WINTER LANDSCAPES – 1ST GRADE

This is one of my teacher examples

Read below students artwork to see how we created them!

This lesson took 2 (40 minute) art classes to finish. A fun quick lesson right before the winter break! Students had so much fun creating them especially when adding flecks of white paint for the snowflakes with toothbrushes!

DAY 1

After reviewing what a landscape was, students drew 5 triangles on a sheet of 12×18″ 80# white paper with pencil. I encouraged them to draw them in various sizes. Students could use rulers if they wanted as well.

Once drawn, they went over their lines with a black colored pencil to darken their lines. This is so kids could see their lines better when cutting them out, after gluing down tissue paper on their triangles.

Then they glued colorful cut tissue pieces all over their triangles using watered down white school glue. Students overlapped tissue as they glued, making sure to cover all the white spaces within their triangles. It’s important here to apply thin layers of glue, then one tissue at a time, then add another thin layer of glue on top with their brush to make the tissue lay nice and flat.

I mentioned to students they could go beyond their triangles edges with tissue since we would be cutting them all out later on.

These were set aside to dry until the following art class.

DAY 2

Students cut out their snowy hills from white paper and glued onto a sheet of 12×18″ black paper with a glue stick.

Then cut out their triangle trees and glued onto their snowy hills with a glue stick.

Then for a final touch, dipped a toothbrush (packs of 5 at the dollar tree!) into watered down white tempera paint and using their thumb ran their thumb across the bristles (bristles pointing downward to their landscapes) flecking snowflakes all over! Messy for sure! But fun!

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Holiday Lights! – 5th Grade

This lesson took 2 – 3 (40 minute) art classes to complete.

DAY 1:

On a piece of black construction paper (cut to 6”x18”) Trace 6 bulbs using a bulb tracer with pencil. (I created these bulb tracers ahead of time from thin cardboard sheets found from the back of printmaking foam board packages-great way to recycle and it’s free!)

*BTW- I like to use Sax brand “Black Colored Art Paper” because of how saturated in color it is, and doesn’t have spotting or inconsistencies within the paper. Not trying to get any freebies with the company Sax, or saying other paper isn’t going to work for this! Just wanted to share my opinion!

Then outline each bulb first, using oil pastel, then fill in -pressing hard- so the color is more vibrant. Leave the rectangular base (bulb socket) black. Students can test out colors to see if they like the way it looks along the top where there isn’t a bulb -before coloring in their final bulbs.

For any tidbits of oil pastel that gather up and leave a chunk on their paper, I just tell students to shake their papers to get rid of them, so it’s less likely to get smeared into other bulbs or on other students artwork when stacked together for the following week.

Then add a small white curved line near the top to make it look like it’s shiny and reflecting light, a “cursive L shape” for the filament near the base, and 4 white straight lines in the bulbs base using a white oil pastel.

Finish the remaining 5 bulbs the same way, using whatever colors you want (they can be all the same color or a mix with some the same color, or all different colors).

Day 2:

Finish coloring in the 6 traced bulbs with oil pastel if needed.

Then draw a wavy line in the middle of a piece of 12×18” black construction paper using pencil. Then trace over that line with colored oil pastel (it can be 1 color / or a line of a combination of colors)

Trace 6 bulbs along wire line where you want them with pencil using the bulb tracer again.

For each bulb tracing on the wire line, using a white CHALK pastel, draw a thick white line along your pencil line, on each of the bulb tracings. I tell my students to draw with their white chalk up and down overlapping the previous line to create a nice layer of chalk dust as they do this step. Do this with all 6 bulbs.

Then, smudge with your finger going outward (going away from the bulb and smudging in one direction) to create a glow effect!

Then using the same color CHALK PASTEL as each of your OIL PASTEL bulbs—go over the same white line with colored CHALK pastel thickly. Smudge outward again with your finger. Do all 6 bulbs with the chalk on the black paper.

(To avoid blending colors, use a different finger for each color when smudging).

DAY 3:

Finish using the colored chalk pastels on the traced bulbs along the wire if needed.  Cut out each colored OIL PASTEL bulb from the 6”x18” strip of black paper.

Each time you cut one out, glue the back of it using a glue stick, and glue down in place over the traced bulb with chalk smudges (glue down matching each bulbs color with chalk pastel smudges). I ask students glue them down immediately after cutting one out, just in case their bulbs won’t get mixed up with other student’s bulbs on the tables!

And there you have it!! So easy and so Fun!!

Thank you https://www.artwithmrsnguyen.com/ for this fun lesson! My 5th graders always love them, and so do I!

 

 

 

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VICTORIAN HOUSES – 4TH GRADE

To find out more about this lesson, and view photos of students creating their own Victorian homes, read below students finished artwork!

This lesson took about (6) 40 minute art classes to complete. I think absolutely worth every class though! Students took their time to carefully craft their unique house!

4th Graders learned what architecture is, learned about some of the common characteristics found within the Victorian architectural style (Gables, bay windows, fish-scale shingles, turrets, towers, front porches, gingerbread details, multiple chimneys to name a few), and then created a drawing of their own Victorian style house that included some of those elements!

We also reviewed the Elements of Art and how students would be utilizing 6 out of the 7 elements of art to draw their homes; Line, Shape, Color, Space, Texture, and Value.

Students also made the connection between art and math since we talked about acute and obtuse angles for the gables, as well as using rulers to draw any straight lines.

DAY 1

On the first day, I showed students a PowerPoint with photos of various Victorian homes, which pointed out these particular common elements.

Here are some of the slides I show my students from my Powerpoint.

Then I ask students to raise their hand and share what similarities they see that these two Victorian houses have.

Then I showed students a variety of Victorian house drawings students created from previous years, as well as my own examples. We also talked about how many of us noticed Victorian houses in the North Attleboro area, and how some students live in one or have relatives that do!

I asked students if they had any architects in their family, or if they knew of anyone who was one. Many students did, and it was great to hear so many fun stories about the connections they already have with architecture!

After that I demonstrated under the doc camera how to draw some of the Victorian elements. I showed them how to draw a bay window, fish scale shingles, turrets and towers, 3-D steps that lead to the front door, gables, and bricks (for chimneys or on the house).

