1st grade Frida Kahlo still life collage

1st grade Frida Kahlo Still  life Collage

I found a similar lesson like this from https://www.deepspacesparkle.com/mexican-unit-fruit-crate-art-project/

I changed it a bit to fit with my students introduction to Frida Kahlo.

On the first day we watched a couple short videos on Frida Kahlo. I found two  that are very short and school friendly. You can find them here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfbLR15Bh74

and here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVkq_Ikaa40

We examined her many still life paintings and then got to work. 

1st graders were to think of the  kind of fruit or vegetables they wanted to have in their still life paintings. They were provided with 4, 6" x 9" pieces of multi-media paper, tempera paint and various tools to create textures in their paintings. 

Students were to paint the entire papers with the colors they wanted and then create a texture in the paint using various supplies such as paint combs, bottle stoppers and kitchen scrubbers. 

This took one, fifty minute class period (and we were rushing). 

For the next class we discussed the shapes of various fruits and vegetables and how to draw to save paper.

I provided patterns for students to trace to make a basket and step by step directions on how to make the weaving pattern on the board.

Students could share their painted papers if they decided they wanted a different color of fruit or vegetable.

This actually took two, fifty  minute class periods. 

I love how they turned out!

Roy Lichtenstein kindergarten art lesson

Roy Lichtenstein Kindergarten art lesson

I  found this idea from http://paintbrushrocket.blogspot.com/search/label/Kindergarten

I just changed it a bit to fit the needs of my students. 

This idea comes from Roy Lichenstein's sunset art. 

I provided each student a printed 12" x 18" copy of a sunset in the style of Roy Lichenstein's art. 

I'm so blessed to have a great copier that I can copy all of them onto!

We noticed that he used mostly primary colors so I played the primary color song by Sesame Street. You can find it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu44JRTIxSQ

They love this song!

I provided a paper plate with yellow paint for the students to paint some of the rays and the sun part. 

On another paper plate I provided red and blue for students to paint lines onto  a couple of the rays. 

Students then could take  daubers filled with watery tempera paint and make dots on some of the rays. 

The last step was to take a dauber filled with black ink and outline the lines. Remind students not to squeeze the bottles or it will make a big blob! 

I always provide the steps on the board. 

They turned out so nice and I'm amazed how well they did using the black ink!

 

Piet Mondrian 1st grade art lesson

Piet Mondrian 1st grade art lesson

                                        Sorry for the odd angle video. I was just learning how to record! 

 I actually found this lesson on Artsonia. I couldn't find any directions so this is what I came up with. 

I read the book "Coppernickel Goes Mondrian" by Wouter Van Reek. I actually stopped through out the book and discussed how Mondrian moved to the city and was inspired by Jazz music. 

Students were then given blocks of primary colored construction paper to cut into different sizes of rectangles and squares. I only allowed them to start out with one of each primary color and then after they cut them they could add more if they needed to. 

After they arranged them, they glued them down and then printed black lines with the edge of a cardboard square. 

While they worked I played Jazz music. Students really loved working along to the same kind of music Mondrian was inspired by!

I have the CD Songs in the Key of Art that has a great song titled Mondrian. Greg Percy has a whole set of these with different songs about various elements of art and artists. 

Kindergarten printmaking primary colors

Kindergarten printmaking with cups

It is so hard to teach kindergarten at the beginning of the year! Here is a short easy lesson that the kids really enjoyed. I got the idea from http://galatiak12art.blogspot.com/2014/04/kindergarten-primary-color-cup-prints.html
I began the lesson by talking about primary and secondary colors. I played a short two minute video on YouTube by Sesame Street.It's called "Three Primary Colors".
Students then printed circles by using a cup dipped in each primary color onto either a black or white piece of paper.
Some of the students could see that they created new colors when they overlapped the circles! 

1st grade color mixing with watercolors

1st grade watercolor mixing

I wanted my first graders to jump right in on their first day of art and make an easy project. My first graders are returning from all day kindergarten at my district so they are familiar with the art routine and various art medias and techniques.
I  began the lesson on discussing the color wheel and having the children reviewing the primary and secondary colors. We discussed how to mix primary colors to make secondary colors and then I demonstrated how to trace a cup onto a 12" x 18" multi media white piece of paper. Students were instructed on how to trace the cup with a black marker and to  overlap two circles. I referenced a Venn Diagram while demonstrating.

  Students watched a short video on lines on YouTube called "The Line Song" by Scratch Garden. It's really short (about 2 minutes).  This was review from last year. They then added any kind of  line they wanted to their drawings.

The next step was to paint the primary colors onto the circles and mix the centers to make secondary colors. 

This took one 50 minute class period.
The last part was to paint the background or empty spaces (the negative space) using only the secondary colors.
On my computer the background purple on these paintings appear to be blue. Hopefully on yours it appears purple!