Shadow tracing is a great way to get outside on a bright sunny day, explore positive and negative space, and have some fun with color at the same time. Shadow tracing is low stress for students (2nd grade and up) and has minimal prep for teachers. Students can usually finish one of these paintings in a single class period, or you may want to let them do a few tracings the … [Read more...]
Popcorn Drawing – Observation & Imagination
Have you ever looked at a cloud and seen an animal or some other random image? Most everyone has used their imagination to "find" things in clouds, and popcorn offers this same creative experience! This is a great lesson for 5th grade and up. Make sure you create a sample to illustrate the steps... a picture is worth a thousand words here! After doing this lesson, your … [Read more...]
Return of the Marshmallow Challenge!
Back by popular demand, I ended our school year with "The Marshmallow Challenge". I first tried this activity two years ago, after watching an inspiring TED Talk by Tom Wujec. The Marshmallow Challenge is a team-building exercise where groups of 2-3 have 18 minutes to try to build the tallest freestanding structure - using just 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of masking … [Read more...]
Patriotic Flag Designs
Here's a great lesson for Memorial Day.... I do this with my 1st graders, but any age could have fun with it. Easy to prep, no clean-up, everyone's successful, and the kids LOVE it.... you can't beat that! Materials: 9x12 white paper Black "F" Sharpie Red and blue markers Directions:1. Discuss the American flag and what it symbolizes. (This is a great opportunity to … [Read more...]
Painting with Impressionism – “After Monet”
We began our lesson by looking at examples of Monet's paintings in an old Monet art calendar. I chose his painting of Antibes for us to "copy" and hung it up where everyone could see it. Then I explained to my 1st graders that art students sometimes copy a famous painting in order to learn from it, and that it's okay to do that as long as you give the original artist proper … [Read more...]
African Masks with Scratch Art Paper
Scratch Art paper is available with either a white, colored, or foil background, which is revealed when the black top coating is scratched away with a wooden stick. While this technique is simple enough for Kinders to do, the most striking results are achieved by upper grade students who have the patience to make more detailed drawings and patterns. (The younger kids often … [Read more...]
Underwater Fantasy inspired by Paul Klee
Swiss painter and graphic artist, Paul Klee, is known for his child-like use of line and color.... maybe that's why kids relate so well to his work! The influence of Surrealism, Expressionism, and Cubism is easily seen in his art, yet he really had a style all his own. This project is inspired by his painting, "Fish Magic", where he combines traditional underwater imagery … [Read more...]
African Kente Cloth Weaving
Kente cloth originated in Ghana as the fabric of royalty, but has become a colorful symbol of African culture, now loved and worn by many. Students in grades K and 1 will enjoy creating their own paper version of this colorful cloth!Materials:6"x12" black construction paper1"x6" strips of red, blue, yellow and green construction paper (3 or 4 of each color per student)Black … [Read more...]
Origami Lotus Book
Here's a fun project that both kids and adults really get excited about! The Lotus Book may look complicated, but its folds are actually very simple. Don't be intimidated by all the steps.... once you've made one you'll have it down. It's so much easier than it looks!Materials:Heavy-weight paper or card stock for pages (5 pieces, 8½” x 8½”)Heavy-weight paper or card stock … [Read more...]
How to Play the Elements of Art & Principles of Design Memory Game
I'm always on the lookout for creative, new ways to teach my students the Elements of Art and Principles of Design (affiliate link). You may have played a version of this game before Recently, I attended a bridal shower where we played a memory game.... the "put-a-bunch-of … [Read more...]
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