Students then practiced drawing these elements on a double-sided worksheet. Students each received a “step-by-step” how to draw Victorian elements packet that I created to help them if needed.

DAY 2

First, I showed them what they needed to include in their drawing, and went over each item.

Then I showed them my Victorian handouts (with the descriptors) that they could use while drawing (as a reference)

and that they could use the same step-by-step how to draw sheets that they used when they did the practice sheets. I explained to not “copy” but to look at the various images for inspiration to create their own unique Victorian house and to be creative!

Then I did a demonstration drawing a Victorian house under the doc camera. I explained they could hold their paper vertically (explaining their house would be taller and less wide if they did), or horizontally (their house would be wider and less tall). I explained their house needed to be almost as large as their paper but leaving room around the edges and especially near the bottom to include the 3-D steps that would lead to their front door. I suggested to start drawing the gables first, drawing the rooflines working their way down.

I posted the goals for the drawing on the board again, and students passed out handouts, rulers and 9×12″ 80# paper and began drawing their own unique homes!

DAYS 3 – 6

Once students finished drawing their houses, they carefully colored them in using colored pencils with any colors they wanted.

I demonstrated how to color in the chimney’s bricks (or other brick details within the house) using a variety of reds, browns, white, tans, and pinks and suggested to stagger the same color just like in real chimneys. And to color any stones with neutral colors; browns, black, greys, tans and white.

CLICK Here to a link to download my FREE PRINTABLE step-by-step Victorian details drawing handouts on my Teachers Pay Teachers page as well as my own Victorian Architecture PowerPoint (which can also be printed out for students to use for reference in your classroom).

To view additional Victorian house drawings by 4th grade from previous years, click on “4th Grade Art Lessons” and scroll down.

Thank you so much for stopping by! I will be blogging about NEW art lessons later this week and next! Be sure to pop on by again real soon to check it out!

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WHERE…IN THE WORLD IS…MRS. FILMORE?

Do you remember that show “Where in the World is Carmen SanDiego” … that educational / detective game show on PBS for kids from the 90’s?

When I was trying to think of a good title for this blog entry, the jingle for that show popped in my head, so I couldn’t resist mentioning it.

Anyhoo…..YIKES?! Has it REALLY been since June that I last posted?!  Where does the time go?! Well, from now on, until the end of the school year, I’ll be posting regularly (at least once a month).

I’ve got a lot to catch up with! Here’s what all my students have been working on since the start of the school year!

I’ll start with 5th grade artwork and work backwards to 1st grade.

ALSO… There are some NEW art lessons that I’m starting with my students for ALL grades!

Here is a collection of my teacher examples for all the NEW art lessons students will be starting in the next week or two! More details on these lessons under each grade level discussed below.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT- 1ST GRADE WINTER LANDSCAPE, 5TH GRADE PAINTBRUSHES, 3RD GRADE POLAR BEAR, 2ND GRADE BEARS WITH SWEATERS, 4TH GRADE POSITIVE/NEGATIVE TREES

5TH GRADE

SUPERHERO SKETCHBOOK COVERS

This lesson took about (6) 40 minute art classes to finish

In the beginning of every year I have all grades create their own sketchbook that will be used periodically throughout the year in art class.

Each grade level has a different drawing lesson to create the cover for their sketchbooks.

Sketchbooks are used during class to: practice drawing before creating a final version, free draw in if finished with a lesson early, to write down information that they’ve learned from a particular lesson, and to experiment with various art materials.

On the first day of the lesson I showed them my PowerPoint slideshow of various famous comic book covers from the 1950’s onward, as well as previous 5th grade student artwork before drawing. They LOVED it and it got them excited to come up with their own ideas!

Students then filled out a worksheet to plan their drawing (what was their name going to be? Were they human? An animal? A mystical creature? An inanimate object? Food? Where did they fight crime?, What were their superpowers?, Did they have a sidekick? etc.) to help with final decisions. Then on the back of the worksheet students sketched ideas for their superhero and outfit.

On day 2, students drew the title, then started drawing their own unique superheroes (something that hasn’t existed before, creating their own!) demonstrating their superpowers. Students had a packet of various superhero poses and superheroes in action to use a reference when drawing.

They had a choice of creating sidekicks, whether they wanted to include a villain and needed to create a background scene.

Drawings were then outlined in black sharpie and colored in with a choice of marker or colored pencil or both.

I love this drawing lesson because it allows so much creativity! Each one is so unique!

FALLING FOR FORESHORTENING – 5TH GRADE

This art lesson takes about 4 to 5 (40 minute) art classes

For this art lesson, students learn about a type of perspective called foreshortening, and continue to expand their knowledge on ways to create something that appears to have depth and a sense of space on a flat piece of paper.

Foreshortening is a drawing technique used to create the illusion where parts of something or someone appear to come out at the viewer strongly, making those areas seem closest to the viewer, and some parts appearing to recede strongly, making those areas seem the furthest away from the viewer.

Students used this technique by drawing a person that appears to be falling backwards into something, with their arms and legs outstretched, by tracing their hands along the top of the paper, and their feet along the bottom of the paper, leaving space in the middle. They then drew the head, neck, arms, and legs of a person smaller, to create the illusion that the body was further away than the feet and hands.

Students were instructed to pay special attention to the soles of their shoes, and hands, being sure to add details and texture.

Students also had to draw the person’s facial expression to match whatever it was they were falling into (something scary, or something soft and fun), and to show movement in the hair.

Once the person was drawn, they outlined in black sharpie, then drew a background depicting what their person was falling into, and colored in everything using colored pencils.

Students are currently working on this lesson and haven’t finished yet. Here are a few drawings in the works!

The ones below are finished drawings by my previous 5th graders just to show some final versions!

I’ll be posting CURRENT 5th grade students finished Falling For Foreshortening artwork soon!

Students and Parents- My Monday 5th grade class (5Y) have only had 7 art classes so far since September due to holiday’s and ½ day PD days so they are a bit behind. Because of this, I’ve decided to have them start HOLIDAY LIGHTS first, since it’s a short 2 day lesson and THEN move on to the “falling for foreshortening” lesson.

