It is so hard coming up with lessons to teach kindergarten, especially at the beginning of the year. This is an easy lesson that goes quickly and the kids love doing this.
I used finger paint and donated copier paper.
The paper was the perfect size for my dollar store cookie sheets (love the dollar store!).
We used finger painting tools to draw our designs into the paint. They are actually called Kids' Colour Shapers from United Art Education. You can also use q-tips.
Roll the paint with a sponge brayer onto the cookie sheet, draw your design and press the paper on top. Easy!
Finishing it up.
I first instructed the students on how to draw a pumpkin, big enough to fill the whole paper and how to add curve lines to make the pumpkins appear round. I had a real pumpkin for students to view as we discussed the characteristics of it.
We discussed shades and tints and then students used orange, yellow and red to create various shades of orange on each section of their pumpkin.
On the second day I showed a You tube video called "Inside Romero Britto's Pop Art Empire". It's a little over two minutes long. We discussed various patterns and where we can find ideas (clothes, animal patterns and around the classroom). Students could trace their pumpkins with either a white or black oil pastel and then add various patterns in each section of their pumpkin.
Notice the little critters? Those are our quiet critters. They watch over each student and if their buddy touches them or talks then they go back in their critter jar. Working like a charm! I found the idea on Pinterest.
After they finished their patterns they cut them out and glued them to a brown piece of 12" X 18" paper, added vines and leaves.
Remind students to put glue on the back of their pumpkins instead of on the brown paper or this will happen!
I like to draw steps on the board for students to reference to (and not rely on me all the time!).
I think it is so important to allow children to experience finger painting. With only two sinks and 25 students per class I have to be creative on allowing all my students to engage in this and not go crazy! I decided we were actually just going to use one finger!
This lesson is based on the book "Mouse Paint" by Ellen Walsh. If you don't have the book you can find someone reading it on YouTube. This lesson has been used for years, so I'm not sure where the original idea came from.
On the first day I provided 12" x 9" multi media pieces of paper with the mouse shapes and color words already copied onto them. My student teacher (thanks for the idea Brandy) from a couple of years ago did this lesson with the kiddos but I wanted to change it to a finger painting lesson.
After discussing the primary and secondary colors students got to work. I gave each student a drop of each of the primary colors and then they mixed on each section. Students wiped their fingers on the newspapers on the tables in between mixing the colors. When they were finished with all the colors they were then allowed to wash their hands at the sinks.
On the second day students cut out the mouse shapes, glued them to a piece of black construction paper and added details with oil pastels to make them into mice.
Yes they are a little crafty, but my goal was for the students to practice their cutting skills and to make colors.
