1st Grade Owls - Pattern & Texture

 

My first grades just finished up some really cute owls.  The inspiration came from some cute patterned owls from The Elementary Art Room.  This lesson covered several things...  We reviewed drawing with shapes to create the owls, they added patterns to the bodies, then learned about visual and tactile texture and incorporated them into their backgrounds.  This lesson took us three 40 minute classes to complete.  During the first class the kids drew their owls.  I demonstrated several ways to draw their owls and discussed patterns using lines, shapes and colors.   The students drew them out in pencil, outlined them with black marker and added their patterns with construction paper crayons.

In the second class I discussed visual and tactile texture with my first graders.  I showed them how to use our rubbing plates to create a visual texture in their skies.  Rubbing plates are always a fan favorite!  I gave them Crayola Color Sticks to do their rubbings.  I purchased a class pack for this school year and had not used them yet.  They are excellant for rubbings!  The colors are bright, they go on easily without a lot of pressure and best of all did not have to peel a thousand wrappers off of them! 

To create the bark texture in their trees I had the students draw into their paint with the opposite end of their paint brush while the paint was still wet.  They loved the process and it made a nice tactile texture when the paint was dry.  

In our third class the kids glued on their owls, had a chance to add some green leaves (if they wanted to) with some painted paper scraps and students who were behind for one reason or another got a chance to catch up.  

 

 

The children loved their finished owls and couldn't wait to take them home! 

"S" is for Spiral and Snail !

 

Ok... So, if I have not made it abundantly clear yet.  I LOVE teaching art to my Kindergartner's!!!  I can't begin to tell you how they brighten up my week!  I wish I could bottle their enthusiasm and excitement!  They are always so excited about everything we do in art class!  We have been working with all the basics...  Shapes, lines, color, art material procedures and I am now working on teaching them to draw by using lines and shapes.

Before Thanksgiving I needed a subject for another painting/drawing with shapes project for my Kinders.  So, I went to the main source...  The Kindergarten teachers and asked them what they were working on in class.  They said the letter "S".  Perfect!  I decided quickly on spiral lines and then I would show the kids how to turn their spirals into snails!  I was excited and the Kindergarten teachers were excited to have the educational connection between their  room and mine!   (I aim to please!)

And thus, the lesson "S" is for spiral and  a Snail was born!

 

Ok, so this is not the best visual I have ever made for a lesson but I was in a rush and it has served it's purpose! I also made a large visual with step-by-step directions for drawing their snails.

I started the lesson by explaining that they were going to be drawing a spiral and use it to create a snail drawing.   Their hands instantly started to shoot up in the air as they excitedly began to tell me how spiral and snail start with the letter "S" !!!

First we practiced making spirals in the air.  I went through each drawing step one by one.  When the kids were done with a step they would give me the "thumbs up" so I knew they were done and ready for the next step.  I stressed that each snail would look different since we are all different people.  I gave them different options for drawing the heads, eyes and faces and also letting them add shapes and lines to decorate the snail's shells if they wanted.  I had them trace their pencil lines with a black Sharpie before we painted them with watercolors. 

When they were done painting we put them on the drying rack to dry.  The second class I had each painting pre-stapled to a colored paper.  I had the kids glue painted paper scraps I pre-cut all around the frame to create a border design and finish them up!  I like how the papers resemble mosaic tiles!

I cut up old pieces of bulletin board paper I had used as floor protection under paintings we had done in the past. (recycle and re-use!)  I also printed out some photos of painted papers I had taken last year and cut those up as well.

Once they were cut up I put them into little baskets on each table for the kids to use.

 

 

The kids were so excited to take their finished snails home! Here are some of the  completed snail masterpieces!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Here is a preview of our next project...

"P" is for painted paper Peacocks!

 

This display board is much better than my rushed snail one!

 

My example is still in progress.  There is more work to be done on the tail feathers!

How to draw a peacock direction poster is hiding under my example.

 

Some painted papers one of the classes made today!

We will begin to turn them into Peacocks next week!

Hope the rest of your week is creative!  :)

1st Grade Owls

 

Have you noticed how popular owls are out there on the internet?  This summer while researching ideas for school next year I have seen A LOT of owls!  Owl drawings, owl paintings, crocheted owls, sewn owls, owl appliques, etc...  Around March I needed a lesson for my 1st grades that would reinforce painting skills.  I remembered seeing a post on Deep Space Sparkle that Patty posted of the cutest painted owls, I googled owl projects and found this owl project.  (I can't get it to link to the exact page. If you search owl projects on her site it is her Sept. 22 2010 post)  Art Projects for Kids  (again I can't get blogger to link to the exact page!!!  Just search how to draw owls on her home page, it's her Oct. 2, 2011 post) It's an "Owlapalooza" out there!

I sketched several different ways to draw owls with simple shapes and put them on a handout that the students had to look at while they were working, as well as demonstrating step by step instructions on how to draw them on my white board. We talked about the shapes we could use and how the shapes would fit together to create their owls.  The students sketched out their owls tracing all their pencil lines in black crayon. This way when they finished painting the owls white they could still see the lines they drew.  When they were done tracing they painted everything white.  I put cups of purple paint out on the tables and had them add details onto the wet white paint.  This way when they painted they were creating different shades of purple.  Ah!  The joy of mixing colors!  It never gets old!  Some of the kids really got into the monochromatic colors! (sorry no pics of those – Took the snapshots after many were handed back)  We put them on the drying racks and left them to dry.

 

During the second class, I put out construction paper crayons and black tempera paint.  The students were able to add any other details and colors they wanted with the crayons.  Finally, the kids outlined their owls with black tempera paint.  They used 1/4" flat brushes to outline.  I demonstrated how to use their brush to get different thicknesses in their outlines and stressed taking their time and painting patiently for the best lines and coverage.  I also reviewed how to hold the brush and how to load the right amount of paint onto their brushes.

 

The kids LOVED drawing and painting these!  After they were dried, the children cut their owls out.  This gave them a chance to work on their cutting skills.  A LOT of 1st graders had difficulty cutting this past school year!  I made sure to give them  many opportunities to work on their cutting skills during projects and free time.  I have one student who continually holds their scissors upside down. Throughout the school year, I worked with them, as well as their homeroom teacher, to help/teach them how to hold the scissors correctly to no avail!  They were so used to holding the scissors wrong that it was uncomfortable for the student to hold them the correct way!  (I'll keep at it next year!)  If you know anyone who has young children, stress the importance of giving young children a pair of safety scissors, show them how to use them and let them cut up some old magazines!  It gets messy but it is so good for their motor skills!

We displayed all the owls in the hallways.  I turned them in different directions to give it the illusion that they were flying!  Enjoy looking at them!  They make me smile every time I see them!