HOLIDAY LIGHTS! – 5TH GRADE

This art lesson takes just 2 (40 minute) art classes to finish!

We use oil pastels, chalk pastels, glue sticks, scissors and Sax black Art paper for this lesson. Students review VALUE and learn how adding white to colors create TINTS.

I got this wonderful lesson idea by the AMAZING art teacher artwithmrsnguyen

Go check out her awesome website if you haven’t already!

Students will be working on this lesson soon– if they haven’t already! So, no photos to share of this year’s 5th graders final creations yet! But, I will be sure to post their finished artwork as well as photos of students creating them shortly!

Just so you can see what they look like–These are some photos of my 5th grade student’s “Holiday Lights” drawings from previous years!

Jim Dine Inspired PAINTBRUSHES – 5TH GRADE

I got this amazing art lesson idea from art teacher, Lauralee Chambers (her Insta account is @2art.chambers )

My Teacher example below- I had so much fun creating this and I know my 5th graders will too!

I am SOOO EXCITED about this lesson guys! I cannot wait!!

5th graders will start this one after “Falling for Foreshortening” and “Holiday Lights”!

We will use sharpies, black oil pastel, and watercolors to create them.

More details coming soon….

4th GRADE

SKETCHBOOK COVER DRAWINGS

So, for this particular sketchbook cover drawing lesson, fourth graders created a personalized drawing using their initials.

First, students created a tracer (template) of their initials by drawing them in block letter style on a small piece of manila tagboard and then carefully cut them out as one piece. I explained to students that the letters had to touch somewhere, but not overlap in order for this to work. Students could draw their letters backwards, stack them on top of each other or have them side-by-side. To cut out smaller areas (like the triangles in the letter “A”, or openings in the letter “O”) they used a hole puncher or scissors to open it up before cutting.

Once cut out as one piece, students were then challenged to create an interesting design by tracing their initials template at least 8 times without overlapping on a piece of 8×11 80# paper.  Students had the choice of drawing some initials coming off the page, and could trace them turned in any direction they wanted.

Once outlined with black sharpie, students then created an interesting background design using lines and/or shapes with pencil then colored in with an analogous color palette using colored pencils. The letters were left white to pop and stand out against the background. Students overlapped colors together where needed to achieve the necessary analogous color. Pieces of scrap paper were used to test out color combinations before coloring on their final drawing.

VICTORIAN ARCHITECTURE – 4th GRADE

This lesson takes (6) 40 minute art classes to complete. I think absolutely worth every class though! Students are taking their time carefully crafting their unique houses!

4th Graders learned what architecture is, learned about some of the common characteristics found within the Victorian architectural style (Gables, bay windows, fish-scale shingles, turrets, towers, front porches, gingerbread details, multiple chimneys to name a few), and then created a drawing of their own Victorian style house that included some of those elements!

On the first day, I showed students a PowerPoint of various Victorian homes, which pointed out these particular elements. I also showed students a variety of Victorian house drawings students created from previous years, as well as my own examples. We talked about how many of us noticed Victorian houses in the area as well, and how some students live in one or have relatives that do.

We also reviewed the Elements of Art and how students would be utilizing 6 out of the 7 elements of art to draw their homes; Line, Shape, Color, Space, Texture, and Value.

After I did a demonstration on how to draw some of the Victorian elements, students practiced drawing them on a worksheet.

Each student received a “step-by-step” how to draw Victorian elements packet that I created if they needed, as well as handouts of various Victorian style homes to use as reference while drawing.

I explained to not “copy” but to look at the various images for inspiration to create their own unique Victorian house.

Students certainly did! Check out the beautiful drawings in progress below!

I asked students if they had any architects in their family, or if they knew of anyone who was one. Many students did and it was great to hear so many fun stories about the connections they already have with architecture!

Once students finished drawing their houses, they carefully colored them in using colored pencils with any colors they wanted.

I demonstrated how to color in the chimney’s bricks (or other brick details within the house) using a variety of reds, browns, white, tans, and pinks and suggested to stagger the same color just like in real chimneys. And to color any stones with browns, black, greys, tans and white.

Most students are still creating their houses, but here are some finished ones as well as ones in process!!

Students are doing a fabulous job! I LOVE how unique each one is!

I’LL BE SURE TO POST MORE FINISHED VICTORIAN HOUSES ONCE ADDITIONAL CLASSES COMPLETE VERY SOON!

CLICK Here to a link to download my FREE PRINTABLE step-by-step Victorian detail drawing handouts on my Teachers Pay Teachers page as well as my own Victorian Architecture PowerPoint (which can also be printed out for students to use for reference in your classroom).

POSITIVE / NEGATIVE TREES– 4th GRADE

This is one of the new art lessons that 4th graders will start very soon!

It’s a 1 day (40 minute) art lesson and uses construction paper, scissors and glue sticks to create.

This lesson is from LauraLee Chambers (@2art.chambers )

4th Graders will review complementary colors, positive/negative space, and symmetry while creating a cut out tree design on 1 sheet of 9×12” and 1 sheet of 9×6” colored construction paper.

BELOW ARE SOME OF MY TEACHER EXAMPLES TO SHOW STUDENTS

I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT MY 4TH GRADERS CREATE! I KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO LOOK AMAZING!

3RD GRADE

SKETCHBOOK COVERS

3rd graders were allowed to draw whatever they wanted for the cover of their sketchbooks this year. I encouraged students to draw large and clear, and to use bright bold colors when coloring in. Students could use markers or colored pencils to color with after outlining their drawing in sharpie.

They were very creative with their drawings!

DAY OF THE DEAD SKULLS– 3RD GRADE

This lesson took about 4 (40 minute) art classes to finish.

On day 1 -3rd graders learned about the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos (Day of the dead) and looked at a slideshow of images of the celebrations and festivals with people in costume celebrating the holiday as well as students skull artwork from previous years.

Students chose a black and white skull image that had been lightened in the photocopier. They taped their selected skull image to a 9×12″ sheet of tagboard that was wrapped in tinfoil (taped at the top only) with masking tape. Then students traced over all the lines of the skull image with a dull pencil to transfer the image onto the tinfoil.

