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! 

4th grade square 1 art pop art hearts

 4th grade square 1 art

I found this lesson on the Jamestown elementary blog. I'm not sure what they were teaching but I decided to tie it into Pop art. Andy Warhol has some great art featuring hearts and he even has a painting of an actual heart. Students are learning about the real heart in their classroom so I was so excited to find Andy Warhol's print of a human heart. Don't worry his heart doesn't look gross! It is very simplified. 

I thought I would have the students draw their own squares on the Square 1 Art paper but it was easy for me just to copy them on the copy machine. 

I provided students with a small piece of paper and reviewed with them on how to make a heart by folding their paper in half. I'm amazed with how many couldn't remember or didn't know how to make one! Students then traced their heart in each square of their paper. 

The next step was to draw various patterns in each section. I provided examples to give them inspiration but I encouraged them to come up with their own!  

Students could draw with their sharpies or draw with a pencil first and then trace them. My 4th graders then colored them with crayons and painted over them with liquid watercolors. They are beautiful! 

Jim Dine oil pastel watercolor paintings 1st grade

Jim Dine oil pastel watercolor resist painting

My demonstration video 

I don't remember where I saw this original idea. I've been doing it for years.  If you know please let me know. 

I introduced the heart paintings created by Jim Dine. We discussed his many hearts and I explained to the children that he is from Cincinnati Ohio.  Students are excited to hear this since we are only about thirty miles from the city. 

I gave students a 3 1/2" x 4" square piece of construction paper and taught them how to make a heart. 

Students then folded their 12" x 18" multi media paper into six boxes and traced their hearts in the centers. 

Students took oil pastels and created various designs in each heart. We discussed the many options such as using warm and color colors and patterns. 

Don't forget to blend!

The next class students painting watercolors in each box.

 I love these. This project took two, fifty minute classes.