired by the music and story were quite beautiful. 

The PSO received well over 100 entries of art for this contest from elementary schools in HV, Princeton and Trenton. They selected 20 or so finalists of which Paige T. and Zuhayrah S. of Bear Tavern were chosen. Their work was hung at JaZam's in Princeton last month.

Of the 20 wonderful selections, 4 were chosen to be published in the PSO program for Firebird. I am honored to say that Zuhayrah's was chosen and is shining beautifully with other winning entries from area schools. See below:

Front cover. Princeton Schools. How beautiful

Zuhayrah on page 2!

Students from Princeton and Trenton. Really nice job

Zuhayrah S.

Paige T.

Entries from BT. 

2013 Doodle 4 Google

You'll never win if you do not try. No finalists this year for the annual Doodle for Google contest but I still think my kids are awesome. 

Below are a few of the BT entries and information on how to vote for the finalists selected.

It's fun to view and vote for other students and imagine how glad they must feel to have been chosen this year.

View and vote for others by clicking HERE

You have until May 11.

My 3rd grade daughter's entry

2013 Doodle for Google

Stay tuned for info on how we will handle Doodle for Google this year at Bear Tavern!
This will be our third year....first year we had a state finalist....maybe this year someone will win it all!

Update: ENTRIES ARE DUE TO THE ART ROOM BY MARCH 15, 2013.
An email blast was sent out by Mr. Arcurio this week containing all of the information that you need. I will discuss the contest with students each day next week.

Biggest Gift

I received the biggest gift this morning. When my 2nd grade daughter woke up, she had a paper with her. She said she had a dream last night and "this is what I decided to add to my Doodle 4 Google.." she showed me her paper and she had filled in illustrations around the empty letters. And they were cute! She still has work to do but I didn't know she was at all excited about this contest until, well, this morning!
So, let your kids look at past winners after talking about where they would want to time travel to. The hundreds of past entries really explain this contest to kids and they are exciting to look at. Happy doodling!
P.S. there should be an adult version of this contest

Doodle 4 Google: 2012

Doodle 4 Google is the one contest that I am crazy about.
This year's theme is: "If I could travel in time, I'd visit..."

My daughter and I just started brainstorming for the idea that she is going to illustrate. It's exciting for her and she's enjoying playing around with the logo and her drawings.

Of course, my dream is to see my daughter and my students make it all the way to the finals and to have the nation vote for the winner.

This contest has incredible prizes but just as importantly, it presents each student who participates an opportunity to illustrate an idea around the Google logo which is a great challenge.
Check out past winners here --> http://www.google.com/doodle4google/winners_state.html#4

Here are the winners that have been chosen as the National Winners since the contest started in the United States back in 2008

2011 Winner: 2nd Grader

2010 Winner: 3rd Grader

2009 Winner: 6th Grader

2008 Winner: 6th Grader, too

I am sworn to complete secrecy the ideas that my daughter and students are thinking up. I'll tell you this, they are GOOD!

Yearbook Winner @ BT

It's important for students to develop a concept and work through an idea for entry into contests. Last year I sent off a ton of entries for the annual Doodle for Google national contest and we had one student who made it to a State Finalist. 
Our annual Yearbook cover design contest is more intimate and submissions are reserved for 5th grade students. Although I am not in charge of the Yearbook contest, I do take the time to talk with each 5th grade class about creating a clear, legible and interesting design. I also provide paper and supplies as needed. Every single entry will be printed in the yearbook because they are all awesome!


In house contests are very difficult to judge because I truly liked every single entry! From over 20 submissions, 8 were selected by a panel of 5 judges for students to pick the winner. And here it is:

2011-2012 Winning Yearbook Cover Design by Chelsea G.

Here are a couple other entries. I will post more soon!

BT Year Book Cover Contest

5th graders at Bear Tavern, your time has finally arrived to enter a design for the 2011-2012 Year Book Cover Contest!

Due by October 25, entries can be created using any medium...color pencils,  paint, oil pastels, etc.

Requirements, including pre-cut paper is attached to the art room door. Work alone or with a friend, get your entries in!

P.S. Don't forget to make sure you have spelled all information in your design correctly and that all writing is legible...