Monochromatic Ice Cream Cone

Monochromatic Ice Cream Cone

1st Grade

Value lesson simple enough for 1st graders.  Can even review a couple different types of shapes with this lesson: triangle and half circle.  

Value = lightness or darkness of a color.

Shades = color + black

Tints = color + white

Step 1.  Draw an upside-down triangle for the cone.

Step 2.  Draw 5 half circles on top of one another for the different scoops.

Step 3.  Paint the cone black.

Step 4.  Paint the middle scoop with a paint color of choice.

Step 5.  Paint the 4th scoop (one just below the middle scoop) by mixing the choice paint color with a tiny bit of black.

Step 6.  Paint the 5th scoop (one just above cone) by mixing the choice paint color with a bit more black paint.

Step 7.  Paint the 2nd scoop (one just above the middle scoop) by mixing the choice paint color with a tiny bit of white.

Step 8.  Paint the 1st scoop (one on top) by mixing the choice paint color with a bit more of white.

Email me/comment below for a full lesson plan (including standards, list of supplies, assessment, etc.).

Mondrian Fish

Mondrian Fish

Kindergarten

This lesson idea was yet again inspired by Pinterest.  The lesson began with a song by Greg Percy called "Mondrian".  I taught the kids the chorus line to the song before we started the project.  As they worked on the project, I had the song playing in the background, so they could sing along with it.

Step 1.  With a pencil, draw a large "C" shape on the paper for the fishes body.

Step 2.  Draw the number 3 connecting the tips of the "C".  The 3 will create the tail fin.

Step 3.  Using lines, split up the fish's body into different sizes of rectangles and squares.

Step 4.  Cover pencil lines with black marker.

Step 5.  Color the shapes either red, yellow, or blue or leave blank white.

Step 6.  Color the background blue for the water (my example doesn't have it colored... I changed my mind after I had taken the picture).

Step 7.  Paste drawing on a light blue sheet of construction paper.  It should create a 1" each border around the drawing.

Step 8.  Add red, yellow, and blue dots around the border to create a pattern.

Email me/comment below for a full lesson plan (including standards, list of supplies, assessment, etc.).

Dhurrie Rug

Dhurrie Rug

Kindergarten

This is another one of the line project I did with my kindergarten kids.  I had a powerpoint about the background/history of dhurrie rugs.  Now, this last year, the project didn't go that well for me. The kids were more excited about cutting the colored paper into pieces and shapes instead of lines to paste onto their black piece of paper.  However,  I think as long as I scissors with fun blades I'll be okay.  I also need to find a better way to do the yearn tassels without me having to make all of them.  I might even move this lesson up to a different grade.

Step 1.  Cut black sheets of construction paper to 9" x 6".

Step 2.  Have various colors of construction paper to cut up with scissors that have different designed blades.

Step 3.  Paste the colored stripes of cut paper to the black sheet.

Step 4.  Paper punch each of the short ends 4 times.

Step 5.  Attach strings of yearn as tassels.

Email me/comment below for a full lesson plan (including standards, list of supplies, assessment, etc.).

Line Lions

Line Lions

Kindergarten

I started out my year with the concept of line.  This was one of the kindergarten line projects I did.  We first brainstormed and thought of different lines we knew.  Next, I had the students practice drawing them on the tables with dry eraser markers (works out great by the way).  Finally it was time to paint.  I added one color of paint at a time for the students to use.  I find this easier because I do not have students using red to paint the face.

Step 1.  With a paintbrush and yellow paint, draw a big circle in the middle of your paper.  Paint in the entire circle.

Step 2.  Paint 5-6 different types of lines around the head using yellow paint.

Step 3.  Paint 5-6 different types of lines around the head using red paint.

Step 4.  Paint 5-6 different types of lines around the head using orange paint.

Step 5.  Allow for dry time.

Step 6.  When dry, draw a triangle for the nose.

Step 7.  Draw 1 line on each side of the triangle going up.

Step 8.  Draw 2 circles just underneath the nose (this is the mouth).

Step 9.  Draw 2 circles above the nose and mouth for the eyes.

