Birch Tree Landscapes- 2nd Grade

This art lesson took about ( 3) 40 minute art classes to complete. Students learned about foreground, middle ground and background and how it creates a sense of space in artwork.

Read more below students artwork to find out how they were created!

DAY 1 – Creating the birch trees

After introducing foreground, middle ground and background to students, showing them multiple student artwork examples from previous years, and demonstrating the steps for day 1 of the lesson, students got to work creating their birch trees. We used 12 x 18″ medium weight tagboard for the paper.

Students drew 1 large tree in the foreground (area closest to the viewer- with objects drawn LARGEST along the bottom of the paper to show this) going all the way to the top of their paper.

Then drew a land line in the middle ground(area in artwork that is placed in the middle of the paper or canvas, with objects drawn a bit smaller in this area, to show it is a bit further away from the viewer.) I demonstrated to make sure that they jumped over the tree as they drew the middle ground! Then proceeded to draw 2 slightly thinner trees from the middle ground up to the top of their paper.

Then they drew another hill / land line to show grass and trees growing in the background. This line was drawn near the top of the paper to show objects that are the furthest away from the viewer. Objects along this area are drawn the smallest to show they are the furthest things away in the artwork.

Once these areas were drawn with largest to smallest birch trees, going from the bottom of their paper to the top, students used a small piece of recycled currugated cardboard dipped into black paint to create the birch tree bark.

Dipping the currugated side of the cardboard into a small amount of black tempera paint, then scraping from one edge of the tree to the other, students created the black lines within their birch trees. ***It’s important to tap off extra black paint on the paper plate, before scraping, otherwise sometimes too much black paint can create larger black blocks of sections as opposed to black “lines”.

After creating the black lines for the birch bark in each tree, we created 1-2 branches for each tree by tilting the cardboard diagonally along the edges of our trees, and dragged the cardboard downward.

DAY 2 – Creating grass, flowers and painting the landscape

Students drew grass blades within their landscape using 2 different shades of green crayons and yellow. They pressed HARD as they drew the lines– It’s important to press hard not lightly here because the crayon bits would be painted over in the next step (creating a “crayon wax resist” technique with watercolors).

I showed kids how to hold all 3 crayons in one hand, drawing vertical and diagonal lines for the grass. (Doing this makes it easier and faster!) Some students held all 3 ok, and some preferred holding 2 then drawing the rest with the 3rd crayon after.

Then they drew a variety of flowers using crayons within each grassy section.

I love the triangular shaped crayons Crayola makes! They don’t roll off the tables!

Once complete with grass and flowers, students painted the grass and sky with slightly watered down liquid watercolors! Creating a crayon wax resist.



DAY 3- ADDING THE WOODLAND ANIMALS TO THE LANDSCAPE!

Students referred to a variety of “step-by-step” how to draw animals that I had created and stapled together into packets to draw at least 1 animal to add to their landscapes.

Foxes, squirrels, owls, skunks, bunny’s, racoons, deer, and wild horses (which could OF COURSE be made into unicorns!) were in the packet.

Students chose 1-2 animals to draw, and used their observational drawing skills to draw them, color in with colored pencils, cut them out and glue onto their beautiful landscapes!

LOVE her Amelia Earhart outfit! Some 2nd graders were doing book report presentations on this day in their classrooms!

And there you have it!! Beautiful work everybody!!

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2nd Grade- BIRCH TREE LANDSCAPES!

 

 

Students at Roosevelt finished these beauties up on Tuesday!  Amvet students just started today, and will finish on 4/12! 

This is a 3-4 day art lesson (40 minute art classes).

The objective of this lesson is to create a LANDSCAPE painting, while students are introduced to, and gain an understanding of, FOREGROUND, MIDDLE GROUND, and BACKGROUND within artwork, as well as learn about the size/space relationship within those areas. Second graders looked at the artwork of Bev Doolittle for inspiration.

Students learned that objects in the FOREGROUND in artwork, are the things closest to us as viewers. Objects in the foreground should be drawn larger and lower on the page to show this.

Objects in the MIDDLE GROUND within artwork, are a little bit further away. Things in the middle ground should be drawn in the middle of the page and drawn smaller.

