what's your superpower?

what's your superpower?
my theme for the year is 'you are unique, valuable and the best art ever!'
to kick this off i did this lesson at the beginning of the year with the whole school! it took waaaay to long - 3 classes for some but the results were spectacular!
what we did:
1) we started a conversation about superpowers. i started with me and it went something like this...
i know my superpowers because they are something i love to do - like art - something someone else like a friend, teacher, mom or sister has told me about me - funny, kind, good at math.

2) we had to do it BIG and 'fill the space' - challenging because often kiddos want to make everything tiiiinyyy....so we practiced filling a 5X7 with a head and torso shapes.

3) artists were only allowed primaries black and white - i use tempera cakes and the kids dug it! we practiced blending all kinds of colors and of course skin colors were the most challenging!

 4) while we waited between drying times it was important to have one of our 'art talks' which is to discuss and storm our brains for superpowers - REAL ones - not what we want but what we already are. That conversation was absolutely worth the extra time...such kind and funny exchanges.

 5) then we got out the sharpies - always a favorite - and wrote the out on white thick paper copying from our storm list.

 6) and when they were finished...oh my! so much color - so much joy - and superpowers!

do you have superpowers? tell me!