Vincent's Sunflowers

Third Grade
3 Class Periods

Vincent's Sunflowers, Third Grade Art Lesson

This project is one that I did last year that I entitled Concentric Circle Bouquets.  All the steps are exactly the same, except for this year we took a heavy emphasis on artist Vincent van Gogh and his painting of Sunflowers.  After we created our concentric circles in tints and shades of orange, yellow and brown, students were shown how to create petals around the centers.

I shared the following video with my students on the life and art of Vincent van Gogh.

After the video, we examined more closely his painting of the Sunflowers.  Each work table received two copies of the painting to look at during their work time for reference as they painted the petals on their pieces.

Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh

I received many compliments on these third grade paintings.  It makes my heart swell with pride when my students do a job well done!

Examples of Student Work:

Blazing Star Prairie

Kindergarten
2 class periods

 

Blazing Star Praire Painting, Kindergarten Art Lesson

Day 1:

On the first day of this lesson, I shared with students numerous photographs of flowers that grow in long stalks or upon a vine.  Different types of flowers we looked at were Gladiolus, Lavender, Delphinium, and Liatris (Blazing Star Prairie).  I want my students to realize that there are different flowers out there than the basic one most of them think of (a center with petals around it).  After we looked at these images you should have seen how students started to change the way they drew flowers during free choice.  It was awesome!!!

Example of free choice drawing by kindergarten student.  Just look at those flowers!!!

Students began with a piece of yellow construction paper that was 6 x 18 inches long.  I had students take crayons and scribble away on the paper to create the background.  Since this was the first day of art, they were pretty excited to find out that they could scribble on their first project.  We discussed the warm colors.  I encouraged students to use only the warm colors in their background.

After the backgrounds were filled in with crayon, I demonstrated to students how paint three long stems on their paper with green tempera paint.  I then showed them how to smoosh out leaf shapes with their brush.

Adding stems and leaves.

Pieces were set on drying rack to dry.

Day 2:

We began class reviewing what we had done the class before and re-examined the photographs of the flowers we were discussing.  I next demonstrated to students how to create the flower petals by using my pointer finger and tapping paint onto the stems.  Students were so excited when they learned they would be painting with their fingers!!!!  We discussed proper finger painting techniques and what was appropriate and not appropriate to do with the paint on our fingers.

Students used white, purple and magenta tempera paint to paint the petals on the stems.  I encouraged the students to really look at the photographs and do their best to recreate the flower the way they saw it in the photograph.

       

Students adding petals to their compositions.

Student Examples: