1st grade color wheel art lesson

 1st-grade color wheel art lesson

Here is a different take on how to teach the color wheel to 1st graders. I copied a blank color wheel on multi-media paper. Students only used the primary colored oil pastels to color in the correct sections. They had to mix the primary colors to create the secondary colors. Of course, purple is a little challenging but they got it! 

Students used their imagination to make the color wheel into anything they wanted after they finished coloring. They created flowers, people with raincoats, leopards, and hot air balloons to name just a few. The last steps were to draw raindrops with white oil pastels and paint over the entire drawing with liquid watercolors. 

1st grade holiday ornaments

 1st Grade Holiday Ornaments

My 1st graders received about a fist-sized amount of air-dried clay for these adorable ornaments. They flattened them out on a board and then used rolling pins to flatten them out. I provided patterns of stars, circles, or hearts for them to trace around with a wooden stylus stick. They could add textures with additional tools such as textured rolling pins and paint combs. The last step was to poke a hole towards the top for the string. I thought it would be too challenging for them to carve their initials on the back so I provided slips of paper for them to write their names. They placed these under their clay after they were finished. 

After they were dry (they only took about a week) students used acrylic paint to paint one side. They wrote their names with a black permanent marker on the back. The last step was for me to spray them with acrylic gloss and string a piece of yarn in the holes for them. I also wrapped them in donated bubble wrap for the trip home. 

1st grade Clay hearts

 1st Grade Clay hearts 

This lesson is great for Mother's Day, Valentine's Day or Christmas.

 Each student was provided with a ball of clay which they rolled into a slab. I provided handouts of hearts which they then traced around with a clay sculpture tool.

Students could add textures with various tools provided such as paint combs and textured rolling pins. The last step was to carve out a hole for a string. 

These only took a few days to dry so the following week students painted their hearts. I don't have a kiln so students used Crayola air dry clay. Acrylic paint works the best for providing bright colors but it is risky with this age group. I did have some students use tempera paint but the results were dull even after I sprayed them with acrylic gloss spray. If you can, try to use the acrylic paint. I do have aprons for all the students. 

After they were dry I sprayed them outside with gloss spray. With donations of bubble wrap from parents I wrapped all of them, added a string and sent them home. Hopefully they all made it without breaking! My students were so proud of them! 

1st grade scarecrows art lesson

 1st Grade scarecrow art lesson 

This lesson was inspired by the book "The Scarecrow" by Beth Ferry. There are so many books available about scarecrows so take your pick! I saw this lesson on Elementary Art Fun blog and changed it a bit. 

I provided a pattern for the scarecrows face. Providing a pattern for the face helps this age have a starting point on how big to make their scarecrow. 

My 1st graders were encouraged to draw a hat and decorate the scarecrows clothes. Many of the students added crows and corn to their drawings. They were then to outline their drawings with a black marker and color it with oil pastels. 

We discussed how to blend the colors using a small rolled up piece of paper towel. 

Students colored the sky with liquid watercolors. 

I found some old shredded paper so students used it as straw and glued it around their scarecrow's sleeves and hat. Pretty good for 1st graders!!!

1st grade Robert Indiana Square 1 Art project

 1st Grade Robert Indiana Square 1 Art 

I found this art lesson on Instagram from scholtenart. He has some great ideas!

I went ahead and copied four boxes on the square 1 art paper for the kiddos. This makes life so much easier! 

On the square 1 art paper that is provided I printed four boxes on the copier. On this paper students used cool colored tempera paint and painted each box. Remind them to not paint over the line where their school and name appears!

On an 8" x 8" square piece of paper students painted the warm colors and then took a paint comb and scraped various lines through out the paint. 

This was day one. 

On the second day, I helped them lay out the stencils for LOVE (except the O) on the 8" x 8" paper. They traced the letters with a black crayon and then cut them out. 

While they were working on this I went around the room and painted their hand for the letter "O" of their art project. Students then glued the letters to their square 1 art paper. Since this is at the beginning of the year some of my kiddos had trouble cutting out the "E" but overall everyone did great!