Mouse Paint

Kindergarten Art Lesson
2 Class Periods

Mouse Paint, Kindergarten Art Lesson

                                                                 
Day 1:
As a class we examined the color wheel.  Students were shown how to use the wheel to find out how to create secondary colors.  Students learned that the primary colors (red, yellow, and blue) are the most important colors in the art room, for they create all the other colors.

Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh was read to the class.

Students were given a large piece of paper and 4 pieces of colored construction paper (2 red, 1 yellow and 1 blue).  The colored construction paper was glued onto the paper creating three "pens" for their mice.  The red pieces are to be glued on the outside edge of the paper.

Using follow along instruction, students were guided on how to create their mice.

Students drawing mice.

Mice were outlined with a sharpie marker.

Day 2:
To help students review White Rabbit's Color Book by Alan Baker was read to the students.

Students were then instructed on how to mix the primary colors to create secondary colors.  Students used their colored construction paper bars for reference on where to paint each secondary color.  For example, the mouse in the "pen" with the yellow and blue bars would be painted green, since blue and yellow when mixed create green.

Painting mice.

Students were taught to dip the darker color into the lighter color when mixing paint, how to properly clean their brush between color changes and proper care of their palettes and brushes on overall clean up.

Examples of Student Work:

 

Undercover Chameleons

Fourth Grade Art Lesson
2 Classes Periods

Undercover Chameleons, Fourth Grade Art Lesson

Day 1:

As an introduction to the lesson students heard the story Chameleon's Colors by Chisato Tashiro.  As a class we disucssed what we knew about chameleons.  Many students knew that chameleons changed colors to hide into their environment.

As a class we also learned that chameleons are territorial and do not like other chameleons in their space.  We discovered that dark colors mean fear or anger and pale colors signal defeat.

Students learned how to draw a chameleon through step by step instruction. 

Students had lots of free range in this assignment.  They were allowed to determine the direction of their composition, the size of their chameleon, and the design of the environment in which the chameleon would be placed.

The overall goal was to have the chameleon hidden in the composition.  We used the idea of Where's Waldo? by Martin Handford for reference.  We did not want the chameleon to be impossible to find, but at the same time we didn't want him to be too obvious.

After compositions were drawn with a pencil, students outlined them with a sharpie marker.

Day 2:

On the second day of this lesson students were allowed to color their masterpieces.  Markers, colored pencils and crayons were used. 

We also examined several photographs of chameleons noticing the textures on their skin.  Students were given the opportunity to use rubbing plates to create textures for their chameleon masterpieces.

Student Examples:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Owl Collage

Kindergarten Art Lesson
2 Class Periods

Owl Collage, Kindergarten Art Lesson

Day 1: 

We began this lesson by reading The Barn Owls by Tony Johnston.  As a class we discussed what we knew about owls and identified the parts of the owl (wings, beak, eyes, feet, claws, feathers, etc.)

Together as a class, we created an owl out of very thin wood laminate.  Students used sharpie markers, crayons to decorate the owl's body.  We used construction paper to create the eyes and beak.

The owls were collected and stored for the next class period.

Day 2:

During the second class period we discussed the word collage.  Students were told that a collage was a picture created using many different types of materials.  We discussed the materials that we would be using for the day (construction paper, newspaper, wood laminate, felt, and burlap). 

Students created a birch tree from newpaper.  Owls were passed back and glued onto the branch.  A felt moon was created for the sky and burlap wings were made for the owl.

Students added stars and feet to their owls using oil pastels and markers.

Student Examples:

Gustav Klimt's The Cradle

First Grade Art Lesson
3 Class Periods

Gustav Klimt's The Cradle, First Grade Art Lesson

About the Artist:
Gustav Klimt was born in Austria in 1862.  His family was very poor.  His father provided the little income they had by being a gold engraver.  Gustav was passionate about art early on in his life.  His parents managed to save enough money to send Gustav to art school.  Klimt's art style is known as Art Nouveau.  His work can usually be characterized by his love of patterns, colors, swirling designs and gold paint.  The artist passed away in 1918.

Artist Gustav Klimt.

The piece that we examined closely by Gustav Klimt is known as The Cradle or Baby. It is an oil painting that he created in 1918.  As a class we discussed the colors and patterns that we saw in the painting.  Students were asked reflective questions about the piece.  Why is it called The Cradle?  What do you think inspired Gustav to paint such a picture?  Do you like this piece of art?  Why or why not?  If you owned this masterpiece, where would you hang it in your house?  Why do you think Gustav loved using gold paint in his paintings?

The Cradle by Gustav Klimt.

Day 1:
Students viewed power point presentation on artist Gustav Klimt and his masterpiece The Cradle.  After discussion students completed a step by step drawing of their version of The Cradle.

A small piece of tan construction paper was used as the head for the baby.  The blankets were drawn around the head once it was glued in place.

Patterns and designs were placed within each different section of the blanket.  Students were allowed to use pencil or sharpie marker for this step.  Patterns and designs could be created free hand or with a stencil.

Student adding pattern to Cradle composition.

Day 2:
Students continued to place designs and patterns within the blanket of the composition. 

Students were allowed to use crayons, markers, and colored pencils to color the designs within the blanket.  Color patterns were stressed.

Coloring patterns in composition.

Day 3:
Students reviewed what they knew about the artist and lesson so far.  Who Will Tuck Me in Tonight? by Carol Roth was read to the class.

Students that needed to finish coloring did so before moving on to the following steps.

Students were given various scraps of printed paper (wrapping paper, old wall paper, scrapbooking paper,etc.).  Three to four pieces were cut out in various shapes and added to the blankets.  Students were reminded not to cut too large of pieces.  We did not want to cover up completely all the hard work they had put forth on their designs.

The finishing touch was to add gold paint to the background.

Student Examples:

 

 

*This lesson was inspired by Gustav Klimt Crazy Quilt lesson printed in the book Dynamic Art Projects for Children.