OVERVIEW

Students have fun with a playful subject, underscoring the idea that “the joy of an artist will be evident in their finished art”. The concept of Air Shapes is revisited. Students learn to draw on “both sides of the line“, and draw the air inside a vase handle. Oil pastels are used to finish in color, and there is a dance break too!

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Grades K – 2

Week of September 16 – 20

1 Hour & 30 Minutes

Student Work

Lesson At A Glance

A brief overview of each step. Buttons jump to each section for detailed information.

5 Minutes – Artists’ Choice

12 Min –  Play shapes game

12 Min – Draw line art

12 Min – paint lines for chicken art over pencil. Sign name.

4 Min – use hamster dance, or chicken dance tune

5 Min – use fingers in the air to pretend draw.

15 Min – vases and flowers on table.

15 Min – Color chicken line art or Flower & vase drawing.

5 Min – Everyone helps

5 Min – Chicken house ideas (for early finishers)

Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.
 

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.

STEP 1. Warmup with Artists choice

Students will warmup with Artists' Choice
5 Minutes

LEARNING TARGETS

Students know how to use their imagination to make art

M A T E R I A L S

  • 11″ x 17″ Copy Paper
  • 4B Pencil
  • White Eraser
  • Markers
  • Oil Pastels
All materials are suggestions and may be modified as you see fit. We have tried many items, and these seem to allow the most versatility for the cost.

1.1 draw

Artists choice in pencil or oil pastels on large sketch paper or 11″ x 17″ copy paper.

Warmup is only 5 minutes today. Help kids move on by explaining that we have a game next and a fun dance later on. Mention the balloon and fence from the past 2 weeks, and also the idea of drawing air.

Artists’ Choice

Encourage students to work with one piece of paper for a while. If someone uses the phrase, “free draw”, explain that artists’ choice is something only artists can do, while free-draw is something anyone can do. You want to use the phrase to elevate the students’ expectations and self-worth.

Students should take their time with the work and make a finished piece of art. Limiting the paper can also help kids focus on the work. If someone finishes in super-fast time, ask them what more they can do to the existing work. Ask again several times – unless they appear overly frustrated; then you can allow them to move on to a new work.

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STEP 2. Shapes Game

Students will play a fun game identifying shapes
12 Minutes

LEARNING TARGETS

Students know how to identify big shapes

M A T E R I A L S

  • Black Marker
  • Oil Pastels

2.1 Print

GAME

Find The Shapes

The first page is the chicken photo, and the second page has 4 air shapes that fit around the chicken’s head.

Print a set for each student.

Three ways to play:

  1. Visually match and draw – most challenging
  2. Trace and slide around
  3. Cut the colored shapes out ahead of time, and let the kids fit like a puzzle. This is really easy though, and only for very young children.

PRINT

2 Pages – Opens in new window

2.2 play

Make sure everyone has a copy of the Chicken Air Shapes Game PDF, & a black marker. You can also try using oil pastels and match the colors of the air shapes.

Make sure to have and extra printout of the pdf. It’s a great idea to cut out at least the bird shape so you can use it to show students how it fits into the space behind the chicken’s head.

Have students choose shapes one at a time, and then find where they are in the air around the chicken head. The edges of the funny colored shapes will match the edges of the chicken like pieces of a puzzle. They can draw the familiar cartoonish shape into the air around the Chicken using their markers or oil pastels. Finish by drawing the rest of the chicken head itself.

“You remember how we can look at both sides of a line, and draw air? Well I want you to do that with this chicken head. There are 4 colored shapes on the second page. See the bird shape, the W-shape, the funny face shape, and a volcano? Try to find where these shapes are in the air around the chicken, and draw them there where you think they fit.

Draw the chicken shape too, and then you will be drawing on both sides of the lines. The shapes in any artwork all fit together like a puzzle, just like these shapes do.”

Teacher Talk

Read verbatim or paraphrase

TIP
For an easier version of this game, you can let the students choose a shape from the 4 shapes, and trace it onto tracing paper with a pencil. Then they can place the tracing paper over the chicken photo and move it around to find out where it fits. With more time they can do more shapes.
Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.