Students could alter their image by drawing additional designs while tracing.

The traced print out image is then removed, revealing their transferred image on the foil.

On days 2-4, they colored in the designs of their skull on the tinfoil with colored sharpies.

Although a very simple art project, students love it. It also introduces them to various transferring methods which they will further explore this year when they start printmaking with Styrofoam.

SELF-PORTRAITS WITH PERSONAL SYMBOLS -3rd GRADE

This lesson takes about 4 (40 minute) art classes to complete.

This lesson was inspired by the artist Frida Kahlo, who is well known for her self-portrait paintings and often incorporating symbols into her artwork.

DAY 1:

Students were introduced to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, and learned about her interesting life and beautiful artwork!

We looked at a variety of her self-portrait paintings and some photos as well showing her with her many unique pets! (Students loved seeing her with her pet spider monkey, 4 parrots, a deer, a hawk and other interesting creatures! She loved animals and had a lot of unique pets throughout her life!

Students also learned how she originally wanted to be a doctor and studied medicine, but then was in a terrible trolley accident which left her bedridden in the hospital for a very long time. Her mother gave her paints and drawing supplies to help her pass the time in the hospital and set up a mirror above her bed, which led her to her love of painting, becoming an artist and creating her many self-portraits!

After discussing her use of symbolism in some of her self-portraits, and discussing what a symbol was, students looked at a variety of student examples as well as my teacher examples.

For the lesson, I explained they needed to draw themselves large on the paper vertically, only including their head, neck and shoulders, (like in their school photos!) then to draw 6 – 7 symbols around them that reflect their interests and personality. The symbols should be drawn large and at least as big as their closed fist (making sure the objects are clearly identifiable and easy to outline and color in later on).

Then, I reviewed with students how to draw the shape of the head and facial details as well as facial detail placement on the head, under the doc camera on 12 x18″ 80# paper. I had facial detail handouts to use and refer to as they drew with a variety of eyes, noses, and mouth images if they wanted to use them, but didn’t have to.

Students then started drawing soon after with pencil, drawing lightly in case they needed to erase.

DAYS 2-4:

Students continued drawing and once all details were added and 6-7 symbols were drawn around them, they outlined all lines with a black sharpie.

Students used crayons (pressing firmly, so the colors would be vibrant) to color in. I explained to find a crayon or two, (overlapping and blending the two colors if needed) that best matched their unique skin color, hair color and eye color.

As a final step, students chose one color to color in the background, to make their self-portrait and symbols stand out, filling in the entire paper so no white paper was showing.

Students are currently still working on these. Here are some photos of them creating their self-portraits! I will post finished artwork once complete soon!

Thank you Kaitlyn (Art with Mrs E) for this helpful facial expressions sheet! My students loved it! You can get a copy in her TpT account. Her insta account is (@artwithmrs.e)

POLAR BEARS – 3RD GRADE

This is another NEW art lesson that 3rd graders will begin very soon!

These adorable polar bears will take about 2 (40 minute) art classes to complete.

This lesson idea came from art teacher Lauralee Chambers (insta account is @2art.chambers)

We will create them using liquid watercolors, salt, and black oil pastel on 80# 12×18” paper. More details to come!….

Here is a photo of my teacher example

2ND GRADE

WARM/COOL HAND WITH PATTERNS SKETCHBOOK COVERS

This lesson takes about 3-4 (40 minute) art classes.

So for this particular sketchbook cover drawing lesson, second grade students created a hand drawing using warm and cool colors with patterns. 

Students first traced their hand and drew a pattern inside their hand. Then they drew a different pattern in the background filling in the entire page.

After outlining with a black sharpie, they colored inside their hand using only warm colors, and colored in their background using only cool colors with markers.

Although unfinished, this design is quite impressive for 2nd grade!

MONSTERS – 2ND GRADE

Second graders had a blast creating these super adorable silly monsters!

On day one (of two) for this lesson, students drew a simple monster head shape with two pointy parts for ears, on their chosen 9×12″ colored construction paper background with pencil. They then dipped the edge of a 2″x4″ piece of thin cardboard into black paint and “stamped” short black lines along the edge and within their monster to create texture for fur. These were left to dry until the next class.

On the second day of the lesson, students then cut out their monsters, leaving a little color around the edge and glued onto a 12×12″ piece of black construction paper.

They added big eyes with punched out white paper circles and smaller punch-outs from black paper for the pupils, then cut their own mouth and fangs!

I LOVE all the different expressions! Thank you @mrsallainart (via Instagram) for the inspiration!

POSITIVE/ NEGATIVE HANDS -2ND GRADE

For this lesson, students learned about positive and negative space in artwork and used their previous knowledge (from their sketchbook cover lesson) on warm and cool colors to create this colorful vibrant painting.

First, students painted a 9×12″ paper using either only warm colors, only cool colors, using liquid watercolors.

On the second day of the lesson, they traced their hand on the back of their painting using pencil, then using scissors, cut a line going up to their palm and carefully cut out their hand as one piece and set it aside.

They took the remaining paper with the hand cut out, and glued down to the left side of a sheet of 12×18″ black construction paper, being sure to line up the edges.

Students then folded the positive cut out of their hand in half and drew a half circle (or any other half shape) in the middle, cut out and glued to the center.

The remaining hand with the shape cut from its center was then glued to the right side of the black paper.

This fun lesson idea is from Mr. O http://mrosartroom.blogspot.com/

BEARS IN SWEATERS – 2ND GRADE

This lesson will take about 3 to 4 (40 minute) art classes to complete.

This is also a NEW art lesson this year! This lesson was inspired by art teachers Art Room Britt and Lauralee Chambers (insta account is @2art.chambers)

 2nd graders have already started these adorable bears with loads and loads of texture for fur and can’t wait to share their finished results!! They are doing an amazing job creating them so far!

We will incorporate some math in the mix when creating our patterned sweaters using dice as well!

Here are my teacher examples below

Here are some photos of my 2nd grade students creating their bears!

I’ll post finished bears with further details on how we created them once students complete them very soon!

