OVERVIEW
Students will work on a series of very small works each using different combinations of media. There is opportunity for lots of freedom and self-expression, and artists learn to focus on one work at a time while doing many. The small size and having several works in a row, takes the pressure off of each work, so students really enjoy themselves and create some fantastic work as a result.Grades 3 – 5
Week of October 8 – 12
1 Hour & 45 Minutes, or two 52-minute sessions
STANDARDS For This Lesson
SUBMIT YOUR SUMMARY
Copy and paste the text below to send your abbreviated lesson plan with national standards and learning targets to your supervisors and colleagues. Or access the WORD doc by using the blue button below.
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Week of October 8 – 12
OVERVIEW:
Students will work on a series of very small works each using different combinations of media. There is opportunity for lots of freedom and self-expression, and artists learn to focus on one work at a time while doing many. The small size and having several works in a row, takes the pressure off of each work, so students really enjoy themselves and create some fantastic work as a result.
NATIONAL STANDARDS:
Demonstrate openness in trying new ideas, materials, methods, and approaches in making works of art and design.
Grade seven
Apply methods to overcome creative blocks.
Grade eight
Document early stages of the creative process visually and/or verbally in traditional or new media.
Grade HS Proficient
Use multiple approaches to begin creative endeavors.
LEARNING TARGETS:
Students know how to make smaller pieces of art
Students know how to make art of their choice
LESSON PLAN:
1. Warmup (5 minutes)- Emotion explosion in charcoal
2. Prepare Paper (10 min) – Measure & cut watercolor paper into 6 squares
3. Introduction (5) – Many Minis Intro
4. Make Stuff (32) – Make Art! Encourage students.
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Break – end of part one if dividing into 2 sessions
5. Make More (47) – Let students create more art
6. Clean Up (5) – Everyone helps
Tap the Plus Icon (above right) to open STANDARDS information, including an Overview, Learning Targets and a Syllabus. Copy and paste to send to your Administrators or use the button below to download a Word document with the same information that you can add your info to and email to them as an attachment.
SCROLL & TEACH LESSON PLAN
Don’t worry about rewriting anything. Just spend a few minutes reading the lesson plan and printing out your PDFs. Then check out the READY, SET, GO! section and print your prep-page, which includes checklists and an “at a glance” outline of the lesson so you can stay on track when you’re teaching. Set out the materials from the list on your prep page and you’re ready.
That’s all you need to know. Use your smartphone to Scroll & Teach!
Lesson At A Glance
A brief overview of each step. Buttons jump to each section for detailed information.
10 Min – measure & cut watercolor paper into 6 squarish units
32 Min -Make art! Encourage and help students
47 Min – Let students create more art!
5 Min – Everyone helps
SCROLL & TEACH
LESSONPLAN
Each section is a different color. Read over once and then you can SCROLL & TEACH using any device you like. It’s designed to work best with your phone.
LEARNING TARGETS
Students know how to use emotion in their artwork
M A T E R I A L S
- Sketch paper
- Soft compressed charcoal
- Kneaded eraser
Pinterest Gallery – Many Minis
Tap the icon to the left to open our special Pinboard showing examples of artwork to display to your class. See our Article for making Pinterest work on larger displays. You can also use a laptop or large tablet and gather everyone around like you’re using a book.
1.1 draw
Show the Pinterest Page (above) for images of inspirational artwork. Keep the images rotating throughout the lesson by selecting new ones every few minutes as best you can.
CREATIONS - tap here to open
Use the Student Instructions printout below to distribute to your Creations students. Tap the image to open the PDF in a new window.
Many Minis Revisited
Overview: Since creating their own choices and making several smaller works is always a great exercise for any artist, advanced students should really enjoy diving into the same project but bringing their higher level of skills to it.
There are no prints needed since the lesson is essentially the same for advanced students as for the Foundations students.
LEARNING TARGETS
Students know how to prepare for painting
M A T E R I A L S
- Watercolor paper – 11″ x 15″
- Pencil & eraser
- Scissors
- Ruler
2.1 draw
Make sure that students do not keep their rulers after making the measurements and line. Using drafting tools disrupts a person’s ability to be creative, engaging the analytical part of the mind. Get back to being artists simply by turning in all the rulers after making the lines.
Have students all use a ruler to make marks on the paper edges as follows:
- Mark at the 5.5″ point along one of the 11″ edges. This is half.
- Mark at the 5.5″ point along the other 11″ edge. Also half.
- 2 Marks at the 5″ & 10″ points on the longer 15″ edge.
- 2 Marks at the 5′ & 10″ points on the other 15″ edge.
- Use ruler as straight edge to draw clean lines from point to point, dividing page into 6 units.
- Cut along lines with scissors.
- Write your name on the back of each square, very small in a corner. (so you can use that side if you need to start over).
LEARNING TARGETS
Students know how to listen to instructions
M A T E R I A L S
- Many Media List PDF
3.1 Print
Reference
Many Media List
There are two lists per page so you can print one page for every two students. Cut down the middle on the dotted line and hand one out to each student.
1 Page – Opens in new window
3.2 teach
Hand out the Many Media List of ideas (above), and then go over the 4 parameters that are at the bottom.
- Focus on ONE work only. Never even think about the others, so put away the 5 other pieces of paper.