STEP 3. Draw Lines

Students will trace a picture of a chicken
12 Minutes

LEARNING TARGETS

Students know how to make an outline

M A T E R I A L S

  • 14″ x 17″ Sketch Paper
  • 2B Pencil
  • White Eraser

3.1 Print

Reference

Chicken Line Art

Cut images apart and print enough for each student to choose from several.

Hand out reference prints. Set all of the images out on a table or counter, and let groups of students come choose what they want..

PRINT

1 Page – Opens in new window

3.2 draw

Place drawing boards with the chicken line art PDF taped on it (or taped to the table), at each students work area to trace. 

Every student should have a pencil & eraser, and a sheet of 14″ x 17″ sketch paper. Have students use their paper and slide it around on top of their marker line art to decide where they want their chicken to be. Once they do, stick a couple of bits of tape on it to hold it in place while they trace it with their pencil.

Next, students should draw the chicken in pencil and add some fun backgrounds or scenery. Anything is good, as long as it’s simple enough to paint with a brush.

While they’re doing this, set out black paint, small brushes, paper towels, smocks, and water tubs for the next step. Early finishers can help and put on their smocks.

“Wow! Look how you can see through this paper at the chicken. You get to decide where you’ll draw your chicken, by moving the paper around until you like where it is. Use the tape to hold your paper right where you want it by sticking down the corners. Now you can trace it in pencil, using the line drawing underneath as a guide. Ask for help if you need it.

When we draw this, we’ll use a pencil at first, but that’s just to get ready. We’re going to use a brush and black paint.”

Teacher Talk

Read verbatim or paraphrase

Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.

STEP 4. Paint Lines

Students will paint over their outline
12 Minutes

LEARNING TARGETS

Students know how to make a lineart painting

M A T E R I A L S

  • Pencil Chicken drawing from the last step
  • Black Paint
  • Small Brushes
  • Smocks
  • Paper towels
  • Cheasels
  • Tray or bowl to hold black paint

4.1 paint

Set some of the Chicken Line Art PDFs up on stands, like cheasels, so kids can see them while they paint the lines. Everyone should put on smocks.

Kids should “draw” over their pencil lines using a brush and black paint. Don’t bend the brush; just use the tip of the bristles instead of pressing down, and dip often for more paint.

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STEP 5. Chicken Dance!

Students will have a fun dance break!
4 Minutes

LEARNING TARGETS

Students know that having fun is good for creativity

M A T E R I A L S

  • iPad or Computer to play music

5.1 dance

Play the song, “Hamster Dance” or “Chicken Dance” and have some fun for a moment, dancing around the room acting like chickens.
Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.

STEP 6. Air Drawing

Students will draw imaginary shapes in the air
5 Minutes

LEARNING TARGETS

Students know how to use their imagination

M A T E R I A L S

  • Pencil

6.1 learn

Have everyone stand up and close or cover one eye.

Then have the kids draw in the air just using their finger at first.

Draw a flower, and then a smiley face. This is using imagination to draw. Now pick up a pencil and pretend to draw in the air again. Try drawing a spiral shape.

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STEP 7. Drawing Air

Students will draw a still Life
15 Minutes

LEARNING TARGETS

Students know how to draw a still life object

M A T E R I A L S

  • 8.5″ x 11″ Copy Paper
  • 2B Pencil
  • White Eraser
  • Real or Fake Flowers
  • Vase or Mug with a handle and an air shape inside
Almost every mug has a great air shape inside the handle.

7.1 draw

Students use pencils to draw real objects – that have simple air shapes.

Have several simple objects, like one flower in a vase or a couple of coffee mugs, that have handles on them. It’s very important that everyone can see a hole in a handle for this step.

Explain how you can close or cover one eye to view one of the objects, and see the shapes easier with one eye.

Make sure they write their names in the corner and then try to draw the shapes they see, making sure everyone identifies the air shape inside the handle.