1ST GRADE

LINES THAT WIGGLE SKETCHBOOK COVERS

So for this particular sketchbook cover drawing lesson, first graders drew overlapping, loopy lines to create an abstract drawing.

Students drew 8 loopy lines from one side of their paper to another in pencil. I encouraged them to draw large loops so it wouldn’t be too time consuming when it was time to color. Lines could overlap one another and I pointed out while demonstrating, that when a line connects it creates a shape! Plenty of shapes were created once the 8 loopy, overlapping lines were drawn. Students then went over all their lines with a thick black sharpie, then colored in each shape carefully with different colored markers. I demonstrated how to use larger markers for larger areas to fill in and thin tipped markers for smaller areas. Students were encouraged to fill in all the white spaces on their paper. 1st graders learned that artist’s use sketchbooks to plan out ideas for paintings or other artwork, to jot down ideas and other information, to experiment before making final decisions and to practice their drawing.

When students finished their covers, they practiced drawing other types of lines that we talked about inside their sketchbook

PUMPKINS STARRY NIGHT – 1ST GRADE

This lesson takes 3 (40 minute) art classes to finish

On day 1 of the lesson, students looked at a slideshow of Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings and learned about his life and artwork. We took a close look at his painting “The Starry Night” and noticed that he used lots and lots of short lines painted close together in certain directions, to create a sense of movement!

Then students got to work creating their own Van Gogh inspired masterpieces with a pumpkin!

Students followed along with me for the first steps, as I demonstrated under a document camera.

They traced a pumpkin using a cardboard cut-out along the bottom of their 12×18” paper. Students held their paper vertically rather than horizontally, so they would have more room on their paper to create the starry sky.

Students then drew a line for the ground, a crescent or full moon and small circles for stars with pencil. They then drew lines in the pumpkins stem, and curved lines inside the pumpkin. Students could then add a face for their pumpkin if they wanted to.

Students then took both a yellow and a green crayon in one hand and drew lines using both colors at the same time, all along the bottom for the grass texture making sure to press really hard as they drew.

They colored in the moon and stars with yellow, and outlined all the lines within their pumpkin and stem with whatever colors they wanted, making sure to continue pressing hard.

For a final step with the crayons, just like Van Gogh did with his brush, students drew lots of short dashed lines with yellow, circling all around each star. Then with blue crayon drew more dashed lines all throughout the sky curving around their stars to create a sense of movement!

On day 2, students continued adding dashed yellow lines around the stars and dashed blue lines in the sky with crayons.

On day 3, students learned the crayon wax resist painting technique! They painted their pumpkin, grass and sky any color they wanted but each a different color, using liquid watercolor paint and learned how the waxy crayon resists the watercolors.  1st graders also learned how to properly clean their brush before selecting a different color and to not mix colors within the paint trays.

NOT SO SCARY SCARECROW COLLAGE – 1ST GRADE

This lesson takes about 3 (40 minute) art classes

For this lesson, students learned what a landscape is, and looked at various landscape paintings by the artists Vincent Van Gogh, David Hockney, and Grant Wood. 

They then created their own landscapes by drawing rolling hills with different types of lines within each hill, a few clouds and a sun either setting, or up in the sky, with crayons.

On day two, they painted over their hills and sky, creating a crayon wax-resist technique using watercolors.

On day three, students created a scarecrow using little cardboard shirts, pants, and skirt tracers (that I made previously) onto different cut patterned papers, raffia for arms, buttons and glued them onto their landscapes.

For a final touch, students added additional details with sharpies and crayons, like hats, hair, facial details, and crows.

WINTER LANDSCAPES – 1ST GRADE

This is a NEW art lesson for my 1st graders this year! I’m in love with the colorful trees and think my students will love them too.

We will begin this lesson after finishing up the “Not So Scary Scarecrows” very soon!

We will use colorful tissue paper cut into small sections, watered down white school glue, 12×18” 80# white drawing paper, rulers to draw the triangles for trees, black colored pencils, black construction paper, and toothbrushes dipped into watered down white tempera paint for creating snowflakes!

Here is my teacher example below

I’ll post more details with student artwork once they finish the Winter Landscape lesson very soon!

SPECIAL EDUCATION

THE DOT

Students watched an animated video of the book “The Dot” by Peter Reynolds. After the video they dipped their finger into various colored tempera paints on plates and printed their finger either all around a pre-drawn circle or within it. We created these on 12×12” 80# paper.

MARKER PRINTS – SPECIAL ED

Students each received a small piece of Styrofoam printing sheet and drew straight overlapping lines using a colored pencil. Then colored in each shape with different colored markers.

On a separate 9×12” 80# piece of paper, I sprayed water and wiped gently with a damp sponge. The colored Styrofoam was placed (colored side down) onto the wet paper and students pressed with their hands to transfer the image. Students loved seeing this cool process!

TISSUE PAPER PUMPKINS – SPECIAL ED

Students created these gorgeous pumpkin collages using liquid watercolor, tissue paper, watered-down white school glue, pre-cut leaves from sponges and liquid tempera paint!

On day 1 of the lesson, students traced a pumpkin using a cardboard tracer onto 9×12″ paper. They then glued on orange, red, yellow and pink squares of pre-cut tissue paper using a paintbrush and watered down glue. They brushed on a second layer of glue once a piece of tissue was placed on. They used a brown piece for the pumpkin’s stem.

On a second sheet of 12×18″ paper, students painted a turquoise sky with liquid watercolor paint. (Very vibrant!)

On day 2 of the lesson, students cut out their pumpkins and glued onto the sky painting. They then glued on cut strips of various green and yellow tissue paper for the grass using watered down school glue and a paintbrush.

For the final step, they sponged on leaves in the sky by lightly dipping a pre-cut sponge in the shape of a leaf into a plate of drizzled red, yellow and orange liquid tempera paint, then gently pressed onto the sky to create falling leaves!

One of my favorite fall lessons!

THE HUNGRY, HUNGRY CATERPILLAR – SPECIAL ED

Day 1- Students first watched a very sweet animated video of this story on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75NQK-Sm1YY

Students then used a small balloon to dip into paint to create the caterpillars body on a sheet of 12×18” 80# paper.