Step 10.  Add eyebrows and the like if desired.

Email me/comment below for a full lesson plan (including standards, list of supplies, assessment, etc.).

3D Snowman

3D Snowman

3rd Grade

I found this lesson on Pinterest.  I wanted to teach my students about how value, which we had just learned about, could show form.  Before we started, we talked about why it looked 3D and not 2D.  Making this project was simple enough and the students really seemed to grasp the concept of form with it.

Step 1.  Draw snowman and ground on a 9" x 12" piece of light blue construction paper.

Step 2.  With oil pastel, color left side white and ground.

Step 3.  Color right side blue.  Add a shadow on the ground just to the right of the snowman.

Step 4.  Color the rest of the snowman and his accessories as desired.

Email me/comment below for a full lesson plan (including standards, list of supplies, assessment, etc.).

Clay Leaf Bowls

Clay Leaf Bowl

3rd Grade

I did this lesson after I had done the "Leaf Movement" lesson.  I did this lesson to show students how leaves can move in other ways like curling up as the dry.

Step 1.  Have leaf outlines printed off and hand out to students.

Step 2.  Hand out clay.

Step 3.  Roll out clay.

Step 4.  Use the leaf outline as a stencil on the clay.

Step 5.  Curl up edges (can place around the bottom of a bowl to help).

Step 6.  Allow dry time (about a week).

Step 7.  Fire in kiln.

Step 8.  Glaze with desired colors.

Step 9.  Fire in kiln, again.

Email me/comment below for a full lesson plan (including standards, list of supplies, assessment, etc.).

Leaf Movement

Leaf Movement

3rd Grade

I did this lesson after I had already taught my students about lines, shapes, and color. Before I had them stay drawing, we talked about movement.  I would walk around the room and ask students if they thought I was movement.  "How do you know I'm moving?" I would ask.  I would stand as still as I could.  "Am I moving now?"  "How do you know?" Next,  the students were asked to show movement of the leaf by creating lines in their paper.  For this lesson,  I brought in fallen leaves for students to look at well their were working.  This lesson was also a good review on not only line but color.  They had to color their leaves with the warm colors and was cool colors on the lines.  One more thing I think about this lesson would be using watercolor and crayons together.  I like how the students discover how the two materials react to one another.

Step 1.  With pencil, draw a leaf in one of the corners of the paper.

Step 2.  Draw the lines to show the movement of how the leaf was to have traveled throughout the paper.

Step 3.  With crayons, color in the leaf with warm colors.

Step 4.  Still with crayons, color the lines with cool colors.

Step 5.  Paint background with watercolor.

Email me/comment below for a full lesson plan (including standards, list of supplies, assessment, etc.).

Plant Outlines

Plant Outlines

3rd Grade

Randomly thought of this one when I had to think of another project for lines.  Some of the students seemed to struggle with painting inside the different lines.  (I like rainbow patterns if you haven't noticed already).  I had students brainstorm different types of plants as I wrote them down on the board.  Yes, it may take more time at the beginning of class, but it helps give students different options if they can't think of anything or the plant they were thinking of drawing doesn't work out.

Step 1.  Pick a plant and draw it.

Step 2.  Outline the plant until the entire page is full. 

Step 3.  Color in plant with oil pastels.

Step 4.  Color in each of the lines around it.

Email me/comment below for a full lesson plan (including standards, list of supplies, assessment, etc.).

Crazy Hair Portraits

Crazy Hair Portraits

3rd Grade

Another idea I found on Pinterest.  I made this during student teaching.  Not going to lie.  I really enjoyed this project.  I feel like the kids do, too.  They only time they seem to complain too much is when I tell them that besides the eyes I should see absolutely no white on their paper.

Step 1.  Draw oval for head at the bottom half of paper.

Step 2.  Draw eyes in the middle of the head.  

Step 3.  Draw nose half way between the eyes and chin.

Step 4.  Draw mouth half way between the nose and chin.  

Step 5.  Draw different types of lines and shapes to cover the rest of the paper.

Step 6.  Color with marker.

Email me/comment below for a full lesson plan (including standards, list of supplies, assessment, etc.).