carrieg512 01/06/2013 at 01:31pm
I normally would do something different for each grade, but the cart thing is making my new position a little overwhelming. I see each K-3 class once week. 4-6 I see everyday for a week, then I get a new set of 4-6 classes for another week, and so on. 7 and 8 I see everyday for 6 weeks, I believe. Then they change specials and I'll have the next set of 7th or 8th graders.

I subbed long term for an art teacher who left plans for me to follow. 1st and 2nd grades would do the same thing, 3rd and 4th would, and then 5th would be on it's own. I thought it was a little lame (since those kids would sometimes be doing the same thing the next year),but now it seems like it might help in my situation. I don't know! lol

RuthByrne 01/08/2013 at 12:07pm
Wow! that's a crazy schedule!

Maybe to assuage any guilt about teaching the same thing twice, advance the technique or open up the project to more interpretation for the older grade...If the original is a step by step Miro composition, have the older set work on a larger paper, use a new technique or extra material, let them choose their materials, or have them use elements of Miro's work in their own composition. (maybe as a background or a picture in an indoor scene?)

Also, since it's a cart, maybe the two grades work on something with the same materials but a different subject. I do that in my classroom a lot, If one grade is printmaking, why not keep the materials out for the next grade.

Kudos to you for taking on the challenge!

AmyHall 01/09/2013 at 05:03pm
I also teach K-8, I have my kids twice a week, and many of my classes are multi-age classes. So yes, I do teach some grades the same lesson. For example, I see 1st and 2nd in mixed age classes - this is how our school is set up, their regular classes are also multi-age. I have a Year A and Year B curriculum to keep straight what I teach each year. I personally enjoy having multi-age groups because I feel that there is more peer learning. With older student, I do have separate objectives for the different ages. I see no problem in doing the same lesson with different grade levels - especially given your circumstances.

RuthByrne 01/10/2013 at 04:53am
Amy, great advice, and what an interesting set up! Out of curiosity, what is the size of a typical class and grade?

ArtKat0508 01/15/2013 at 01:38pm
I taught on a cart pre-k through 4 at one school and 6-8 at another. When I was at the elementary school I would do the same lesson with multiple grades. I would not do them for two years in a row. The next year would be a different set of lessons.

Mistyturtle 01/28/2013 at 07:42pm
I currently teach from a cart in 5 elementary schools throughout our district. I do projects that use the same materials in each grade, but change the subject matter. For example, all of my classes are using clay right now, so I just carry those supplies on my cart, but each grade is creating a very different kind of sculpture. Good luck!

judlebug81 02/02/2013 at 04:47pm
I tend to do parallel lessons with the different grade levels. I may teach color theory all at the same time, but with different activities for each grade. That way my resources are for the most part the same, but the students were not doing the same lesson year after year. You can do that with most any subject, whether it is an element lesson, an artist lesson, or a technique. Art is unique in that we can teach one thing many different ways.

fakemidnight 02/03/2013 at 04:51pm
I have 8 classes on a cart one day, I don't do the small lesson plan but I try to use the same supplies for each class.

DcpArt 02/04/2013 at 04:17pm
In my early traveling days I would plan a 1 & 2 the same, and the following year change the plan so 1st graders would not repeat lesson in 2nd grade. This helped find the "sweet spot" for particular lessons that once I became planted in my wonderful art room I knew the best place for my favorite lessons.

Hope200 02/04/2013 at 04:50pm
One day a week, I focus on artists. I show one of the "Dropping in on" videos to every grade. The older students have to take notes, and follow a template of questions. The younger students just get to draw something that inspires them from the video. The next day, I do a follow up activity and we have class discussions about the artist and his life.

artclasswithlmj 02/07/2013 at 07:49pm
I do something different for each grade BUT I know multiple arts on a cart that teach the same theme for every project - one artist, multiple levels of learning - etc. One art period - multiple levels of learning in their projects and so forth. This way all the students experience something different but you can stay somewhat sane, I'm sure.

Thoch626 02/18/2013 at 12:54pm
I have had classes that were combined KG/1 as well as KG and 1st separate. So, I would do the same lessons for both grades. Like some of the others have mentioned you can step it up a notch for the higher level students/ grades. This made it so much easier to plan supplies, models and getting everything onto the cart. I would even carry around a pre made poster of my lesson goal and criteria with both grade levels on it and used it for both classes.

laurakatherin 02/18/2013 at 03:24pm
I teach the same lesson to two grades pretty often. This is my first year teaching and it has helped keep me sane. I want to do so less next year, or at least have a more extended project for the older of the 2 grades.

ronnidart 05/18/2014 at 06:55am
Sometimes I teach the same lesson to multiple grades. Expectations may change, sometimes even materials.