“Hold one eye closed or cover it. Then use your finger in the air, and pretend to trace the real object (flower or mug), just like you traced the chicken line drawing with a pencil.

Now look at the hole in the handle. That’s an air shape! Trace that air shape with your finger.

Ok, everyone pick up your pencil, and draw the flower shape, the vase or mug shape, and also the air shape inside the handle. Take your time and have some fun drawing this still life in front of you using lines.”

Teacher Talk

Read verbatim or paraphrase

Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.

STEP 8. Colors With Pastels

Students will color in their chicken or flower still life with oil pastels
15Minutes

LEARNING TARGETS

Students know how to color in a sketch or lineart

M A T E R I A L S

  • Oil Pastels
  • Blender sticks
  • Paper towels

8.1 color

Artists’ Choice! Students have a choice of coloring in their chicken line art from Step 4, if it’s completely dry, or the flower and vase drawings from Step 7.

Use oil pastels with blenders or paper towels, and have students color their artwork in either realistic colors or in crazy colors and designs, like pink polka dots and stripes. Encourage mixing colors and blending them together for a smeary effect. If you have blender sticks (paper stumps), you can mix the colors with them and also with paper towels. Blend gently, or all the pastel will come off the paper.

Early finishers can start coloring in the other artwork, or adding background colors to the one they’ve been working on. Have students sign their work and set aside to take home.

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STEP 9. Clean Up

Everyone helps!
5 Minutes

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

9.1 CLEAN

Students set up their work area.

  • 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
Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.

STEP 10. Extra

Artists' Choice
5 Minutes

LEARNING TARGETS

Students know how to use their imagination when drawing

M A T E R I A L S

  • 11″ x 17″ Sketch Paper
  • 2B Pencil
  • White Eraser

10.1 draw

This is a great little imagination-stretching project for early finishers. 

Have students draw a house that they think a chicken would like! Start with the interior and if there’s time, draw the outside of the house. Remind them to put names on their work.

Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.

OBJECTIVES

  • Practice and improvement in handling & controlling materials
  • Understanding that spaces between and inside objects are important shapes
  • Accomplishment in creating accurate & interesting artwork
  • Fulfillment by enjoying the creative process and encouragement

TROUBLESPOTS

Drawing the air shapes on the chicken – Some kids will not get the air shape idea, so be ready to spot them before they go too far. See the Preparation section for instructions on cutting out some of the colored air shapes from an extra copy of the Chicken Air Shapes PDF. Use these to show students how these are silly shapes that we can see in the shapes around other objects. It’s kind of like trying to see familiar shapes in clouds.

ART WORDS

 Guide lines –  The lines we draw in pencil that help us know where to paint. These lines are not the actual art. They just help us make the art.

Air Shapes – A concrete way to describe negative spaces, or the shapes that you can see in-between and around objects.

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.

PRINT

Opens in new window

CLASSROOM

MATERIALS

  • 11×17” Copy Paper
  • 14” x 17” Sketch Paper
  • 8.5 x 11” Copy paper
  • 4B pencils
  • Erasers
  • Markers
  • Oil pastels
  • Blender sticks (stumps)
  • Clipboards
  • Paper towels
  • Black Markers
  • Black paint
  • Small brushes
  • Smocks
  • Cheasels
  • Tray or bowl to hold black paint
  • iPad or computer to play music
  • Real or fake flowers
  • Vase or mug with a handle

PREVIEW

Week 6: Cut Flowers

Students use drawing skills to create a large vase and flower collage with mixed media: Oil pastels, kraft paper, cutting, and gluing. They work on composition as they apply the shapes they’ve drawn and cut.

Week 7: Artists’ Choice Day

Students have a day full of fun and choosing their own subject matter. This encourages artists, who often say they don’t get to do what they want to. There are also 2 stations for learning-art activities.

Use this button to view our parent’s blog. Share the link: http://parentart.org, with your student’s parents so your they can read about the lesson each week.