The Scream

Second Grade Art Lesson
2 Class Periods

The Scream, Second Grade Art Lesson

"I was walking down the road with two friends when the sun set, suddenly the sky turned red as blood.  My friends went on walking, as I shivered in fear...then I heard this enormous scream."

                                                                                                                    -Edvard Munch

About the Artist Studied

Edvard Munch (1863-1944) is an expressionist/symbolist painter from Norway.  His paintings are very dark and dreary.  They reflect the emotions he had dealing with multiple deaths within his family. His most famous painting is entitled The Scream or The Cry.  It is painted on a piece of cardboard with oil pastels and tempera paints.  The artist made four versions of this painting during his lifetime.  Each is worth an estimated $80 million dollars.  In the spring of 2012, one of the versions sold at a New York action for $120 million dollars.

Edvard Munch

The Scream by Edvard Munch 

Day 1

• Students will examine and discuss the famous painting The Scream and the artist who created the piece Edvard Munch.  As a class we also examined and discussed several parodies of The Scream.

Parody of The Scream using Homer Simpson.

• Students will create a background similar to the The Scream through follow along demonstration.  Instructions will be given on how to color the background to make it appear similar to the original painting. 

• While students are creating their compositions, pull them aside one at a time to photograph them "acting out" a scream.  Print the photos for next class session.

Day 2

• Demonstrate to students how to paint oil pastels with baby oil.

• Once the compositions are painted have them cut out their digital photograph and glue it on the bridge in the composition.

• Have students write down thier fear and glue it next to their photograph.

Examples of Student Work