We left that to dry and worked on creating the apple. Students each received a 9×12” 80# sheet with a pre-drawn apple. They glued on layers of red and pink tissue paper with watered down white school glue within the apple shape, then a small rectangle of brown tissue for the apple’s stem. We left these to dry as well until the following week.

Day 2- Students cut out the caterpillar’s body and glued down with a glue stick onto a piece of 12×18” blue construction paper. Then, they glued on green and yellow strips of tissue paper all along the bottom overlapping the caterpillar a bit for the grass using a glue stick.

Lastly, students added cut white circles for the eyes and added legs and antennae with black sharpie.

BATS – SPECIAL ED

For these fun fingerprint bats, I taped down 3 bat shapes with a few loops of scotch tape on the back onto a sheet of 12×18″ black construction paper.

Students printed their fingerprints that were dipped into yellow, orange and white paint all around the bats edges. Once dry, the white paper bats that were taped down were taken off, revealing the 3 bat silhouettes.

SNOWY OWL COLLAGE – SPECIAL ED

This lesson took 2 (40 minute) art classes to finish

Students were each given a piece of 12×18″ black construction paper, that had a pre-drawn white outline image of a snowy owl landing on a branch.

Students added the bark by tearing small pieces of brown construction paper then glued each piece filling the entire tree branch. They then tore white paper into small sections for the feathers in the body of the owl. Then added cut yellow circles for the eyes and a black cut triangle for the beak.

As a final step, students added details with crayons to the tree branches and sky.

I love the texture the torn white paper gives the owls!

CHECK BACK SOON FOR NEW POSTS ON ALL THE NEW ART LESSONS UNDERWAY!

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!

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Mixed-Media Flowers! Special Education

How adorable are these!! I love lessons that incorporate mixed-media and 3D elements!

This fun mixed-media lesson took 2- (40 min.) art classes to complete.

DAY 1

On a sheet of 9×12″ tagboard, with a pre-drawn horizontal line drawn near the middle of the paper, students colored each section using the side of an oil pastel. We used 2 different colors, one for the top section and one for the bottom section.

Then students painted over each section with liquid tempera paint.

Then we used a texture comb created from a recycled plastic gift card to scrape the paint while wet, to create various lines and texture!

We set them aside to dry, then began creating the model magic flowers.

Students started off with a small piece that they rolled into a ball, then pressed slightly to flatten it a bit. We used scissors to cut small triangular sections out all around, then pinched the ends to create the flowers petals.

The left over model magic that was cut out, was rolled into very small balls and flattened to make the flowers centers.

A green pipe cleaner was inserted into the flowers for the stems, and they were set aside to dry completely, until the following week!

DAY 2

Students painted their flowers with liquid tempera.

Then they painted a paper towel tube that had been pre- cut into smaller pieces.

The flowers and tubes were set aside to dry. Once dry, I hot glued the paper towel tubes to their painted papers, as well as their flowers and voila! A lovely project for springtime, with tons of color and texture!

Lesson inspiration from Cassie Stephens – Thanks Cassie!

UP NEXT!! I’LL BE POSTING THE FOLLOWING VERY SOON! …..

3RD GRADE – Matisse inspired Organic Shapes Collage

2ND GRADE – Springtime Bunny, Bear or Fox!

1ST GRADE – Watermelon Weaving!

Thanks for visiting my blog!

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Self-Portraits with Personal Symbols – by 3rd Grade artists

This lesson was inspired by the artist Frida Kahlo, who is well known for her self-portrait paintings and often incorporating symbols into her artwork.

This lesson took about 4 (40 minute) art classes to complete.

DAY 1:

Students were introduced to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, and learned about her interesting life and beautiful artwork!

We looked at a variety of images of her paintings as well as photos of her creating her art. We looked at photos and self-portraits of her and her many unique pets as well! (Students loved seeing her with her pet spider monkey, 4 parrots, a deer, a hawk and other interesting creatures! She loved animals and had a lot of unique pets throughout her life!

Students also learned how she originally wanted to be a doctor and studied medicine, but then was in a terrible trolley accident which left her bedridden in the hospital for a very long time. Her mother gave her paints and drawing supplies to help her pass the time in the hospital and set up a mirror above her bed, which led her to her love of painting, becoming an artist and creating her many self-portraits!

After discussing her use of symbolism in some of her self-portraits, and discussing what a SYMBOL was, students looked at a variety of student examples as well as my teacher examples.

For the lesson, I explained they needed to draw themselves large on the paper vertically, only including their head, neck and shoulders, (like in their school photos!) then to draw 6 or 7 symbols around them that reflect their interests and personality. The symbols should be drawn large and at least as big as their closed fist (making sure the objects are clearly identifiable and easy to outline and color in later on).

I reminded them to make sure the symbols should only be images, no text! They could connect to things that they enjoy doing, things that are important to them, a favorite memory, favorite foods, hobbies, seasons etc. They could however, add words in their shirt if they wanted.

Then, I reviewed with students how to draw the shape of the head and facial details as well as facial detail placement on the head, under the doc camera on 12 x18″ 80# paper. I had facial detail handouts to use and refer to as they drew with a variety of eyes, noses, and mouth images if they wanted to use them, but didn’t have to.

Students then started drawing soon after with pencil, drawing lightly in case they needed to erase.

DAYS 2-4:

Students continued drawing and once all details were added and 6-7 symbols were drawn around them, they outlined all lines with a black sharpie.

Students used crayons (pressing firmly! so the colors would be vibrant! ) to color in. I explained to find a crayon –(or two, overlapping and blending the two colors if needed) that best matched their unique skin color, hair color and eye color. (In previous years, kids used oil pastels to color in, but I wanted to switch it up and try good ol’ crayons for a change (and lets face it….less mess!)

As a final step, students chose one color to color in the background, to make their self-portrait and symbols stand out,  filling in the entire paper so no white paper was showing.

Once finished, students filled out a self-assessment on their knowledge of Frida Kahlo and on their own artwork! This sheet will be taped to the back of their drawings before going home.

