Before the Christmas break all my art classes were working with color. Last year I taught this lesson with my 5th grades. I wanted to try it with a different grade levels and compare results. My 2nd grades were very excited when they saw my example and found out it was their next lesson! We discussed Monochromatic Colors and showed them how to mix their colors with white a little bit at a time to gradually change their colors and let them loose to start mixing their own colors!
Each table got some purple, blue and white paint to share. I gave each student a quarter piece of a paper plate ( I sliced them up on the paper cutter into quarters) . I showed the kids how to put some white onto their "palette" and slowly mix their colors as they go. After each color mix I had them paint a ring around their white moon. (sorry I didn't take any pic's to show you how I organized the supplies, like I said it was before Christmas so things were a little hectic!)
Even though their color changes do not go from dark to light I think the lesson was very successful in the sense that they got the chance to experiment and discover with their colors.
During our second class the students created their winter silhouettes. Since this was 2nd grade I changed how I would normally show the students how to draw and cut out a silhouette. I presented them with some examples of a silhouette so they could get an idea of what they are and how they look in real life.
Each one of the kids got a strip of black paper that was the length of the painted background. I also showed them how to cut the paper longways to create the strip for their ground. Lastly, how to draw and cut out the other items they were going to place into their scene. We drew the small details like our snow people's arms in black Sharpie since they were too tiny to cut without amputating them!
Once all the paintings were displayed on the display board in our front hallway, everyone expressed how stunning they were!
When it comes down to it, what I always want my students to get from a lesson more than anything else, is that feeling of Creative Pride. There was a lot of creative pride with this lesson! :)
I'm procrastinating, avoiding having to do grades... 700+ and comments for my modified students due on-line Wednesday by 12AM. I don't have to give grades to my Kinders, thank God! I'll get to it before the end of the weekend. My deadline for myself is to have it done before I sit down to watch Downton Abbey tomorrow night. I'm obssessd with that show! Anyone else?
