My first observation experience at Cameron Elementary School was a fantastic experience.  I participated in the 4th grade art classroom which was just starting a project centered on mask making.  Mrs. Allen the 4th grade art teacher presented a power point which gave the students several examples of mask from different cultures.  She told the students that they would be creating a mask inspired by an animal.  She had a fantastic worksheet for the students to fill out that asked the students to list several animals real and imaginary she asked the students to create at least 2 drawings of their proposed animal mask and than met with each student to discuss their design and how they would achieve the design they created.  I helped the students brain storm different kinds of animals and helped them identify defining characteristics of animals to use on their mask.  The students were very excited about this project and receptive to my direction.

Mrs. Allen asked the tables to clean up and directed all the students to put their mask worksheets in the "art museum".  The "art museum" is a cubby that Mrs.  Allen has organized with files for dry work that the students do.  All the students know that dry work goes to the "art Museum and wet work goes in the drying rack. 

The students sat back down at their tables when they were down putting their supplies away and waited quietly to be dismissed .  Each table has a color and artist hanging above it.  The teacher then can dismiss tables by color or by artist name.

On the first day of class after drill the students on safety issues such as tornado drills and fire drills she assigns the students to a table.  Kindergartners are all assigned tables by color the rest of the grades are assigned tables by artists.  The students are also given several facts about their artist and these are reviewed throughout the year.

On the first day of class the students are also required to create a sketchbook which they can work in if they finish a project early.  The sketches are given a sticker or a stamp that students can use as art buck.  Art bucks can be turned in at the end of the semester for prizes.

I thought these were all fantastic ideas.  I especially like the idea of assigning an artist to each table and can see myself using this idea within my classroom.