- Do as many as you can, working easily and comfortably. It’s not a race to see how many you can do.
- Each work must be made with a different media. Begin with one media you like.
- Alternate between mixed media and single media. Every second work must use 2 or more media together, So at least half will be mixed media.
There are a few things you should avoid today:
- Written words
- Cartoons
- Other people’s art or characters”
LEARNING TARGETS
Students know how to make smaller pieces of art
M A T E R I A L S
- Watercolor papers, one at a time
- References – photos and books
- All media available
Brushes should be nylon for springiness and durability. Round brushes are the most versatile.
Paint pigment list:
- Napthol or Pyrrol Red
- Hansa or Light Yellow
- Pthalo Green (blue shade)
- Cyan or Cerulean Blue
- Ultramarine Blue
- Dioxazine Purple
- Magenta
- Burnt Umber
- Raw Sienna
- Titanium White (professional grade only)
4.1 create
Go around the room and ask what they think. Offer suggestions if you have any, but ask if they want any first. Look for things you like, and point them out, to encourage them. The point of the lesson is to express themselves, so what you think should be done, must not affect their work. The only time you should interject and suggest changes, are when you see someone who is struggling or dissatisfied with their work. Be on the lookout for this so you can get them back on track.
It is ok to let someone abandon a piece if it is just becoming too frustrating, but it should not be a common occurrence.
BREAK
This is the end of part one if you are dividing into two, 52-minute sessions.
LEARNING TARGETS
Students know how to make art of their choice
M A T E R I A L S
- Watercolor papers, one at a time
- References – photos and books
- All media available
5.1 create
Lesson Point:
“you are an limitless source of artwork. Some of your work will always be a stepping stone to others, or LEARNERS that lead to KEEPERS.”
LEARNING TARGETS
Students know the importance of cleaning up.
M A T E R I A L S
- Paper Towels
- Cleaning wipes
- Sink
- Waste baskets
- Well-lit spot for photos
- Camera or phone-camera
6.1 CLEAN
- Wash hands
- Super-wash brushes if used
- Put art supplies away
- Wipe tables & toss trash
- Remove any smocks (last)
- Check for items on floors and tables
6.2 PHOTO
6.3 CONNECT
READY, SET, GO!
The information you need to make your lesson work%
Insights
This lesson provides understanding
%
Technique
This lesson shows application and movement
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Self Expression
This lesson allows personal freedom
OBJECTIVES
- Practice and improvement using various media and applying technique
- Understanding how to focus, and that some work will always be a stepping stone to others
- Accomplishment in creating several finished works of art in a short time
- Fulfillment by having total freedom of choice
TROUBLESPOTS
Getting stuck – If a student can’t figure out what to do, ask them to decide between 2 subjects, like animals and still life. Then if animals, between two kinds of animals, like African and farm. Keep narrowing it down by choosing which thing they’re not interested in and going with the other.
Rushing – Encourage students to consider each blank piece of paper the only artwork of the moment. Take time on it. It’s better to have 3 great works rather than 6 poor efforts. It is also ok to create a simple and spontaneous work, as long as it’s purposeful. You don’t want to see disinterest and rushing to just get through it. We use nice paper to make it more meaningful, and you can help by getting students to find out what interests them, and helping them move into that freedom to do what they’ve always wanted to do.
ART WORDS
Media – The malleable materials used to create artwork. charcoal, pencil, paint & pastels are 4 media types.
Art Structure – The rigid surface or framework that holds art media. Watercolor paper is our structure today.
Technique – The method of movement by which a media is applied to a structure. Hatch shading & scribbling are two very different techniques that can be used with various media such as pencil, charcoal or ink.
CLASSROOM
PREP
Print all of your PDFs from the lesson plan and cut any references apart as needed.
What your room needs
Here are your printable lists and room prep instructions.
Opens in new window
CLASSROOM
MATERIALS
- Scissors
- Ruler
- References – photos and books
- Paper Towels
STUDENT’S
MATERIALS
- 14″ x 17″ Sketch Paper
- 11″ x 15″ watercolor paper
- 2B Pencil
- 4B pencil
- Ebony pencil
- Black Sharpie
- Markers
- India ink
- Ink dip pen with metal nib (not too sharp a point)
- Soft compressed charcoal sticks (not pencils)
- Canvas pencil (dark gray colored pencil)
- White erasers
- Kneaded erasers
- Acrylic paints
- Oil pastels
- Blender sticks (stumps)
- Sandpaper boards (to clean blenders)
- Paper palette pad, or disposable trays/plates
- 11″ x 14″ Canvas (loose or from real canvas pad)
- Canvas boards (optional)
- Tape – blue painter’s tape
- Brushes – All sizes
PREVIEW
Week 11: Watercolor Rodeo
October 15 – 19
Students will learn how to paint with watercolor, using the drop-in method and our 4 watercolor insights. First they draw some autumn leaves, and after a demo, they will paint leaves using watercolors they’ve made from acrylic paints. Emphasis is on letting the watercolor work by itself and brush technique.
Week 12: Pumpkin Carving Party
October 22 – 26
Students get to take a break from “serious” art lessons, and show off their skills doing a popular project for the upcoming holiday. You can plan a party and encourage your kids to dress up if you want to.
