The popular Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead (or Dia de Los Muertos), gives us many opportunities for colorful art lessons combined with learning about another culture! True confession time.... when I moved from a small town in upstate New York to go to college in California, I had no idea what Day of the Dead was.... I had never even heard of it. I (wrongly!) assumed it was … [Read more...]
Day of the Dead / Dia de los Muertos Projects
Day of the Dead (or Dia de los Muertos) is right around the corner! Don't miss the opportunity to share this important cultural tradition with your students. Often misunderstood, this popular Mexican holiday honors ancestors and loved ones who have died, and is celebrated each year on November 1st & 2nd. This family-centered holiday celebrates the cycle of … [Read more...]
Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!
On March 2nd we celebrate a very special birthday in our Kindergarten classes... that of beloved children's author/illustrator, Theodor Seuss Geisel, aka "Dr. Seuss". In his lifetime, Dr. Seuss published over 40 children's books which have inspired and motivated the reading skills and imaginations of generations of children. The birthday of Dr. Seuss was appropriately chosen … [Read more...]
Crayon Resist Easter Card
Here's a quick and easy crayon resist project I did with some of my 1st and 2nd graders. Students folded 12x18 paper in half and painted on the front, for a charming Easter card. Inside, they wrote: "He is risen! He is risen indeed!" Materials:12x18 heavy-weight white construction paperblack crayonswatercolors (I like the Prang OVL-8 set)watercolor brush (Don't use the … [Read more...]
Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!
Yesterday (March 2nd) we celebrated a very special birthday in our Kindergarten classes.... that of beloved children's author/illustrator, Theodor Seuss Geisel, aka "Dr. Seuss". In his lifetime, Dr. Seuss published over 40 children's books which have inspired both reading and imagination for generations of children. His birthday has fittingly been adopted as the date for the … [Read more...]
K Portfolios – A Purple Crayon Adventure!
I've always loved books, so I love to start the school year off by reading an art-related story to each of my classes. My favorite "art story" for Kindergarten is Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson. This classic children's tale was first published in 1955 and has been hugely popular ever since. It tells the story of a little boy named Harold who … [Read more...]
Easy Mondrian
Dutch painter, Piet Mondrian (1872-1944), was one of the most important artists of the 20th century. His abstract designs had a huge influence on the graphic design, architecture, and interior design of his day. He was best known for his stylized, geometric designs of black and white grids filled with bright, primary colors. Students are fascinated to see his work still … [Read more...]
Gung Hey Fat Choy!
Chinese New Year falls on Valentine's Day this year! Chinese New Year is often celebrated with a parade led by a long, colorful dragon. My 1st graders drew a fun Chinese Dragon to ring in the "Year of the Tiger"!1. Cut a piece of 12"x18" white construction paper in half to measure 6"x18".2. Using pencil, draw a long curvy "snake-shape" across the middle of your paper. Leave … [Read more...]
Kindergarten Stars
Try these simple instructions to teach your kinders how to draw stars. As adults, we make these designs automatically, almost without thinking, but for a five year old drawing their very first star, it's nothing short of magical! Once it "clicks" for them, they will be drawing stars everywhere!First talk about types of lines, concentrating on "diagonal" and "horizontal". … [Read more...]
Butterfly with Watercolor & Oil Pastel Resist
Fall is "butterfly season" for us who live on the California Central Coast! This is the time when over 100,000 Monarch butterflies migrate to our State Monarch Preserve from the valley regions west of the Rockies, making their temporary home here until spring. On sunny, warm days, they fly out of the eucalyptus trees where they cluster, to the delight of onlookers.... it is … [Read more...]