To my 3rd graders in school, can you tell who’s WHO in these self-portraits by looking at their drawings and symbols?? : ) Take a look below! (obviously, the first two are very evident!) 🙂

Photos of students creating their beautiful masterpieces below student artwork too! (I guess that would kinda give it away now wouldn’t it, haha)

YES, YES….. I know…… I take a TON of photos!!….. 🙂

Thanks for stopping by! Check out below for my recent post on 1st graders “Dream Houses”!

Next up for 3rd grade…….Painted Organic Shapes Collage inspired by artist Henri Matisse!

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RADIAL SYMMETRY PRINTMAKING – 4TH GRADE

Read below to find out how we created these, see step-by-step pics and watch my YouTube tutorial on this lesson!

Printmaking is one of my favorite things to teach in art. I love it because it always has an element of surprise with the results each time. Getting all the “Ooooh’s” and “Ahhh’s” after printing is so fun and magical and is always fun to see!

4th Graders used their previous knowledge on printmaking from when they were in 3rd grade when creating their “Complementary Creature Prints”. 3rd grade students used markers to print… and this time, as 4th graders… used black tempera paint to print. We used liquid watercolors to create the background before printing a symmetrical radial design on top using black tempera paint.

I love how colorful they are and loved showing students a variation in printmaking. They did a fantastic job!

This lesson took 4 to 5 (40 minute) art classes to complete.

DAY 1 – PAINTING THE RADIAL RAINBOW DESIGN

On the first day of the lesson, we reviewed symmetry (images that are the same on both sides) and students were introduced to radial design (a design that can include any lines, shapes or colors that starts in the center, and radiates outwards in a circular way). I explained we’d be making a symmetrical radial rainbow painting.

After demonstrating, and reviewing the order of the rainbow, students then measured to locate the center of their paper, using a ruler and marked the 6″ spot with pencil. From the center out, they then painted a radial rainbow design on their 12×12″ tagboard with liquid watercolors.

DAY 2 – DRAWING THE RADIAL DESIGN

Students drew curving lines (with some space between each line) on a 6″ square piece of copy paper that had been folded into a triangle, in pencil.

Then drew different lines and/or shapes between each curving line. Making sure not to draw too small or too detailed. Simple is best. They could be a pattern of lines and shapes, but didn’t have to be.

Then students opened the paper up, and traced over their pencil lines with a black sharpie.

Then students flipped up the blank bottom half over the top half that had been traced in sharpie like below.

The drawing can be seen through the paper (as shown on the picture to the right above). Then students traced over their lines with a pencil like below.

TIP: Place a sheet of white paper underneath your work while tracing so the lines can be seen more clearly. OR place the paper on a window to allow light to shine through the backside to see more clearly as you trace. OR- rather than using copy paper folded into a triangle, use tracing paper.

Once ALL the lines have been traced, THEN unfold, by taking the bottom half out like below. You should be able to see the pencil part on top, and the backside of the sharpie part below. Here you can now see the entire design is continuous on both halves of the paper.

From here, take the paper and tape it to a 6″ square cut piece of styrofoam (the printing plate). Use clear tape and only tape it to the top in 2 areas so the paper can open and close like below. Don’t worry about the tape covering your drawing a bit.

Once the drawing is taped onto the printing plate, students started tracing over ALL the lines with a dull colored pencil. (The colored pencil lets you know where you have traced since it leaves a colored line). Press firmly as you trace. This step transfers your drawing onto the printing plate.

It’s a good idea to check to see if its transferring well enough, so flip up the taped down drawing to check how it’s coming along. As long as you can see the lines indentations on your printing plate well enough, you’re good!

Continue tracing with a dull colored pencil until the entire design is traced.

Once that’s done, students flipped over the paper they were tracing. Here you should be able to see the drawing completely transferred onto the printing plate like below.

Next, students traced over their indentations of their design on the styrofoam printing plate with a dull colored pencil. (Tracing again pressing firmly). This step is crucial and creates a nice deep indentation which creates a clear print later on. If it’s not pressed in twice (once with paper over the styrofoam, and again a second time on just the styrofoam the overall print wouldn’t be as clear when time to print.)

From here, students then colored in *some* of their shapes they created within their design with colored pencil. Again pressing firmly! Areas where it is colored in, will reveal more rainbow from the painting created. Students could fill in as much as they wanted or as little as they wanted. This step was the final step before printing, so kids were very anxious to get printing! Teacher example on left, student example on right.

Once shapes were filled in, students flipped over the styrofoam printing plate, and drew an arrow with sharpie pointing to the corner where they started their drawing.

*Technically, to print a symmetrical radial design, the arrow could be drawn pointing in ANY one chosen corner, as long as it’s in just one corner. For a complete circle design like we created, we drew the arrow in the corner where we originally started the curving lines.

HOWEVER, no matter where you place the arrow, this arrow is necessary to know where to position the printing plate on the paper each time you print. The arrow should always point to the center of the paper each time it’s printed. Doing this creates the symmetrical radial design. (More on this below). They also wrote their name and class in sharpie on the back somewhere as well.

Then the paper that was taped on gets taken off and thrown away and students were ready to print!

DAY 3 – PRACTICE PRINTING ON 12X12″ WHITE PAPER FIRST

After a printing demonstration, students created a practice print on white paper before moving onto their final copy (on their rainbow painting).

Students shared plates of black tempera paint and brayers and rolled out their brayer onto the plate of black paint a couple times. Since the paint has a slippery texture, it’s important to THEN roll the brayer onto a sheet of scrap paper to get the paint evenly distributed onto the brayer. This also gets rid of any excess paint before rolling onto the printing plate.

Then the brayer gets rolled onto the printing plate.

Once students evenly coated their printing plate with black tempera paint, they carefully lifted it up and printed onto 12×12″ white 80# paper. It’s important to have the printing plates edges lined up with the papers edges and have the arrow pointing to the center of the paper.

Then students pressed down with the flat of their hands and then used a CLEAN brayer, and rolled over the backside of their printing plate all over to transfer the design to create the first print like below.

Then, lifted it off to repeat those steps 3 more times, rotating the printing plate so the arrow pointed towards the center of their paper each time they printed.