Objects in the background within artwork, are the furthest things away. These need to be drawn even smaller and higher up on the page.

DAY 1: After demonstrating, on a sheet of 12×18″ tagboard students drew one large tree in the foreground, then a line for a hill in the middle ground with two medium sized trees, then another hill line higher up on the page with three small trees for the background.

***Making any more trees than this amount on 12×18″ paper can make the landscape look too crowded, and would also be a lot more challenging to paint in the sky later on. 

Students then used the side of a piece of corrugated cardboard dipped into a little bit of black liquid tempera paint, to create the black lines within their birch trees (shown below). 

***Here, it’s important to take any excess paint off the cardboard after dipping, by tapping the length of the cardboard on the paper plate. Students simply scraped the cardboard from one edge of their tree to the other, and then repeated that step working their way up the tree. 1-2 branches were then added per tree by scraping thin, diagonal lines.

Paintings were then left to dry until the next week. Students could draw in their sketchbooks or read an art book for the remainder of DAY #1.

 

DAY 2:  Students drew grass blades and flowers using crayon in just the foreground (pressing hard!). We reviewed how things in the foreground are closest, and that our eyes can’t make out details of objects that are very far away.

Students then painted the land and sky with liquid watercolors, creating a crayon wax-resist! 

 

DAY 3:  Students drew 1-3 animals to add to their painting.

They each got a step-by-step, “how to draw” animals packet that I made to refer to (with multiple woodland animals to choose from–Fox, bunny, deer, squirrel, owl, skunk, racoon, horse etc.) and drew them on separate small pieces of 80# drawing paper.  Students could also choose not to draw from the packet and draw an animal of their choosing!

***I used to give students only packets of photocopied PHOTOS of animals to use as reference, but after teaching this lesson for a few years, Ive found that it’s more successful for kids to understand how to draw animals in this step-by-step way for this age group, and they enjoy doing it as well! 

Once drawn they colored their animals in with colored pencils, carefully cut them out and glued them onto their finished paintings with a glue stick to inhabit their wonderful birch tree landscapes!

 

Look at that cute itty bitty skunk!!! 

 

Students could also create their own animal!

The results are beautiful and I think students did such an incredible job!

What do YOU think? I’d LOVE to hear from you! Comments, questions, suggestions are all welcome! 

BE SURE TO CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR MY NEXT POST!! 4TH GRADE AND 5TH GRADE ARTWORK! 

Thanks for stopping by!

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Sharing and Showcasing Art Education Ideas

Welcome to my new website/blog!

I’m an elementary public school art teacher (1st-5th grade) in MA. I’m so excited to start this new online adventure and learn from/get feedback from all you amazing art teachers out there! Hopefully you’ll find my site useful too!  I’m also very excited to share student’s artwork with all the North Attleboro families where I teach! 

 Here you’ll find:

·      Elementary art lessons with lesson descriptions and learning goals with photos of     student art work that I’ve taught over the years

·      FREE art lesson Powerpoint downloads with printables!

·      Fun photos of kids working on their awesome art

·      Talk of any creative happenings in the art room

·      News of any exciting art related upcoming events

·      Teaching reflections

·      Links to fun art games and videos

·      Tons of photos

 All student artwork on this site is a combination of 1st-5th grade art from the two elementary schools that I’ve taught at in North Attleboro, MA since Sept. 2014. 

 Below are some of my favorite art lessons I’ve taught. To learn more about them, and view additional pics of student artwork, please click on the art lesson grade level in the menu and scroll down! 

 I hope that you find this website helpful for use in your art classroom or at home with your own kids! Look around and let me know what you think!  

 Thanks for visiting and checking out my website! 

 Best,

Mollie

5th Grade Grid Drawing

 

 

5th Grade Falling For Foreshortening

 

 

4th Grade Abstract Tint Painting

 

 

 

4th Grade Victorian Architecture

 

 

3rd Grade Complementary Creature Prints

 

 

3rd Grade Kinetic Piranha (or catfish!)

 

 

2nd Grade Abstract Self-portrait

 

 

2nd Grade Birch Tree Landscapes

 

 

1st Grade Bubblegum Blowing Self-portrait

 

 

1st Grade Hot Air Balloon Collage

 

 

1st Grade Pumpkin’s Starry Night

 

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