22 results found in category: English / Language Arts
A Color Of Our Own
Grade level: 1
This lesson is based on the illustrations in the book “A Color of His Own”, by Leo Lionni. Students each produce a cut out chameleon in Lionni’s style and two pages of painted paper. They camouflage their chameleons in the painted paper. Both can be made into a class book or a bulletin board.
Abstract Color Wheels
Grade level: Adaptive
Students look at abstract painter Robert Rauschenberg and his art with letters. After gluing their initials and a black paper shape on a white piece of paper, they spread primary colors (using matt board pieces) to make secondary colors. Lastly, they add black until they feel their artwork is finished.
African Painted Walls
Grade level: 4
Students 'travel' to the region of Burkina Faso in Western Africa to learn about the well-known painted houses. After studying the artists and their work, students create a narrative wall painting using silhouettes and paint. They also incorporate patterns and traditional or personal symbols into their work.
Andy Goldsworthy: Art From the Earth
Grade level: 5
Students study Andy Goldsworthy, a British artist who transforms nature into art, photographs it, and lets it return to nature. They then go outside to create art from only nature -- no tools allowed! When done, they photograph their work and write abou tthe art they made and the process they used.
Cans with Andy Warhol
Grade level: 4
Students will be introduced to the artist Andy Warhol, famous for his Pop Art paintings of Campbell's Soup cans. Students will also learn that Warhol had a career as a graphic artist. Students will create their own labeled can to hold whatever humorous or imaginative things they want to contain or preserve.
Diatoms: Microscopic Jewels
Grade level: 5
Students are introduced to the 17th century Dutch scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, the microscope he developed, his discoveries and his methods of recording those discoveries. They create a colorful microscopic view of diatoms using watercolors and black crayon 'resist.'
Eric Carle Mural
Grade level: 1
After sharing the book Where are You Going? To See my Friend, students discuss real and abstract artwork. They will learn how to use texture rubbings to create torn paper animals and people. Students then assemble a collaborative work of art displaying characters from the book.
Expressionist Environments
Grade level: 3
Students look at 2D and 3D art and artists. They create their own 3D environment using paper folding and cutting techniques. Embellishments are added with color and pattern.
Faith Ringgold: Our Own Story Quilts
Grade level: 3
This lesson is designed to teach in two sessions. Students study the work of artist, teacher, author and illustrator Faith Ringgold. They create a story quilt with a well-developed drawing based on a personal memory. Finished work includes a written memory sentence and a colorful pieced border.
Frog in Monet's Pond
Grade level: 3
Students listen to 2 books: one about Linnea visiting Monet and the other about a frog who goes to Monet’s garden while he is painting the lilies on the pond. The lily pad paintings of Monet are discussed before students draw lily pads with oil pastels. A watercolor painting lesson is taught using the wet on wet technique to paint the pond. Finally, students are taught to draw frogs. They are cut out and added to the pond.
I Am A Star
Grade level: Adaptive
Students discuss how they can 'be a star' by helping others. They look at books with shapes and colors and name them. They then glue colored shapes on a long strip of railroad board -- punching holes in some of them to make peek-a-boo colors. Lastly, they fold, add stars and hang!
Inside and Outside of Me
Grade level: 5
Students consider prejudice and tolerance by exploring ways in which we are all alike. They then learn about for 'artist heroes' who drew their creative strength from accepting and nurturing their personal differences. Students investigate the concept of tolerance by creating an 'inside and outside of me self portrait' using words, color and pattern.
Jellybean Books
Grade level: 4
Students write a color poem using their five senses. They will then create a small "jellybean" book and decorate it using a simple printing technique. Students then further embellish their book and may include their original poems within.
Mouse Colors
Grade level: 1
Students learn the primary colors and discover what happens when paints are mixed by experimenting on large paper. While their paintings dry, students read Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh. Then a class graph is created to see which colors they found. Each student traces a “foot” on their dried painted paper, cuts it out and glues it to the color graph in the matching color column.
Murals of Our Towns and Villages
Grade level: 3
Students learn about muralist Diego Rivera and how he used perspective to show near and far. A mural of their own town or village is drawn after planning the important resources, buildings, animals and landmarks that need to be included in the mural.
Observe, Question and Write
Grade level: 6
Students examine a piece of art by asking who, what, when, where, and why questions. After reporting information through questions, they write a short story or paragraph.
On Mother's Lap
Grade level: 1
Students view impressionist artwork while discussing the subject of family closeness. Students then share the book On Mother’s Lap, by Ann Hebert Scott. Students create an interactive artwork involving a chair and puppets. Students can tell their own story about their family using their artwork.
On Top of the World
Grade level: Adaptive
Students look at a globe and discuss what is land, water, and ice/snow and how the water currents move over the earth. They paint water on a circle, cut organic shapes to make ice and continents, and put themselves where they live... on top of the world.
Rachel Carson Silent Spring
Grade level: 4
Students learn about the life of writer, biologist and conservationist, Rachel Carson. Students learn to use complementary colors to show the effects of pollution on their plant. They create a before and after line drawing of an Alaskan plant using watercolor paints for color.
Salmon Summer in Kodiak
Grade level: 4
Through the book Salmon Summer in Kodiak, students learn about an Aleut boy who lives on Kodiak Island and fishes for salmon. Students create a 2D painting with warm or cool colors that incorporates designs inspired by salmon and traditional Aleut hunting hats.
Story Sculptures
Grade level: 2
Students will discuss what is 2- and 3- dimensional and what a sculpture is. They will then look at examples of art in their community. Students will create a small free-standing sculpture based on a story (any good story will do.) This is a model of a larger sculpture they are proposing to build for an imaginary new library.
Tolerance Banners
Grade level: 4
After viewing and discussing the images of the United Nations Six Flags of Tolerance, students create a positive-negative design based on a Japanese paper cutting technique called Notan.