DAY 4 – 5 FINAL STEP! PRINTING ON THE RAINBOW PAINTING!

Students reviewed the printing process and continued to print their design onto their rainbow painting that they painted on day 1!

It was fun… but very messy!!!

This is why we drew a BIG arrow! So you can see it!

If you haven’t see it yet, Here’s my YouTube video tutorial below. I hope you like it!

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Mondrian Inspired Printing- 1st Grade

Read below student artwork to learn how students created these, what they learned about throughout the process, and see photos of students creating!

When students came into the art room and sat down, without showing them my teacher examples, I asked them, “who can remember and tell me what the primary colors are?” (They all learned about primary colors from the previous lesson when creating secondary colors from mixing primary colors)

I was happy to see everyone’s hands shooting up in the air!

***I feel like I should explain here that Kindergarteners don’t have art class in our district, that’s why I’m teaching them about primary/secondary colors, line, shapes, overlapping etc. etc. to my first grade classes***

Then I showed them my teacher examples and explained we’d be creating artwork inspired by the artist Piet Mondrian.

From there I showed them a brief PowerPoint about his life and artwork.

Students learned he was an artist from the Netherlands, who lived from 1872 to 1944 who was and still is today, a very influential and famous abstract painter. He is known for being one of the pioneers of 20th century abstract art.

One fact about his life was that he was an elementary school teacher before creating art full time. They also learned how he painted more realistically in the beginning, then developed a strong interest in creating more abstracted images, and eventually reduced his artwork to simple geometric elements, focusing on horizontal and vertical lines. He also paired down his color palette using mainly primary colors.

Below are some screenshots of slides taken from my powerpoint I showed students.

I asked students to show me how to draw vertical and horizontal lines with their finger in the air. Then I asked them how many vertical lines there were in his paintings, and how many horizontal lines and what shapes they created.

I asked my students “who can tell me what a shape is?” Students said rectangles, circles, squares…” I said yes those are all examples of shapes you’re right, but do you know what the definition of a shape is? What is a shape? I drew on paper a random line connected end to end that resembled a cloud, and asked “ is this a shape?” They all said yes!

I explained how any lines that connect end to end is a shape.

As I motioned my hands in the air – I asked my first grade students “what happens when 2 horizontal lines connect with 2 vertical lines?” ——they knew right away! They create rectangles and squares!

Students all loved this picture with the lady on the car!

DAY 1 (OF 2)

Students used a small rectangular piece of Styrofoam dipped into black tempera paint, to stamp one end and print horizontal and vertical lines onto 12x 18” paper.

I explained to focus mainly on making squares and rectangles (just like Mondrian) but they could create triangles and other shapes here and there too!

DAY 2

Students colored in their shapes with primary colors using markers.

Some students took more of a Kandinsky approach to stamping their lines. I love the sense of movement these have below!

They really got into it, and some students told me they couldn’t wait to go home and create more!

Check back later this weekend for a new blog post on 4th Grade Radial Printmaking!! And check below to see 4th graders beautiful Dandelion Puffs! Thanks for stopping by!

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Dandelion Puffs – 4th Grade

Additional artwork below!!

This easy and fun 2 day art lesson focused on the elements of art; Line, Shape, Color and Value. Students also learned about a new watercolor resist technique using rubber cement before painting!

Special shout out to artroombritt.blogspot.com for this lesson idea!

DAY 1

Students observed various drawings of dandelions and reviewed the meaning of composition in artwork, (composition= the way things are laid out or where things are drawn/placed on paper).

Students drew three stems spaced apart a bit coming from one side of a sheet of 9×12″ tagboard with pencil. They could be drawn coming from either side of the paper going towards the middle.

They drew a small circle at the tip of each stem for the dandelions center and then lightly drew a large circle around it to act as a guideline to where their dandelion seed heads would be drawn to, to create a full, fluffy dandelion puff.

Students drew 1 large dandelion and 2 smaller ones on either side of the large one. Then drew a variety of seed heads stemming out from the center of each dandelion. I demonstrated various seed head tips for drawing before students drew on their own papers. I also offered a handout to refer to and observe, if they wanted while drawing.

Then once all three were drawn, they added drifting seed heads blowing away from the dandelion puffs in the wind. These drifting seed heads were drawn traveling in different directions (just like in real life) and not only adds interest, but creates a nice composition with the three dandelions along the opposite side.

Then students went over their stems lines and dandelion puffs lines and drifting seed heads with a black sharpie. After using sharpie they erased any pencil lines that remained.

Once that was done, after class, (when students were no longer in my art room), I brushed on a thick layer of rubber cement where each circular dandelion puff would be, as well as on the drifting seed heads. The rubber cement was a bit stinky and isn’t healthy to breathe in, so I worked next to an open window. This is why I applied the rubber cement and not the students.

The rubber cement was left to dry until the next class. (BTW- This doesn’t take up much rubber cement at all- I used about 3 small jars for 4 classes (roughly 24 students per class).

I used an old tempera brush rather than the rubber cements brush that it comes with. I found it was much easier to spread that way.

DAY 2

Before applying paint to our drawings, we reviewed warm and cool colors.

I had ice cube trays filled with liquid watercolors (one end with warm colors (warm colors=reds, pinks, oranges and yellows) and the other end with cool colors (cool colors= blues, greens and purples).

We also reviewed the wet-on-wet watercolor technique before painting. After demonstrating, students applied water only to 1/2 their paper quickly with a watercolor brush. THEN applied dabs of either just warm colored paint OR just cool colored paint onto the wet areas using one color at a time.

Students noticed how the paint spread outward from where they dabbed little bits of paint over the watered down paper. The water helps spread the paint and it also changes the value of the color making the color lighter and less vibrant (value= the lightness or darkness of a color).

Then once one 1/2 of their paper was painted, they dabbed the painted section with a paper towel while still wet, to help soften the color and spread the paint even more.

Then painted the other 1/2 of their paper with water only and applied paint to that wet area then dabbed off with a paper towel.

Once paintings were dry, the rubber cement was rubbed off, revealing the white dandelion puffs!

Thanks for visiting my blog!! Check back soon for new 1st grade artwork! Next week!

 

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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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